Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Numbers 13: 1-2, 25-14:1, 26-29, 34-35
Matthew 15:21-28

Reflection:

Great Faith, Reconciling Love

In today’s Gospel, Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman who wanted help for her afflicted daughter.  This woman had faith to come and beg Jesus for help — while Jesus’ disciples urged Him to send the woman away!  Jesus’ first words to the woman seemed to be a put-down, yet they likely represented the feelings of contemporary Jews towards the Canaanites.  Jesus’ ultimate response was one of love… “Woman, great is your faith!…”:  He granted her request, and cured her daughter.

The woman in this story stands for anyone who is disliked or despised.  Jesus constantly preached that love is all-inclusive:  for those dearest to us, as well as our enemies and persecutors.  Jesus set the perfect example of love:  a love that forgives, encourages, welcomes, and gives life.

Today we celebrate the life of the 19^th century saint, St. John Mary Vianney.  He was especially known for his gracious and generous ministry of the Sacrament of Reconciliation at his parish in Ars, France — regularly spending long hours sharing God’s love through the Sacrament with thousands of penitents who traveled great distances for a few graced moments with him.  His loving ministry flowed from an intense spiritual life based on prayer and mortification.  St. John Mary Vianney truly witnessed his faith in Jesus which enabled him to love and serve all God’s people.  In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI named him worldwide patron of priests and parish ministers.

Jesus and St. John Mary Vianney challenge us today:  How do we welcome the stranger?  Or offer forgiveness?  Are we prejudiced?  What about our “enemies”?  Do we really listen to those who come our way?  Do we zealously and tirelessly give of ourselves in service to our sisters and brothers?  With God’s grace, today is a welcome boost to our spiritual lives.

And, as a Passionist Vocation Director, I invite you to pray for priests, parish ministers, and religious – active, retired, deceased – and for those discerning a priestly or religious vocation.  Jesus and St. John Vianney encourage us all to a deeper faith and a greater love!

Fr. John Schork, C.P. is the Vocation Director for Holy Cross Province. He lives at St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois. 

Scripture:

Numbers 13:1-2, 25–14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35
Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

Reflection:

Sending people ahead to reconnoiter the land (a theme taken from our first reading) might be a guide to our understanding of the gospel passage we have today.

Not because we encounter Jesus moving into a foreign area, but because in a strange way the woman who appeals to him serves as our guide and helps us to see Jesus in the light of his humanity and capacity to change and adapt.

Jesus has set his heart and will on the proclamation of the good news and indeed feels for those he is sent to – initially his own people. To this end, he has dedicated his energies, his heart and will to faithfully carrying out the commission he has received from God. But today the woman leads us to see that he also opens his mind to see more and to embrace a new call to even greater scope for his mission.

The woman is a formidable advocate for her daughter. She sees only the real need her loved one has for liberation and freedom from evil and she turns to the only one who can achieve this. She is determined and she is unafraid to challenge Jesus. It is an extraordinary encounter; one in which Jesus first holds fast to his vision of the mission, but then proves he is adaptable and open to all needs.

The woman shows us also a model of prayer and trust. When we meet situations that are beyond our power to control, we can be encouraged by this story. For here in this encounter, we learn that we can always turn to God and to appeal with all our hearts for that which we need, or those dear to us need. The woman’s prayer will appeal to all parents and to those who have prayed from the depths of their being for those they love. In the response Jesus makes, let us take real heart and comfort.

Quietly hidden away in this encounter too is the very human and quick-witted banter between Jesus and the woman.  It is a wonderful example to us of our freedom to be ourselves in our communications with the Lord.

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is a member of Holy Spirit Province, Australia. 

Scripture:   

Numbers 11:4b-15
Matthew 14:13-21

Reflection:

“One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Mt 4:4

Today’s Gospel is the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 from a few loaves and fishes. This was barely enough food to feed Jesus and His apostles, let alone thousands of people. Jesus called for the bread and fish to be brought to Him. He then looked up to heaven, blessed the food, broke the bread, and gave it to His disciples to give to the crowd. Amazingly, the entire multitude was fed.

