Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Romans 8:12-17
Luke 13:10-17

Reflection:

The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God. ~ Romans 8:16

Just last week, a Passionist friend sent me an email recommending a documentary called “My Name is Pauli Murray.”  I had never heard of Pauli Murray.  It turns out Pauli Murray, a civil rights activist, lawyer, poet, and Episcopal priest, is a saint in the Episcopal Church.  From youth, Dr. Murray, who was born in 1910, excelled academically, was valedictorian in law school and went on to earn an L.L.M. from University of CA, Berkeley and a J.S.D from Yale Law School.  Murray’s “States’ Laws on Race and Color,” a compilation of all state level laws involving race, was referred to as the “bible” by Thurgood Marshall and other civil rights lawyers.  Murray was appointed by John F. Kennedy to the Committee on Civil and Political Rights, and worked closely with Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King, Jr.  From 1965-1973, Murray served on the National Board of Directors for the American Civil Liberties Union.  Murray died in 1985 and 27 years later, in 2012, was named to the Episcopal Church’s pantheon of “Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints” for “advocacy of the universal cause of freedom.”

Dr. Pauli Murray worked tirelessly for the suffering and marginalized, doing God’s work– just as described in today’s Psalm–always seeking to “give a home to the forsaken…and lead prisoners to prosperity” (Ps 68:7).  How, you might be wondering, could so many of us have missed this extraordinary person?  Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Pauli Murray was a black woman who resisted gender conformity.

In 2017 she was featured in an article in the New Yorker. What struck me while reading the article was her indomitable spirit in the face of all the obstacles she experienced: the untimely death of her mother, her father’s murder, her rejection from various schools because of race and, when she was accepted, the overt sex discrimination she encountered from faculty and students. Fifteen years before Rosa Parks, Murray was arrested and jailed for protesting bus segregation laws in Virginia. In 1952 she was rejected for a US State Department position despite references from Eleanor Roosevelt and Thurgood Marshall.

Through it all, her private papers suggest that her courage and persistence in moving forward with what Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, called “an agenda for the human good that was constant and unswerving” came from a deep faith that God made her for a reason just as she was, to do the work of God that was uniquely hers.   For me, her whole life embodies Paul’s words in Romans 8:  Pauli Murray’s spirit was bearing witness with the Spirit itself that we are all children of God.

In her autobiography, Murray wrote of her ordination: “All the strands of my life had come together. Descendant of slave and of slave owner, I had already been called poet, lawyer, teacher, and friend. Now I was empowered to minister the sacrament of One in whom there is no north or south, no black or white, no male or female – only the spirit of love and reconciliation drawing us all toward the goal of human wholeness.”

I can’t help but hear an echo of the words of today’s Gospel reading in my heart: “‘Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.’ He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.” And I wonder if perhaps it is we who have been in bondage, crippled by a spirit, and she who has been glorifying God the whole time.

Liberating God, we thank you for the steadfast courage of your servant Pauli Murray, who fought long and well: Unshackle us from bonds of prejudice and fear so that we show forth your reconciling love and true freedom, which you revealed through your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.  (https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/pauli-murray/)

Lissa Romell is the Administrator at St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois.

Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Peters_Holy_Spirit_window_01.jpg

Scripture:

Jeremiah 31:7-9
Hebrews 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52

Reflection:

Mercy

WC Fields was a famous comical actor who often played the role of being very unreligious.  But one day a friend unexpectedly comes into his room to find Fields thumbing thru the Bible.  His friend was very surprised at this and said: “Bill are you finally getting religion in your old age”?  He said, “I am only looking for some loopholes.”

“And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  MK 10:47   In today’s Gospel Bartimaeus found a huge loophole!  “Have mercy on me.” Mark’s Gospel shares with us one of the most wonderful and effective prayers in the New Testament.  Mercy is a massive theme not only in the New Testament but also in the Old.

Both in the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament there are many different words that express mercy. “He delights in mercy.” (Micah 7:18)   Here the Hebrew word is kesed  which means a faithful love “which lasts forever”.  Another Hebrew word is ḥannûn which meansgracious to grant an undeserved favor.  It is the beggar’s prayer. 

In the New Testament there are again many words like eleeō which we use in the beginning of every Mass “Lord have mercy” which is often used in the original Biblical Greek “Kyrie, Eleison”.  One the most deeply felt words in Greek is splanchnizō.  It means being compassionately moved in your most inmost being with mercy. Splanka in Greek means our intestines.  It is used about 7 times to describe Jesus’ feeling for us!

We must all live on the edge of God’s mercy.  We must not be afraid to jump into the depth of His kindness. There is a great democracy among all of us.   We all exist on the precincts of God’s mercy. None of us can demand God’s favor!  God’s kindness is not primarily wages due to us for work well done.  All is a pure gift due to the Body of Christ given to us and His Blood poured out for us on the cross. If this is true for the saints among us how much more for us who are deeply flawed?  It seems to me that I must handle my very deep flaws by basically living on the edge of God’s compassion!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Romans 8:1-11
Luke 13:1-9

Reflection:

In the Gospel reading for today, we hear not only about God’s patience and mercy, but also a challenge to show mercy to others. I’ll start with the second part of our reading first. In this part of our reading, Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree which has produced no fruit. The owner of the land, says to his gardener, “For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?” But the gardener replies, “Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down.”

This parable indicates to us God’s patience with us. But are we patient with each other? It seems that too many times in human history, people have rationalized oppressing and even killing others because they “exhaust the soil.” They are not seen as worthy of living. But if we can get in touch with just how merciful God has been with us, how can we not refrain from judgment and prejudice and instead show mercy and compassion towards others?

