Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Exodus 14:21-15:1
Matthew 12:46-50

Reflection:

The great adventure begins!  Moses had finally been able to convince the Jewish people, the slaves of Egypt, to seek freedom from their oppression.  He had also finally been able to convince Pharaoh that it was in the best interests of Egypt to let the Jewish people go.  So, the children of Israel have begun their great journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, from oppression to freedom, from living as slaves in Egypt to living as the Chosen People of God.  What a great adventure!

But such a momentous journey turned out to be a much more difficult one than anyone, including Moses, had imagined.  As soon as the Jewish people left Egypt, the Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his armies to re-impose his will by bringing back the slaves, at least those who would survive the confrontation.  The army caught up with the slaves as they camped by the sea.  The slaves were caught between the army and sea so there was nowhere to flee.

The Egyptians were elated, and the Jewish people lost heart and were in despair.  They turned on their leader, Moses, with anger and berated him for bringing such calamity upon them.  Moses turned to God.  God responded, “Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the children of Israel to go forward….”  God created a path for them, a path that turned out to be a safe path for the Israelites but a path to destruction for the army of Pharaoh.

This story marks the beginning of the great journey (the forty-year Exodus) of the children of Israel.  This crisis that marks the beginning of the journey, is only the first of many.  Again and again the people will lose heart and believe that their journey is impossible to complete because of outside forces: the hostility of their environment, lack of food and water, attack by other peoples, devastation by wild animals, and most tragically their infidelity to God.  But God remains faithful throughout, patiently responding to their cries for help by meeting their needs and encouraging them not to lose heart.

As we live our lives, we, too, often fear that the obstacles we meet, the betrayal’s we experience, and the frailty of our faith will destroy us.  This story of Exodus reminds us that God is always faithful, ever ready to hear our cries for help and give us new courage “to go forward” in our personal journey.

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

Scripture:

Jeremiah 23:1-6
Ephesians 2:13-18
Mark 6:30-34

Reflection:

“Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while…he saw a great crowd…like  sheep without a shepherd…he began to teach…”

Today’s readings speak to me of rhythm and balance.  The rhythm and balance of what it means to live the Christian life.  The rhythm and balance of self-care…of soul-care!

The disciples had been sent by Jesus, they were out doing his work, being his presence.  This presence/work takes intentionality, discipline, compassion, and energy.  They returned with stories, experiences, new understanding, they were eager to share with him.  Yet he noticed that the work is tiring, depleting even and invites them to step away by themselves and rest.  Replenish the soul.  Breathe in anew the very presence of the Lord to rekindle their spirit within.

How long were they in the boat, going to the alone place – we don’t know.  Likely not too long as the crowds could travel on foot and beat them there – but long enough to refresh and renew. 

These readings give us an insight into the love and care Jesus has for all of us.  Through our Baptism, we are sent as disciples – do his work, be his presence – wherever we go, in the midst of our everyday lives.  While life-giving, the work takes energy that can deplete us if we lose sight of the rhythm. 

Like the first disciples, we are sent by Jesus and we return to Jesus.  We share our experiences, we sit at his feet, we go off by ourselves – even if only for a few minutes – a breath, a pause, a quick conversation with the Lord.

The invitation always includes the balance or rhythm of doing and being.  This gospel affirms for us that Jesus notices – he takes care of us and gives us what we need.  We need rest, we need to be taught, we need to notice, we need to trust the Lord’s nudging and respond to the call wholeness, holiness, balance and rhythm.

Faith Offman is the Associate Director of Ministry at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Exodus 12:37-42
Matthew 12:14-21

Reflection:

What would it take to make us pleasing to God? Our readings today provide an answer.

In the first reading from Exodus, the Israelites embark on their long journey out of Egypt. They are not an assembly of the polished and the privileged, but a group of migrants and refugees escaping the crushing oppression of slavery in Egypt. That a “crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them” tells us that the Israelites were a motley mix of racial and ethnic backgrounds, a hodgepodge of the poor and desperate. Hungry and exhausted, they are people in search of a home that nobody wants to welcome and everyone finds easy to ignore. Of course, this is not a story locked in the distant past because today millions of migrants and refugees, like the ancient Israelites, wander the earth in search of a home where they will be welcomed rather than cursed, embraced rather than scorned, blessed rather than imprisoned. The message of the scriptures is clear: we move from strangers of God to friends of God when we eagerly extend to them the justice, love, mercy, and compassion God wants for everyone.

A similar scene is depicted in today’s gospel from Matthew. We hear that “many people” followed Jesus “and he cured them all.” Every day we encounter people in need, people who yearn to be restored to life. How can we, like Jesus, be instruments of God’s healing and peace? We can do it with an encouraging word or a well-timed act of kindness. We can do it when we are willing to listen to someone who yearns to be recognized. Even a smile can cure, even a friendly hello can heal. 

What makes us pleasing to God? The answer is so obvious, how could we not have known?

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.

Scripture:

Exodus 3:13-20
Matthew 11:28-30

Reflection:

As I read today’s Gospel, I am struck by the personal invitations Jesus gives us in this brief passage. Our Lord starts with such a beautiful, open invitation to come to Him. Not when we are filled with self-reliance, feel like we have our ducks in a row or our life in order but when we are in need, laboring, struggling, or going through difficulty. Maybe on our knees.

