Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Isaiah 7:1-9
Matthew 11:20-24

Reflection:

The prophets Ezekiel, Isaiah and Jeremiah renounce the evil deeds of Tyre and Sidon. We need not to go into the debaucheries of Sodom and Gomorrah. Still, Jesus says the final judgment will go better for them than with the towns of Bethsaida and Chorazin.

The towns of Bethsaida of Chorazin receive a mere glance in the Gospels. Jesus obviously had been to these towns and performed great miracles. The people witnessed miracles, but did not repent.

Brothers and sisters, the condemnation of these two towns underlies a message. Perhaps we can turn to the last line of John’s gospel. “There are also many things that Jesus did, but if I were to describe them individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written” (Jn 21:25). Jesus performed many great deeds that we believers are unaware of. What we do not know about Jesus far outweighs what we know about Jesus.

Hard sciences are the sciences pertaining to the natural or physical, studying the universe with experiments and making theories. We have all seen the beautiful view of the Hubble telescope and the universe beyond us. These sciences, although we still know very little and look out at the vastness of the universe is a finite science. Our study of Christianity and the person of Jesus is an infinite science.

The Gospels give us no insight into the deeds and miracles Jesus performed in Bethsaida and Chorazin, but deeds and miracles happened there. May this scripture passage encourage us to plumb the depths of Christianity and the person of Jesus who infinitely loves us and desires our salvation!

Fr. Phillip Donlan, CP, is the Associate Director of Ministry at Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center, Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

Isaiah 1:10-17
Matthew 10:34-11:1

Reflection:

Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth.  I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.  For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
 -Matthew 10:34-35

What are we to make of these disturbing words from the “Prince of Peace?”  The commandments (Ex. 20:12) call us to honor father and mother.  Yet, Jesus’ words could be interpreted as anti-parents, anti-family.   It cannot be that Jesus is advocating discord or urging disloyalty to family.  Then, what is going on?  Where are we to find the Good News in this gospel?

Context here is critical.  Matthew seems to have written his gospel for a Jewish-Christian community at a time when relations had become severely strained between traditional Mosaic Jews and Jews who were Jesus followers.  Scripture scholars hypothesize that Jewish leaders were actively persecuting those whom they accused of breaking with Moses to follow a false messiah.  This bitter intra-family vitriol undoubtedly led to conflict among family members, friends, and religious leaders.   Indeed, Matthew’s gospel can be characterized by a bitter polemic, especially towards the Pharisees and scribes.  Matthew may have seen it important to bolster the faith of Jewish Christians.  Matthew achieved this by utilizing remembered past conflicts between Jesus and his opponents, then applying them to his community’s current situation.

Thus, Matthew may be telling his disciples, just as Jesus was met by opposition, so too will his faithful disciples.  Jesus calls his disciples to place loyalty to God even above loyalty to family.  Conflict was not Jesus’ purpose, but it will arise naturally from those who vehemently oppose him.  Nevertheless, Jesus’ disciplines must not waver or flag from proclaiming the Good News.

That message, within a bitter historical context, now opens this gospel passage to clearer understanding – especially since it is the conclusion to Jesus’ extended missionary discourse.  Jesus is calling his disciples to join him in his work of the gospel of kingdom.  They will experience different responses from the people.  Some will joyfully embrace the message.  Others will reject it.  And still others will persecute the disciples.  This was Jesus’ own experience, and so his disciples must expect the same – and to remain strong in faith.

What does this gospel mean for us today?  Perhaps, the message, despite its shock value, is a simple one:  with great privilege comes great responsibility.  Jesus has entrusted us, his Church, with the fulness of Christian truth and grace – even as a sign of contradiction in this world.  Christ is truly present among us – in his Word, in his Eucharist, and in his Church.  We then have a missionary responsibility, by right of our baptism, to proclaim the Good News with faith and zeal, in season and out of season, despite the cost or discomfort.  To us, much has been given, and, so, much will be required.

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Amos 7:12-15
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:7-13

Reflection:

Today’s responsorial psalm proclaims four God-like elements that lead to glory and salvation: kindness, truth, justice, and peace.