Reflecting on this helped me understand what Jesus is saying in the first part of our reading. In this part of our reading, people talk to Jesus about a group of Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Speaking about these people and similarly about some others who died when a tower in Siloam fell on them, Jesus says, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way, they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will perish as they did!” 

I don’t think Jesus means to say that God will be as callous and hard-hearted as Pilate was if we don’t repent. I do think that what He is saying is something like, “You think that because they suffered in this way that they must have been great sinners? Instead of speculating about their sinfulness, you need to pay attention to your own sinfulness and don’t waste time turning back to God. Otherwise, you will have no life.”

May we reflect God’s love and mercy in showing love and mercy to others.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

Romans 6:19-23
Luke 12: 49-53

Reflection:

Jesus said to the crowds, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” 

Jesus is enthusiastic about fulfilling his Father’s mission for him. The word “fire” refers to Jesus’ energy and momentum to conduct his mission which is spreading the Good News. Jesus has called each of us to continue his mission of proclaiming and spreading the Good News of love and healing. It is important for us to pray for the gifts, courage, and zeal to continue Jesus’ mission to transform the world with the “fire” of his love.

Today’s gospel passage teaches us that Jesus’ Good news is prophetic and like most prophetic messages, not all will respond to it in a positive manner. Jesus came to bring love, unity, and peace not division but as the gospel suggests not all will embrace Jesus’ message and His message will cause division even among family members.

Jesus challenges us to ask ourselves what are we enthusiastic about? Our work sports our hobbies. Are we as passionate as Jesus about our calling to continue the mission of spreading the fire of the Good News of love, forgiveness, unity, and peace? Am I nonchalant and lukewarm about God’s personal call to me to spread the “fire” of the Kingdom to all?  Do I fear what other people might think or say about me? Today, Lord, I ask you for the energy, zeal, and excitement to spread the “fire” of love and peace to all we meet and give us the grace to overcome our fears. (The thoughts for this reflection were adapted from Sacred Space. Sacred Space is a ministry of the Irish Jesuits https://www.sacredspace.ie/scripture/luke-1249-53-0)

Carl Middleton is a theologian/ethicist and a member of the Passionist Family.

Feast of our Holy Founder, St. Paul of the Cross

Scripture:

Isaiah 1: 1-3
I Corinthians 1, 17-25
Mark 6:7-13

Reflection:

Today we Passionists celebrate the feast of St. Paul of the Cross, our Holy Founder (1694-1775).  It is a day for remembering this remarkable man and his profound insight into the mystery of God.  Paul Daneo started out as a young man fascinated by the Passion of Jesus Christ.  From his earliest years, Paul recognized in the human sufferings of Christ a divine commitment to the human family.  Paul spent his entire life reflecting on the meaning of the love God has for us.  In his early years, Paul burned with the desire to participate in the sufferings of Christ in his own person through long hours of prayer, penance, self-discipline, severe poverty and fasting.  He gathered companions to share in this life and threw himself into preaching the great love revealed in the passion and death of Jesus Christ.  In the mature years of his life, we witness a man totally absorbed in God’s love and filled with a desire to share that love with everyone he met.  Paul is, indeed, a fascinating man who lives the transforming experience of giving oneself over totally to a God who loves us!

St. Paul of the Cross is clearly a vivid example of the truth of the testimony of St. Paul the Apostle in his letter to the Corinthians.  God’s wisdom and power, revealed in the Passion of His Son, Jesus Christ, is truly beyond human understanding. 

Paul Daneo spent his entire life embracing the mystery of Christ Crucified.  The depth of Paul’s compassion and commitment to the people in his life, from the outcasts of the Tuscan Maremma (marshes), to the families he guided, to the church leaders he advised, to the companions he gathered around him to share in his life, inspired them all to an ever-deeper conviction that God loved them beyond their understanding.  The love they experienced in Paul’s reflections on the Crucified Christ enriched their lives and deepened their own commitment to living their lives generously and faithfully.

 As we remember the example of this great Saint, we ask God to keep us centered in the love God has for us as revealed in the Passion and Death of His Son.

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director of retreats at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Isaiah 53:10-11
Hebrews 4:14-16
Mark 10:35-45

Reflection:

“And the will of the Lord shall be accomplished through him.” We should hope that these words from the first reading today will be the epitaph of our lives because nothing better could be said of us. If God’s will is accomplished through us, we will have achieved the very thing for which we were born into this world. God’s will for every one of us is that God’s love, God’s goodness, God’s justice, patience, kindness, mercy, and compassion might break into the world each day through our attitudes, words, and actions. No matter how it happens, whenever God’s will is accomplished through us our lives glorify God. 

Today’s gospel revolves around the question, “What does it mean to be important?” or “What does it mean to be great?” James and John, two of the apostles, want Jesus to assure them that they will sit, “’one at your right and the other at your left, when you come into your glory.’” Like us, James and John want to matter, they want to count. In responding to their request, Jesus turns our customary ways of thinking upside down. We typically connect greatness with being in the spotlight, with being recognized and esteemed above others. We think we matter when we can lord it over others and have the wealth and power necessary to do whatever we want. We want to be people who “make their importance felt.” Jesus subverts these assumptions when he tells his apostles (and all of us) that true greatness is about service, about expending ourselves for the sake of others. With Jesus, we matter not when others are serving us, but when we transcend ourselves in love, goodness, generosity, and kindness, each day doing what we can to bring others more fully to life.

If we do, the “will of the Lord” shall be accomplished through us and we shall truly be great.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor Emeritus of Theology & Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the Passionist Family.