Aside from the Resurrection, this story is the only other miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The early Church understood this miraculous feeding as a symbol of the Eucharist, where the food that nourishes the body also nourishes our spiritual hunger and longings.

Two thousand plus years later, hunger is still part of our human condition. In the State of Michigan where I live, one in four children is food insecure. People of all ages search for communion in a polarized world, and we long for healing and meaning in our own and others’ suffering. From where can we find sustenance for our journeys, and healing transformation for ourselves and for society?

Pope Francis writes about the gifts of love and life to be found in the Eucharist: “Grace, which tends to manifest itself tangibly, found unsurpassable expression when God himself became man and gave himself as food for his creatures. The Lord, in the culmination of the mystery of the Incarnation, chose to reach our intimate depths through a fragment of matter. He comes not from above, but from within, he comes that we might find him in this world of ours. In the Eucharist, fullness is already achieved; it is the living center of the universe, the overflowing core of love and of inexhaustible life.” (Laudato Si’ #236)

Patty Gillis is a retired Pastoral Minister. She served on the Board of Directors at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit. She is currently a member of the Laudato Si Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.

Scripture:

Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15
Ephesians 4:17, 20-24
John 6:24-35

Reflection:

Our Sunday readings at this time of the liturgical year center on the “Bread of Life” discourse from chapter six of John’s Gospel.  As we saw last week, Jesus’ feeding of the multitude evokes the memory of God’s feeding the people with manna during the Exodus.  That desert sojourn marks an interesting part of the Bible’s unfolding story of God’s people.  The dramatic liberation from slavery in Egypt does not immediately lead to peace and security in the Promised Land.  Because out of fear the people hesitate to enter the land of promise rather than trust in God’s providence, they are destined to wander in the desert for forty years!  This is a strange period in the biblical saga.  On the one hand, God forges a covenant with the people at Sinai, giving them the gift of the Mosaic law that will guide them in what it means to be authentically human for centuries to come.

But also, during this desert period, the people must confront their own weaknesses—sometimes dramatically, as with their idolatrous worship of the golden calf and, at other times—like the account we hear today—they grumble at the quality of the rations they have to eat during their trek. Like cranky adolescents (or adults, too), they complain to Moses that it would have been better to die in Egypt with better food in hand than the miserable and scarce food they had now on their way to freedom! As noted in other passages in Exodus, the Israelites missed the garlic, the onions, and the meat of Egypt!

In response, like a long-suffering parent, God provides them with an abundance of quail in the evening and with “manna” in the norming—some sort of crystalline substance left after the dewfall that was as edible and nourishing as bread.  As the Psalm response declares: “The Lord gave them bread from heaven.”  As it would turn out, in perfect human fashion, the people would eventually tire of this heaven-sent diet as well!

This reading prepares for the opening part of Jesus’ discourse in the gospel selection from John.  As was the case with Israel of old, Jesus’ contemporaries fail to grasp the depth of God’s gift to them through the person and ministry of Jesus. The true and unfailing “bread from heaven” is Jesus himself whose very being reveals God’s all-encompassing love for the world.  The Johannine Jesus declares: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

I think of these words of Jesus in this unusual time in which we all are immersed: the tenacity of the pandemic; the sharp divisions in our public life and even in our church; the devastating floods and fires that create such human suffering while we too slowly come to grips with our own contribution to the threat of climate change.  The list can go on. 

No wonder it is also a time for us to think more deeply about what counts in our lives.  As important as “bread” is for our good health, there are other realities that also can either enable us to thrive or to wither as human beings.  What is the “bread of life”?  Our scriptures such as the Gospel of John press us to recognize the importance of faith in Christ, of the need for earnest prayer, of commitment to the values of the gospel: justice and compassion for those who are vulnerable; a sense of humility and forgiveness in the way we treat those around us; a turning away from the reactions and patterns of our lives that are toxic for us.

The second readings these several Sundays are from the eloquent Letter to the Ephesians. Today’s passage urges us “to put away the old self of your former way of life…and be renewed in the spirit of your minds and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” 

Challenging words for challenging times.  As Jesus tells the crowds: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

[This reflection is adapted with permission from Fr. Senior’s weekly column, Perspectives on Scripture, that appears in The Chicago Catholic, archdiocesan newspaper.]

