Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12
Luke 10:1-12

Reflection:

When I was a teenager, there was a shampoo commercial that had the quote, “and they’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on…” This popped into my mind as I read today’s gospel message from Luke 10:1-12. If you think about all of the souls that could be affected by the sharing of the gospel, my goodness, what a changed world this would be! Jesus teaches those he has chosen how to be Christian apostles – what they should do if they are rejected, or their message is not well received.

As Christians, we run into this so often. As we try to share the love of God through his words in our words and deeds, it isn’t as easy for some as it is for others to proclaim an ownership to that knowledge that will lead others home. Try as I may, I realize that I can never be completely prepared to share this beautiful faith to others, especially if those being addressed are not receptive. It’s like when you have a disagreement with someone, and three hours later you think of the perfect thing to say. We never know how those interactions will be received!

Can we just “shake the dust from our feet and move on” if we are rebuffed, challenged, or laughed at as we attempt to be Christ’s hands and feet? Difficult as it is, we have to be prepared to release and move on, knowing that we prayerfully and with a pure heart, did our best, and hopefully learned from the experience!

Are you one of the children of Christ who will go out and bring as many as you can to the Father? Are you willing to contribute to building the kingdom of God? It only takes a love for the Father and a determination of spirit (and don’t forget reading the Word…) to bring about change in our world. You can be that person – the one to bring followers into the folds of love from our Father in Heaven!

Patty Masson supports the Passionists from Spring, Texas.

May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts!

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels

Scripture:

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or Revelation 12:7-12
John 1:47-51

Reflection:

   Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. – Daniel 7:10

Depictions of angels can be found in most specialty shops, catalogs and art stores in the forms of small, medium and large statues, pictures, on prayer cards, garden art and numerous other objects. They can be found in stain glass windows and statuary of the great cathedrals of Europe and around the world. We grow up knowing the guardian angel prayer and hope we haven’t frightened ours off by the time we have “grown up”. In the Catholic faith there are the nine choir of angels beginning with the lowest to highest ranking; Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominions, Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim. In the Church we celebrate the archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael who are mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments. Michael’s name means, “Who is like God?” We have a prayer calling on St. Michael for protection. This archangel is best known for his battle with evil, as in the Book of Revelation. Gabriel is known as the messenger angel who announced to Mary that she was going to bear God’s Son. Gabriel’s name means, “God is My Strength” and is known as the Archangel of Wisdom, Revelation, Prophecy, and Visions. Raphael’s name means, “Healing Power of God”. We find this Archangel in the book of Tobit. He was sent in an answer to Tobit’s prayers and the prayers of his daughter. In this book of the Old Testament, Raphael is companion, guide, and heals Tobit of his blindness.

In today’s Gospel reading from John, Nathanael has come to see if what Philip said of Jesus is true. He discovers that Jesus knows exactly who he is and so he proclaims that Jesus is the “Son of God”. Jesus’ response is a reflection of Jacob’s ladder with, “you will see the heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”. He also seems to be foretelling what will transpire at his Resurrection.

Angels are spiritual beings who assist God with those tasks on earth and in heaven. In the readings today we read that, “Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him.”(Dn 7:9 – 10) What a sight that must be! All of those spiritual beings tending to God and doing what God commands. As I picture it in my mind’s eye it seems as if Heaven is a very busy place. During the Triduum I have pondered what the angels were doing as Christ went through his Passion, death and Resurrection. I can imagine Michael standing ready with an army of angels, waiting for God’s command. Gabriel watching with great sadness and Raphael wanting to heal broken hearts. And then great joy with Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension. And most likely they too understood the plan that God had in mind and tended to Christ on the day of Resurrection and the Ascension.

Today is a good day to reflect on these Archangels. Read and reflect on your favorite Archangel story and see where God leads you.

Linda Schork is a theology teacher at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Scripture:

Zechariah 8:20-23
Luke 9:51-56

Reflection:

As Jesus and his disciples entered a Samaritan village on their way to Jerusalem, they were not welcomed.  James and John were immediately on the defense and wanted to retaliate!

            “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”

We are all so very human and like James and John, we want to even the score when we feel we have been wronged or some injustice has been wrought upon those we love.  We have become a people quick to anger and slow to forgive!  Our world is filled with violence and unrest!  It has become the norm to pick up a gun or throw the first punch which ultimately ends in tragedy.  When did we become a people who favor revenge over reconciliation?!

The first step to peace and reconciliation is to remember that God is with us!  God is love!  God sees all people and creation with the eyes of love and as the love children we are, we are called to see the love of God in others, especially those we don’t even like!  Hard stuff!!!!

“Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”  This statement of faith closes out our first reading today. God is with us, no matter our nationality, creed or color, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, young or old. If we truly believe this, then what is stopping us from taking back our neighborhoods, churches, schools, families, cities, towns and country.  It’s way past time to promote reconciliation rather than revenge, to live in love rather than anger.

It is time to recognize and appreciate the goodness of God found in the beauty of family, faith communities, friends, nature, moral and just leaders.  Jesus rebuked his disciples and journeyed on to another village.  It is time for us to do the same.  Let us begin in small ways, maybe making that phone call to someone we haven’t spoken to in a long time, get reconnected, be willing to say I’m sorry, let’s begin again!  Let us be willing to sit at the same table with those we totally disagree with the goal of working together to find a common ground.

Jesus is calling us to move on.  Jerusalem is waiting to welcome us.  The kingdom is open to all God’s children!  Our hope rests in walking with Jesus!  Let’s get moving Church!!!!!!

