Daily Scripture

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Luke 1:39-56

Reflection:

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. This feast celebrates our faith, that Mary, as the mother of God, was taken up, body and soul into heaven. We hear in our second reading (1 Corinthians 15:20-27), “For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the first fruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father…” And so, we believe that Mary received this promise as one first among those “who belong to Christ.”

For me, this feast tells us that Mary’s trust in God, and her hope in Jesus was vindicated. And that the promise fulfilled for her has been offered to everyone.

It’s not always easy to live in hope and trust. I usually don’t mess with the Book of Revelation because there always seems to be wild speculations about whether the visions described in that book are being fulfilled in our times. But in our first reading (Revelation 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab), the image of a terror-inducing dragon, standing before a woman about to give birth, ready to devour the child when she gave birth, gives expression, I think, to what many people might be feeling today.

Does it not seem sometimes that fear and a feeling of helplessness in the face of poverty and violence are ready to “devour” our hope? Or that resentment and a desire for vengeance are ready to “devour” mercy? Or that greed and prejudice and indifference and complacency are ready to “devour” our capacity to love?

The future can seem bleak. But our faith reminds us that out of God’s love for us, the virgin Mary did give birth to the Son of God, Jesus, who is our Savior and Lord! We believe that that Son of God died for us on the Cross and rose from the dead to give us all the promise of everlasting life. So we need not let our hope and mercy and love be devoured by the ways of the world. We can live in hope and show mercy and share love. We can, in the words of Pope Francis, care for our “common home.” But the time to act is now.

In our Gospel reading (Luke 1:39-56), after Elizabeth gives Mary a greeting which comes from the Holy Spirit, Mary gives a testimony which is often referred to as the Magnificat. And in part of that testimony, Mary describes how God has often turned the wisdom of the world on its head (scattering the “proud,” casting down the “mighty” and lifting up the “poor;” filling the “hungry” and sending the “rich” away empty). To care for each other and our common home, we will most likely need to stand worldly wisdom on its head in many ways. But with the grace of God, and a willingness to work together, we can do our part in building up the kingdom.

To paraphrase Elizabeth’s words to Mary: Blessed are we who believe that what has been spoken to us by the Lord will be fulfilled.

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

Scripture:

Joshua 24:14-29
Matthew 19:13-15

Reflection:

Recently I heard a recording from a Fr. Richard Rohr presentation called the “Beginners Mind”. It reminded me of how a child reacts to the world. When we arrive in a room with small children, the child looks for the adult with a smile, the one who is open and friendly—the simple detective work of one hunting and searching for love.

Children detect hostility, unfriendliness, and those who are unauthentic in a way that is beyond words. Their agenda is simple; there is no agenda. There is no duality in their thinking, just looking for the one who is most friendly, open, and willing to love. Come play with me is mostly present in their eyes.  

How much of this can we learn again in our relationship with God. How many have fallen prey to following the tradition rather than the love? Our Catholic tradition without love is meaningless. Particularly if we start to “preach” tradition in a way that divides us from others rather than unites us in the community of God; the Body of Christ. The Church universal.

We sometimes need a reminder the word Catholic means universal. For us this is universal love, and there is nowhere we can feel and hear that word more soundly than in love expressed by a child. A child cannot fend for themselves; they survive only with love. So do I. Without love, I am nothing, just someone looking for a cave to dwell in with a warm fire and a loving friend.

The loving friend we seek is the same one the child in the room opens their heart towards. The love expressed by the adult in the room is filled with the grace of God. And one willing to communicate it freely, willingly with the smile which requires no repayment. Just gift. Pure gift.

Let us return to the “Beginners Mind”, let us unlearn the prejudices and offer ourselves openly to listen to others, even offer love to those we dislike, without scowls or pretense. The child in us all brings us back to the Beginners Mind, when we did not judge, but loved.

And sat silently on the floor waiting for God to come and play with us. Forever.

BE READY LIKE A CHILD

Be ready like a child,

For learning is simple when we accept
For belief with a child’s mind
is like simple addition.

The result is pure and right.