Let us reflect on the ultimate outcomes in our lives if we somehow agreed that those four elements were the most important criteria to judge ourselves by.

Take, for instance, a difficult conflict with your teenage son. Later in life, when the adolescent reflects on that incident with you, how would he rate your commitment to kindness, honest frankness, courageous and thoughtful justice, and unrelenting efforts to help bring comfortable peace to your relationship? And, from your role-modeling, how much of that has rubbed off on him as core principles for the rest of his life and his relationships with his own family and friends?

For a bigger example, consider a war among nations. A serious thinker must ask, “What is the end game of this war?” Is a nation’s (and a nation’s leaders’) view of justice a definable and defensible endgame? Or would you have to call the conflict more ‘revenge’ than ‘justice’? Are war plans for protecting non-combatants with kindness as powerful and as complete as the plans for destroying arsenals and offensive forces? How much of the core reasoning behind a war is based on defensible truth rather than raw power and sociopathic cruelty? Finally, if the end game is not unequivocally stated as long-term peace for the people on both sides of the conflict, what on earth could a justified conclusion possibly look like?

A meditation: How God-like might I try to be? How seriously have I identified and considered the elements of truth and justice for the challenge I face right now? Am I being the kindest I can be, and is peace a genuine aim?

Jack Dermody is the editor of the CrossRoads bulletin for the Passionist Alumni Association and a member of the Migration Commission for Holy Cross Province. He lives in Glendale, Arizona. 

Scripture:

Isaiah 6:1-8
Matthew 10:24-33

Reflection:

The theme of today’s readings centers on mission; on being sent by God for a specific purpose to open hearts to God’s message. The prophet Isaiah writes of his vision of the throne of God in an epic display of holiness and worship. The ancients believed that to come face-to-face with God meant death; even the Seraphim covered their eyes in this sacred presence. Rather than being doomed, in this experience, Isaiah sees with new eyes his “unclean lips” and realizes his utter unworthiness before God. In the text, we read that in his new-found clarity, he is the one to judge himself and not God. In cleansing his “wickedness and sin,” the seraphim touches the ember to his lips.

When the question is posed, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” Isaiah answered, “Here I am, send me!” Having been purged of sin, he now speaks for God—affirming his prophetic voice. It’s important to note here that Isaiah did not instigate this call. It was the complete initiative of God. When it comes to the call of mission, God always takes the initiative. Sadly, as Jesus points out in our gospel, the fate of the disciple often follows the fate of the teacher. It was so for the Hebrew prophets and the disciples of Jesus. Yet, three times tells them to “not be afraid” but to speak the truth—even from the rooftops!

In the final verse of our text, Jesus reminds the disciples that denial of him to others means his denial of them to the Father. Yet isn’t that what Peter did in the worst possible moment, during his passion? However, rather than denying Peter to the Father, Jesus puts him in charge of his earthly mission. Perhaps this God, who even has the hairs on our heads counted, knows our hearts better than we do. Jesus knows that Peter loves him and so reverses Peter’s thrice denials, “I do not know him!” by thrice posing the question to him, “Do you love me?”

I see a correlation between the call of Isaiah and Peter. Both received what they needed to carry out their missionary call and gave it their all. While we may not have the missionary call of Isaiah or Peter, we are called nonetheless for a specific purpose. Like Isaiah, Peter, and others, we take up our mission to be that presence of God in our world, whatever our role or station in life. Being in the presence of God began their journey and is the same way for us.

How beautiful and spiritually nourishing to reflect on a God who knows even the sparrow’s fall and counts the very hairs on our heads. This God engages intimately with us and knows us more than we can ever comprehend. Therefore, as we come into God’s sacred and holy presence, like Isaiah, we can understand our need for cleansing and healing. Thus, creating a deep desire to be a disciple; however, it is only and always by the grace of God’s initiative.

Jean Bowler is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the Office of Mission Effectiveness Board of Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Hosea 14:2-10
Matthew 10:16-23

Reflection:

Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.