It is in these more challenging moments when He invites us to come to Him. How often I make things worse by not coming to Him in these moments thinking my challenge is too insignificant, that He doesn’t care, or I can handle it. No, He asks, come to me. Rest in me.

From there He gives us a second invitation, to

take His yoke. A yoke is a wooden collar made for 2, which really doesn’t sound so inviting. And yet, His tone seems one of assurance. He will be close to us. He will carry His share and more of our burden. He will stay with us, and we will be close to Him. Always. Where we go, He will be, where He goes, we will follow. Jesus is telling us, “We are in this together “.

There is another aspect to the invitation to take His yoke. He is giving us what is His. There is something very tender in that. The Lord then invites us to learn from Him. He who is truth, who is wisdom, who is Love, says, learn from me.

We might feel uncomfortable being so close, so connected to the Lord with our burdens, our struggles, and our sin. With no place to hide. Maybe I would rather not have the Lord see me in this way. Almost anticipating our worry about being so close, or opening and revealing so much to Him, He speaks to us, “I am gentle and humble of heart.” As if to say, “don’t worry, I know you”.

Such a beautiful invitation to be with Him, close to Him, to bring everything to Him. How much He desires that we live this way. For He knows, only being close to Him, connected to Him and trusting in Him will we truly find rest. A rest only He can give, rest for our souls.

Steve Walsh is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, and a good friend of the Passionist Community

Scripture:

Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12
Matthew 11:25-27

Reflection:

The Gospel today is an invitation to a more uncomplicated relationship with God. We have all returned to times as a child when all seemed simpler and easier. While this may not be true of all childhoods, I can certainly return to mine and see it was a time with fewer distractions than my teenage years.

As someone who has been involved in ministry with children and having four of my own, and through the grace of God, nine grandchildren, I often look at things through their lens. But, while there are benefits of being childlike, there are also complications.

You must follow the guidelines/rules of others; life is pretty structured without much “downtime” included, and of course, we are ALWAYS relying on someone else to get us where we need to go. However, when I look back on my faith life, there was much to be pleased about as a child. While I learned about my faith through the strict governance of the Dominican nuns at my elementary school, and an Irish priest who dispensed his own, unique form of ministry, I was, for the most part, surrounded by love. It was love with strings attached for sure, but it was love. They cared for me and even more for my soul. I can still hear the words, “ for what does it matter if you suffer the loss of your soul …”

This lament, even though I did not really know what it meant, it started me out on a journey as a child. A journey to discover this invisible but essential part of me, my soul!

I wonder what your experience of this inner search for your soul, its content, character, how it looked affected your faith? How does it affect your faith today? Have you come to terms with what your soul is today? How would you describe its condition? Excellent? Slightly used? Low mileage? Never been wrecked?

Taking a journey back to those early days may help you find some answers. To this childlike repose, Jesus invites us all.  After all, we use the words “soul-searching” often. But what does it mean to us?

God Bless.

Michael Cunningham, OFS, is the Director and CEO of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Exodus 2:1-15a
Matthew 11:20-24

Reflection:

Several years ago, I overheard a gentleman say to his traveling partner, “we have arrived in Sodom and Gomorrah.” I was a bit taken aback as I had thought we had landed in Los Angeles, California. They were traveling on to Hawaii, and I guess before they traveled on to paradise, they had to wait with the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah. 😊

I always remember that comment every time I hear those ancient cities mentioned. My Logics teacher would have labeled that the presumed fallacy of hasty generalization. You may remember the story about Abraham who could not find even 10 innocent people in either city. (Genesis 18: 22FF).  I know of many wonderful and holy people who live here and that was most definitely not an accurate statement. We must be careful not to overlook the holy.

In today’s Gospel, we might ask, what did Jesus wish to convey to us? These simple four verses we are presented with today have been labeled in Biblical commentaries “the consequences of rejection” as we begin to learn of the opposition which Jesus will get from Israel and his community. In short, Jesus was rejected by his native home of Capernaum, and we hear “woes” on the lips of Jesus.  The cities of Tyre and Sidon were frequently denounced by the prophets for their corruption. Here, Jesus quotes Isaiah (14:12:20), and includes Capernaum. These few verses of Jesus can make us a little uncomfortable. It is good to take a pause out, recognize the discomfort, and allow the scripture to inform you. Verses like the ones that follow soon after these can bring calmness to me.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” Vs. 28-29

In our first reading from the beginning of Exodus, we hear about the story of Moses and how his mother managed to save him from the Egyptian Pharoah. Scholars have compared this story to earlier stories of Egyptian Gods. The ancient Biblical writers took what sounded good and incorporated it into the beginning of Exodus. This is a motif employed by the ancient writers, they borrowed several stories, especially the Genesis creation story. Through these stories, they incorporated God at work and involved in their lives. To us, it may make it sound a bit questionable however, to the ancients it reflected how they considered God to be active in their lives.

Their intimate faith reached far beyond their current situation and gave inspiration to their understanding of their creator God. They were able to navigate their lives and find hope. The Psalm used in today’s readings adds further:

“Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.” (69)

When I reflect on these readings, I can find myself confident in being among the “sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah” and trust in God’s providence in my life. How about you?

May we be nourished by the Word of God this day. May we live out our faith in confidence regardless of where we live. Amen.

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.