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them;
for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  Gospel of Matthew

Reflection, Photograph and Poem by Michael Cunningham, OFS, the Director and CEO of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17
Matthew 18:21-19:1

Reflection:

The goal of this reflection is to deepen our commitment to daily prayer in contemplation with Christ, and our commitment to eternal life through our merciful acts towards others, especially the stranger.

“When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.” Joshua is profoundly aware of the universal implications of the “Chosen People crossing into the Promised Land.” A foretaste of our Salvation! He desires that this event is sealed in their hearts. Never forgotten. The implications of this event would take us into the next life…the final crossing of the Jordan.

“Stand still.”

 That is what we are encouraged to do each day in prayer.

“Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God.” I ask myself the question, do I take the voice of God seriously, and do I deliberately pay attention?

If possible, the next time you are around the Table of the Lord, bring to mind this thought. If you are the Body and a member of Christ’s Body, your own mystery is placed on the table of the Lord – You receive your own mystery. That is, “Your intimate, unique relationship with God and all that God has in store for you according to God’s Will.”

To encounter the multifaceted Body of Christ, as something immediate and visible in our lives, we accept our daily occurrences and encounters with people as what I call “graced reality.”

Prayer is always an encounter with mystery. The Lord is there, in the heart of our Church working its way to Eternal Life, through our “merciful activity.”

Always, “stand still” in God’s presence, in order to know what God asks of you according to God’s Mercy. Expect the unexpected.

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P., is a member of the Passionist Community in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:6-10
John 12:24-26

Reflection:

As children, we are all taught to share. It’s one of the hardest lessons for young kids to learn, especially when they really want to keep the requested item. For instance, when my grandson is asked to share a certain set of toys, he frequently offers a totally different (and usually unacceptable) toy that he doesn’t want, so he can keep the desired ones all to himself. “Mine!” is the cry of the child.

Have we really outgrown that impulse? So much of the message of Jesus, and indeed of all scripture, is about generous, big-hearted, selfless giving. But what a challenge! Even as an adult, it’s easy to give or to share when I have more than enough for myself or when I don’t much care about the requested item. What about when I have to sacrifice something I want in order to give it to someone else? Too often, my inner toddler comes out and I suggest other alternatives or try to finagle my way into getting to keep what I want. If I simply must give something up, I am not the “cheerful giver” that God loves; I give with resignation or downright resentment. Then I am tempted to keep track of who gave what and when, so in the future, I can call in the favor and balance the scales.

Interestingly, despite that difficulty with physical giving, on the emotional side I’ve frequently been known to “over-give”. I want to make others happy or I want to be liked or I want to uphold my treasured image as a good person, so I sacrifice myself to such a degree that I have nothing left – no energy, no strength, no reserves. When I am so depleted, I am not a cheerful giver nor an effective one. It is just as unhealthy and un-Christian as the refusal to give in the first place, although it is often harder to discern because it seems so virtuous.

How can we achieve balance on both ends of the spectrum? We need to adopt the heart of Christ. We need to pray and allow God to transform our hearts into God’s own, to join our will to the will of God. Remember, Jesus didn’t cling to possessions, people, or even life itself. Yet he didn’t over-give either; he took care of himself as the valued son of God. I am slowly and sometimes painfully learning to give generously and cheerfully both physically and emotionally, and yet to respect the dignity and value I have as God’s beloved child by also generously and cheerfully tending to my own needs. I still find the latter more difficult, but I’m learning.

What about you? Have you sacrificed too much of yourself and left yourself depleted? What are you doing to ensure you have the strength and resources you need to serve God and others well? Let’s work together to give with open arms and hearts, while also allowing ourselves rest and replenishment so we can continue the journey.  

Amy Florian is a teacher and consultant working in Chicago.  For many years she has partnered with the Passionists.  Visit Amy’s website: http://www.corgenius.com/.

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Matthew 17:22-27

Reflection:

Surprising Graces

Walking down the first-floor corridor of the monastery this morning, where the men who use wheelchairs have their rooms, I had a prayerful experience. From one room I heard an aide say, ‘It’s a lovely morning. Yes, God wants us to be fully alive.’ As I moved out of hearing range of that conversation, my ears locked onto a televised mass, ‘This is my body which is given for you’, followed by a litany.  Even before reaching the chapel for morning prayer, I thought, what a wonderful orientation to begin the day.