Today’s gospel passage reminds us of Aesop’s tale of The Wolves And The Sheep.¹ 

A pack of Wolves lurked near the Sheep pasture.  But the dogs kept them all at a respectful distance, and the Sheep grazed in perfect safety.  But now the Wolves thought of a plan to trick the Sheep.  “Why is there always this hostility between us they said?  If it were not for those dogs, who are always stirring up trouble, we are sure we should get along beautifully.  Send them away and you will see what good friends we shall become”.  The Sheep were easily fooled.  They persuaded the dogs to go away, and that very evening the Wolves had the grandest feast of their lives. 

Jesus tells us that we are the sheep of his flock.  But who then are the dogs that are trying to protect us and the wolves who are trying to deceive us?  If we live the gospel message as witnesses before “men and pagans” for the sake of our faith, then those who would try to detract us from our Christian way of life must be the wolves intent on deceiving us.  Those who nurture and share our faith are obviously the gentle dogs trying to protect us. 

Jesus suggests we should be as shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.  By this coaching he suggests that we should not have much difficulty sorting out who is who.  The challenge becomes our own decision about who to follow.  “Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” 

Isn’t this, in a nutshell, the challenge of our everyday life?  We need to judiciously sort out the family members, friends, associates, coworkers, newsfeeds, entertainment forums. and even strangers who continuously encourage us to follow the precepts of our faith vs those who continuously try to dissuade us from living our life’s values for the sake of his name.  And we shouldn’t forget that the most cunning wolf of all might be the one lurking in our own conscience who is continuously trying to lead us down the wrong path.  Wouldn’t it be a blessing to be able to silence that one forever?  Jesus gives us the courage to pursue.  “When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say.  You will be given, at that moment, what you are to say.” 

Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them.  Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsxwxQ8a-oo

Bill Berger has had a lifelong relationship with the Passionist Family.  Bill and his wife, Linda, are currently leaders of the Community of Passionist Partners (CPPs) in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Hosea 11:1-4, 8e-9
Matthew 10:7-15

Reflection:

The Gospel of Matthew may be the most Jewish of the gospels. Matthew wrote for a Jewish-Christian audience living in or near the homeland. He structured his gospel into five discourses:

The Sermon on the Mount; the Missionary Discourse; the Parables; the Church; and the End Times. With this five-part structure, Matthew wants to mirror his gospel to the Torah and its five books.

Today’s gospel falls within the context of the Missionary Discourse. Jesus has just appointed 12 apostles, symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel. He now instructs the 12 on what they are to say and do.

They are to go out to the “lost sheep of Israel,” all Jewish people, and proclaim the Good News: “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” That is, the Kingdom is near them, among them in the person of Jesus. “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.” These all are signs of the imminence of the kingdom among the people. And the 12 are to participate in Jesus’ mission.

Furthermore, they are not to be distracted by material needs that may distract them from their mission, that may give them a false sense of security. Instead, they are to demonstrate radical trust in Christ.

As it was for the 12, so it is with us today. By right and obligation of our baptism, we too are called to mission, to proclaim the Good News to a despairing world desperate to hear good new; to the poor, the marginalized, the forgotten who are left for dead, the sick in body or soul.

And how are we to participate in Jesus mission? By our words, our actions. We are to travel light, unburdened by the false securities of consumerism, materialism, and expectations of praise. This mission is not an easy one. No. It is fraught with challenge, rejection, and ridicule. That is why we are to bear witness to the Good News by the way we live, with radical trust in Christ.

One critical difference distinguishes us from the 12. Jesus sent them to the “lost sheep of Israel.” Not us. In Matthew’s gospel, the risen Christ tells us to go and make disciples “of all nations.”

That is our mission.

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8
Matthew 10:1-7

Reflection:

During COVID, I doubted whether my business would survive. I had to scrape and scramble to keep enough income coming through the door to pay the bills. Last year, I didn’t have to scramble quite so much; I was even able to build up a little bit of an emergency fund (which I always try to keep on hand). This year so far has been better than the last. I was breathing more easily and feeling more confident that I will not only pay the bills, but maybe have some extra to put toward retirement.