Scripture:

Leviticus 25:1, 8-17
Matthew 14:1-12

Reflection:

When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Some of you may be surprised to find out that I’ve long been an avid long-distance bicyclist.  A short ride for me is about 35 to 40 miles, and I do really like to ride through the centers of the cities and towns when I go on my rides.  Near my home, there are people I know who are walking their dogs or just out on a morning stroll.  And it’s so great that I get to see them (!), yell hi to them, and ring my bell as I pedal past on my trusty bike (oh, and my bike – her name is ‘Tilly,’ by the way).

Now, in the town nearest where I live, there’s an assisted living facility smack on the main drag.  Right up close to the front window, every morning, sits a gentleman in a mask just watching people go by.  I don’t know his name, his family, or anything at all about him, outside of I see him there, in the window, every single morning.

I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but while riding by many months ago, I waved at him.  Just put my hand up as I floated by and waved.  And something tremendously beautiful happened.  In that exact moment, he straightened right up, his eyes brightened, brows launched toward his hairline, and he sprouted an enormous smile, and excitedly waved right back.  So now, every morning when I leave for my ride, even if my plan is to go in the opposite direction, I’ll be sure to roll by that facility and wave to him.  And even though it’s been tough to tell from behind his mask, he always seems to be joyed to see me.

One morning, though, as I rode by, he wasn’t there.  And then the next, and the next… It’s been quite some time now since I’ve seen him, and I’ve come to realize that the little joy I received out of waving to this mystery-man has likely come to an end forever.  Perhaps he’s just moved, or perhaps he’s passed away – but it’s been long enough now that I feel fairly certain I won’t see him again… and it makes me sad a little.

In today’s Gospel (Mark 6:17-29), we hear how the daughter of Herodias danced for Herod & his guests.  After she was done, prompted by her mother, she said, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”  Herod did as she requested, and silenced John’s incredible evangelization on this earth forever. 

When it’s gone, it’s gone.

In a month or so will be the anniversary of my father’s passing into Eternal Life.  I know exactly how many years, as it coincides nearly exactly with the date of my daughter’s birth (yes, that was a particularly messed up weekend).  The passing of a loved one, or my waving to the Gentleman in the Window, or the cutting the head off of John the Baptist, is something that you can’t reverse. 

When it’s gone, it’s gone.

We cut the heads off of beautiful things constantly.  Sometimes it’s in the simple dismissal of the words someone is trying to share with us.  It could be walking away from the call of God to serve.  Or it could be the lack of willingness to connect with a new person.  It could be getting angry at someone and cutting them out of your life.  Or it could even be an action that we or someone else takes that makes it impossible to reconcile.  All these things, and more, are like chopping the head off of gifts that would likely contain a wealth untold.

So how do we fix it?  Well, I think it’s probably a very unique journey for each person, and for each event or circumstance.  But I will tell you this one thing that I’ve learned from all the mistakes I’ve ever made:

If you want to know the will of God, always lean on the side of love. 

And Friends, if we can do that, we’ve got a pretty good shot at getting it just as close to right as we can.

Here’s waving to you, Mystery Man.  Oh – and Pa – I love you and miss you.

Peace and love to you all — today, and forever.

Paul Puccinelli is Director of Liturgy & Music at St. Rita Parish in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the retreat team at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center.

Scripture:

Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
Matthew 13:54-58

Reflection:

The unbelieving. Can you imagine having Jesus in your midst and not believing what wisdom he shares? Are we trusting, believing and hopefully ready to receive this kind of wisdom from the Son of God? 

There seems to be so much to know about Jesus, and these folks apparently were afraid of the wisdom he wanted to share with them. He was just a common son of a carpenter, what could he possibly know that the rest of the people in this town didn’t know themselves? One thing he did know was that we are all the same, and whatever sense of pride or self-righteousness that the people felt was unnecessary – not one person was any better or any smarter than another.

Jesus expects us to heed the wisdom that we receive, to share the words of the Savior and his disciples with as many people as we can! We can’t be so arrogant as to think that we know it all, because we never will. And we can’t turn away from the wisdom of others. Be smart with what you are told, or what you hear. Pray, research, pray, discern. Pray for the grace of Christ to understand what comes your way. Don’t allow wisdom to be irksome!!