Theresa Secord is a retired Pastoral Associate from St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Zechariah 8:1-8
Luke 9:46-50

Reflection:

I have amazing grandchildren. They surprise me every time I see them – they are so smart and funny, and they have the sweetest little hearts. But think about how simple their little minds are when they are young. Now, realize that, as you grew up, how that innocence and simplicity seemed to be a fleeting memory as you reached adulthood. There is an innocence to a child’s thoughts and actions; a simplicity that we may have long ago forgotten. 

So, when Jesus brings a child to him to sit at his right side, what an honorable place for this little innocent, humble soul. The least among you is the greatest. With a child, there is no pridefulness, no vanity or self-aggrandizement. Their hearts are pure, and we should empty ourselves of all those things that prevent us from having that pure and simply beautiful relationship with Christ.

Cleanse yourself of those things that prevent you from having a heart that is pure. Honor our God with your humility and serve Him as Jesus did.

Patty Masson supports the Passionists from Spring, Texas.

May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts!

Scripture:

Numbers 11:25-29
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Reflection:

Where to start? So many contemporary themes and threads weave their way through the scripture readings for today’s Eucharistic celebration. These are themes that poignantly challenge us in our own day. Let’s look at a few.

First, how dare Eldad and Medad in the first reading from the Book of Numbers begin to prophesy when they were not in the tent when the spirit descended on the other seventy. This really upset some of the people who complained to Moses, “Moses, my lord, stop them.” But Moses answered, “Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow God’s spirit on them all!” I wonder who we would complain about “not being in the tent when the spirit was giving out the gift of prophesy?”

Then in the second reading from the Book of James we read this: “The wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.” We profess our faith in Jesus yet mistreat or tolerate the abuse of others and say, “Thanks be to the Lord that we are not like them.”

And from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus chastises one of his favorite disciples, John, who complains that others not of the inner circle are preaching in Jesus’ name. More of the same…we are the chosen, not them. Jesus does not go for it.

We spend so much useless energy debating who’s in and who’s out. Who’s one of us and who is not, who looks like us and who doesn’t, or who speaks our language or not. We spend so much useless time demonizing others and not seeing our own insecurities and hurts that we cover over with riches or privilege. We are all children of God called to be welcoming and generous with all we encounter. To be a believer in Jesus and the Gospel is to include not exclude.

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and was the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Haggai 2:1-9
Luke 9:18-22

Reflection:

Rejection and Invitation of Christ

The ultimate sin that a person can commit is to reject Christ. The New Testament Greek word for reject is apodokimazō. It means to examine something first and deliberately reject it. It is sort of a premeditated repudiation! In modern times we have many more sources of information than our forefathers had. We can get very arrogant and think if I don’t understand the great mystery of the Incarnation then it is not true.

Another Scriptural word for rejection of Christ is exoudeneō. This word has rejection with strong idea of contempt. It comes from the Greek word for nothing. The most wonderful work of God in Jesus in whole universe is treated as nothing. Mk 9:12.  What an incredible insult to God!

I think one of the most common ways in our times for rejection of the massive love of God for us is agnosticism. An agnostic is a person who excuses himself from responding to God because he does not know Him.  But even pagans raised an altar to the “Unknown God”.

Agnosticism is a very dangerous way of losing the greatest treasure of our lives!  It is seemingly a valid excuse for rejecting God’s wedding invitation inviting us into Divine intimacy! In reality it is prideful answer that ignores our small brains and hearts from the ability of ever receiving such a great God by our own abilities. We must beg God to open our eyes and enlarge our hearts as He did to the disciples at Emmaus.  In short, we must humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God. James in 4:10 tells us: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

Pope Francis in his beautiful exhortation “Joy of the Gospel” writes: I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”

“The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”.#3

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

Scripture:

Haggai 1:1-8
Luke 9:7-9

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading from Luke, Herod hears about Jesus, and what the people are saying about Him, that He was one of the prophets risen from the dead, including John the Baptist. But Herod knows that he had John killed, so he’s curious about who Jesus really is. And Luke tells us that “he kept trying to see him.”

As it turns out, Herod doesn’t see Jesus until Jesus’ Passion, when Pilate sends Jesus to Herod because He was a Galilean. When they do meet, Herod wants to see Jesus perform some sign (Luke 23:6-11). It seems that he is only interested in some kind of performance. He doesn’t seem to be really interested in what Jesus has to say about God or the kingdom or the “least of these.”

The challenge for us is not so much to consider what we want God to perform for us, but to open our hearts and let God in. We are invited to come to know Jesus’ love for us from the Cross. We are called to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in loving God and loving our neighbor in response to all that God has done for us.

May we take the risk and come ever closer to Jesus. Unlike Herod, may we not so much wonder about Him, but be willing to let Him more and more into our hearts and our lives.

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

Feast of St. Matthew Apostle and Evangelist

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Matthew 9:9-13

Reflection:

Today is the feast of St. Matthew Apostle and Evangelist.  Little is known about St. Matthew.  He was a tax collector and in other synoptic gospels, he is referred to as Levi. The story of Matthew’s call is found in Matthew 9:9 “As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.  He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him”.

The renowned painting above is the  “Call of Matthew” by the famous Italian Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610).  Caravaggio focuses on the first shocking moment that Matthew realizes he is being called. 

Do you remember when Jesus called you to follow him?  In our first reading, St. Paul urges us to ”live in a manner worthy of the call you have received…Do what God has called you to do no matter how big or how small.  God needs you, me and all of us to embrace and live our call.  Take a moment today to discern what is God calling you to do.  Like St. Matthew and St. Paul that ought to make a significant difference in our lives and influence how we behave.  St. Paul continues by saying that God has given all of us gifts.  Are we living in a manner worthy of our call?  Are we humble and gentle, caring for one another through love? Are we daily building up the Body of Christ by our mercy, and compassion including self-compassion?

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