Then everything fell apart at once. My lawn mower and trimmer broke, as did my dishwasher, my car needed an expensive repair, and I discovered that the concrete slab under my main floor had sunken down, which required a contractor to raise it, and then I needed new flooring. Aaaauuugh! My financial security evaporated as fast as my emergency fund.

I couldn’t help but think of the landowners in scripture who used the riches from the harvest to build their own altars, pillars, and storage barns. They placed great security and confidence in their wealth. But just as I’ve been painfully reminded, they eventually learned that money is not faithful, loving, loyal, wise, nor a proper source of security. Instead, it is fleeting, and everything I have can disappear faster than I want to admit.

People are not always a good source of security either. Sometimes people I loved have hurt and betrayed me. Sometimes we simply grow apart and don’t see each other much. Sometimes I think a relationship is deep and true, but when I’m in crisis and really need that person, I find out how limited the relationship actually is. Sometimes people with whom I do have a deeply loving and trusting relationship die, and I am without that reliable presence at my side. Again, in myriad ways, every person I love can disappear faster than I want to admit.

So where is my security? What is unfailing, true, ever-loving, and ever-present? Only God. And I don’t have to go search for God. Heaven is at hand. As scripture says, it is time to seek the Lord. Yes, the things of this world and especially the people of this world are often instruments of God, but they are not God. They are not that abiding source of my life and breath that will never leave me to face my life alone.

Where is your security? What can you do this week to build your relationship with the only One who is always and forever faithful, loving, wise, and true? Let the fear inside come face-to-face with the God who is ever by your side. Know that you are not alone. That is true security.

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:

Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13
Matthew 9:32-38

Reflection:

Mary, Mother of Holy Hope

Samuel Hazo, who works professionally in advertising, ends an insightful article contrasting advertising’s goal with poetry. ‘Advertising is a means to a desired end, but poetry is an end in itself that supports no system, capitalistic or otherwise. It is in fact our true speech that makes us wonder why we all too rarely see the obvious until someone expresses it simply. Poetry creates for us what Robert Frost called “a momentary stay against confusion;” it safeguards not our sales but our souls’.

(Notre Dame Magazine, p.47, Winter 2022-2023).

We possess a gold mine of memories and the ability to bring them to light. Add to those memories our imagination. As we creativity play with them, mixing and matching we may end up with poems!

Today, the family of the Passionist Community founded by St. Paul of the Cross

celebrates the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Hope. The roots of this devotion are traced to the preaching of an early Passionist, Thomas Struzzieri, C.P. To those in the villages and towns throughout Italy who came to hear him preach, he showed the picture of Our Mother of Holy Hope as a beautiful reminder of Mary’s assistance in our spiritual needs.

Blessed Dominic Barberi. C.P., a theologian who while working England would have  the grace of welcoming John Henry Newman into the Catholic Church, describes Mary’s roles as Mother of Hope:

Hope is that virtue that anchors the ship of our soul in the stormy sea of this troubled world…Though endowed with extraordinary graces and unstained by original sin, Mary never counted on any resource of her own. Rather, she knew God is the author of every good thing. She confided in God, fleeing from persecution from her own country. She hoped in God even when she saw her divine Son die on the Cross abandoned by his disciples. She stayed firm in what seemed disaster…She encouraged the weak, lifted up the fallen and urged the strong to ever greater trust…Even now, enthroned in glory, she reaches with a mother’s hand to those who go to her. She is always mother of holy hope.

It is with poetry that today’s liturgy teaches us: (‘Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary’, p. 55, Catholic Book Pub. Vol. 1, 1988). Mary, the Mother of Christ, is venerated today because she placed all her trust in the Lord whose coming she awaited, and in faith conceived, (preface). Assumed into heaven she becomes the hope of God’s people, the loving embrace of those who have no hope, and shows her love to those who seek her help. (Entrance Antiphon). Mary is the beacon of unfailing hope for the children of Adam, a New Eve who gathers the children of Adam until the Day of the Lord dawns in glory, (opening prayer and preface).

Mary the root, Christ the mystic vine;
Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the stem Christ the Rose blood red;
Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood.

Fr. William Murphy, CP, is a member of Immaculate Conception Community in Jamaica, New York.