Patty Masson supports the Passionists from Spring, Texas.

Feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Scripture:

Exodus 40: 16-21, 34-38
John 11: 19-27

Reflection:

In the first reading, from the Book of Exodus, Moses is completing the instructions given to him before this passage. He carefully follows the directions and builds the “Dwelling” where the ark will be placed with the Commandments inside of the ark. In Hebrew, tabernacle is mishkan meaning, residence or dwelling place. (Look it up on the Web and you will see how elaborate this dwelling was. I used “dwelling from the book of Exodus” for my search and clicked on images.)  The “Dwelling” is a new creation. A new place for God to be with the People of Israel. It replaces Mount Sinai. Once completed then the cloud descends upon it. Again, there is a change. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night now becomes one at the end of Exodus. The cloud fills the Dwelling with the “glory of the Lord” making it a holy place. When the cloud filled the Dwelling, Moses was not able to go into the Dwelling, unlike Mount Sinai where Moses could go but the people could not. The cloud image also carries over into the Gospels accounts of Jesus’ Transfiguration, “Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them. . .” Mark 9:7. God then tells the others the Jesus is his Son and they need to listen to him.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus and Martha have a conversation where Martha makes several faith statements about her belief “in the resurrection on the last day”. The last statement she makes is that she believes “you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” In the Gospels, when Jesus is healing someone, it is through that person’s faith or the faith of others that the person is healed. Martha, a woman who is portrayed as to busy to pray in the Gospel of Luke, is the one who has faith that Jesus is going to heal her brother or raise him from the dead in the Gospel of John. Jesus responds to her with one of the “I Am” statements:

I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Jesus is the “dwelling” where all who believe can enter. No one who believes is kept out as in the Old Testament accounts of the “Dwelling” or the Temple built by Solomon. No veils or curtains. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus had great faith to believe that Jesus is the Son of God through their individual responses. Martha with her statement of faith. Mary with her awareness of the presence of Christ that she felt moved to sit at his feet and listen to his words. We don’t know about Lazarus but certainly he and Jesus were close friends that Jesus was moved by his death. These three Saints, who were in the presence of Christ, certainly give us hope in the Resurrection with their words and actions that are recorded in the Gospels.

How is Christ speaking to me today through the Scriptures?

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

Scripture:

Exodus 34:29-35
Matthew 13:44-46

Reflection:

The journey through the desert to the promised land for Moses and the Israelites was not easy!  There were long days filled with uncertainty. They had suffered enough in captivity and just wanted life to be easier. Moses was a good and faithful servant and God rewarded his dedication by never abandoning him or his people.  During this time, Moses was blessed to have many encounters with the Lord.  These special times gave him and the Israelite community the hope and promise they needed to stay on the journey.

I think that we all can experience similar life-changing experiences in our relationship with the Lord if we are open to allowing God to work in our lives.  There are so many ‘God moments’ in our daily life that we often do not even recognize. There are the many little kindnesses of strangers whether in the parking lot, grocery store, busy traffic or so many other places our feet trod in a day.  I just returned from ten days of visiting family and friends in Michigan and Chicago.  The days flew by filled with Lake Charlevoix beach time, lighthouse tours on Lake Michigan, hobo pies and smores around the campfire, laughter and stories shared with others.  Our time in Chicago brought more opportunities to gather with family and old friends as well as meet new ones. We were blessed to share daily Eucharist and time together with the Passionist community!  We biked, hiked to many wonderful sites in the BIG city, spent a lot of time at the shores of the BIG lake and took in the architectural tour of the city as well.  Time well spent, Deo Gratias!

As I share with you these spirit-led thoughts I feel a sense of gratitude for all the many blessings, the many ‘God encounters’ in my life and realize what a gift it is to be in relationship with the God of Moses who by his faith and radiant God-like presence was able to convey God’s message to others.

May our lives and the lives of those we encounter continue to radiate the presence and love of God in our lives!  Happy Summer journey!

Theresa Secord recently retired as a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.