Graces were being scattered this morning. I sometimes avoid the first floor because of feeling helpless when I hear someone calling for help or for an aide. There are graces there too, of course. It seems sometimes God shouts out to us, so we don’t miss something important, that our sail catches the breeze or our little boat doesn’t miss a current.

But we do get used to beautiful things, we can miss the cues. Matthew has told us often to get used to parables, be ready for the surprises. Our ears and eyes and lips were touched at baptism and primed for the wonders of God. We need to remind them of their joyful task.

It is a question can we always be attuned to the graces around us or are these simply special graces, gifts, that pop up? Can we cultivate them like a farmer or be like an astronomer ready to catch them when they shoot across our horizon?

Strolling through the lectionary these days we celebrated the Transfiguration last week, the anniversary day that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan, today we remember St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, Edith Stein, who died with her sister and several men and women religious in Auschwitz, and the 14th of this month we celebrate the Martyr, Franciscan Father, Maximillian Kolbe, also a victim of Auschwitz. These feast days bring the shadow of war and the destruction of life to our prayer. The same is set before us in the daily news with its litany that calls out for forgiveness, hope, help, and compassion. God’s grace speaks to us.

Today’s gospel gives us the last word. Who is going to find the money to pay their taxes in the belly of a fish? As unexpected as the appearances of God’s grace can be, and our need then to be on the lookout for grace, as coins in a fish’s belly, so comes this prayer from the women’s concentration camp in Ravensbrook, Germany. It is appropriate as we look for grace, and as we celebrate the startling appearance of grace in the holy life and death of Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, Carmelite.

“Lord , remember not only the men and women of good will but all those of ill will. Do not only remember all the suffering they have subjected us to. Remember the fruits we brought forth thanks to this suffering – our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, and generosity, the greatness of heart that all of this inspired. And when they come to judgment, let all the fruits we have borne be their reward and their forgiveness.”

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York.

Scripture:

1 Kings 19:4-8
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
John 6:41-51

Reflection:

The background to our first Scripture reading for this Sunday (1 Kings 19:4-8), is that it takes place after the prophet Elijah has demonstrated to the Israelites that God, not Baal, is the true God. But since the prophets of Baal were killed, the queen Jezebel seeks revenge, and Elijah flees for his life. Because he has not won over the people like he thought, Elijah considers himself a failure, and asks God to take his life, and falls asleep. But God chooses not to take his life, and instead sends an angel to tell Elijah to get up and eat. Elijah does just that, but lays down again. This time the angel says, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you.” Elijah gets up and eats, and “strengthened by that food,” starts out on a journey to “the mountain of God, Horeb.”

To reflect on food giving strength for the journey is a good way, I think, to look at our Gospel reading from John (6:41-51). As we continue listening to the “Bread of Life” discourse, Jesus keeps referring to Himself as “the bread of life.” He says: “Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Jesus is referring to the sacrifice He will make for our salvation. Later on, the references will be more Eucharistic, but right now, Jesus is trying to get the people to understand who He is for them.

This sacrifice of Jesus demonstrates the incredible love and mercy and grace of God poured out for us. In giving of Himself, Jesus is the food that strengthens us. But strengthens us for what?

I think we find an answer in our second reading (Ephesians 4:30 – 5:2). St. Paul writes: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” It seems that today “fury,” “shouting and reviling” are seen as signs of strength and fortitude. But are they really? It seems to me that it takes inner strength to be forgiving in a non-forgiving world. Not to say there might not be a place for anger. This is something I read in some Twelve Step literature: “Often, we can only do that [not perpetually being victims] by giving ourselves permission to vent anger as an affirmation of self-worth, and not a contradiction of all we have been taught about being tolerant, forgiving and peace-loving. It is possible to hate the deed but to forgive the doer. We have the right to … be angry at people for their aggressive, hurtful acts, while being ready to forgive them as people who need love as much as we do.”

The sacrifice and love of Jesus strengthens us for the journey towards justice, reconciliation, and peace. Sometimes it seems like too long of a journey, but like Elijah, may we turn from despair, and strengthened by God’s love in Jesus Christ, continue the journey towards the kingdom.

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