Daily Scripture

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

“Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two…” (Mark 6:7)

Some quick Greek and Latin lessons in order to better appreciate today’s Gospel.  The Greek word for “to send out” is apostello.  The term “apostle” comes from it.  Jesus sent out his apostles for the purpose of “preaching repentance,” that is, to proclaim the good news, the Gospel, the euangelion in Greek.  The heart of the good news that Jesus announced is this: “Repent.  The Reign of God is at hand.”  The word, repent, comes from the Greek, metanoia.  It literally means to make a spiritual U-turn from our sinful, self-willful ways and to turn our hearts and minds in an outwardly oriented direction to God. 

Just as Jesus summoned the Twelve and sent them out to preach repentance, so too does he summon us to do the same.  Jesus summons us every time we celebrate at Mass.  Let me explain.  The Mass ends, not with the priest’s final blessing, but with the dismissal.  The priest, or deacon, if there is one, dismisses the congregation.  Many years back, the words of dismissal were announced in Latin: “Ite, missa est,” which translates to “Go, you are dismissed.”  The term, Mass, carries the sense of mission.  That word, “missa,” eventually became the name of the Eucharist, the Mass.  Today, the priest or deacon pronounces the words, “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”

The dismissal is not some ceremonial afterthought.  No.  The dismissal links the Eucharistic celebration with our mission in the world.  The whole point of the Eucharist is mission.  We are nourished first by the Word of God, then by the Body and Blood of Christ.  Then Christ, through his ordained minister, summons us.  Go.  The Mass is ended.  Christ, through the priest or deacon, calls us to mission, one that demands an authentic witness to the Gospel. 

Our mission, “to glorify the Lord by your life,” simply means that we are live out our lives in accord with the Gospel message and to carry that message to our families, our neighbors, and the world.  Like the Twelve, Jesus has summoned us to mission.  He sends out to evangelize with the ancient words, “Ite! Missa est.”

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

Scripture:

Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26a
Matthew 10:24-33

Reflection:

Recently it hit the news that emails of government and health officials have been made public. This is not the first time. We know that such email messages convey comprehensive information about the writer, including what that person believed, how they interacted with others, their level of respect for those who disagreed, and more. It made me think: If all of my personal emails were made public, what picture would they paint of me? Which of my attitudes or conversations would be an embarrassment if they were made known? Are my interactions and messages consistent with who I believe myself to be and what people to know about me, or do I have one persona for my “public face” and a different one in private?

These are important questions for Christian disciples to ask themselves. Jesus tells us that nothing done in secret will remain hidden, but rather will be brought to light. I don’t believe he means literally that everything we do, say, and write in private will be in the news. Instead, I believe he wants to emphasize how important it is to live our lives and conduct our relationships as if they could be. We need to always act in ways that are consistent with our calling, even when others are not watching or when we get no reward. It is simply unacceptable to be kind in one setting and stab someone in the back in another (in general, of course, but especially if it’s the same person). It is against the Gospel to project a saintly image while harboring prejudice, greed, envy, resentment, pettiness, jealousy, vengeance, or any other sinful attitudes behind the scenes. In simplest language, we must always do the right thing because it is the right thing, whether in private or in full view.

With that in mind, I commit to more carefully monitoring myself. I will start by looking back at some of my emails, texts, and phone messages, as well as my everyday conversations, especially those that are critical of someone else. Am I acting in charity, kindness, and patience? Am I calling out injustice and wrong without condemning the person? In what ways do I act or speak differently when in a more public or visible setting vs. in the privacy of my own heart? And what can I do to allow God to transform my heart so that it is shaped in God’s image and flows into all that I say and do?

I pray that as I ponder these questions, it will help me become an ever more transparent instrument of God’s loving and healing power. May we all be!

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:

Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30
Matthew 10:16-23

Reflection:

                                          Jacob, Guide for the Late Life Journey

This is a scene played out often enough. Father or mother in the car accompanied by the family and going to a foreign land, maybe the home of one of the children, or assisted care or nursing home. Jacob answers God’s vision quickly, “Here I am.” Egypt! Of all places in my old age to have to go. But Joseph is there. I must see Joseph with my own eyes. Joseph holds Jacob tightly around the neck weeping for a long time. “At last I can die now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive.” 

Kathleen Fischer tells us that in the aging process we have a natural preparation for prayer. “The late life journey heightens the importance of the present moment, confronts us with darkness and loss, and leads us to probe the meaning of our life stories”.

How many moments passed since Jacob said goodbye to young Joseph, and how much time was spent imagining a happy turn to the long ago sad event of Joseph’s disappearance. Nothing else matters now in this moment of precious embrace with Joseph. It is like the prayer Fr. Padro Arrupe, S.J. who suffered a stroke that debilitated him for the last 10 years of his life:

    ‘More than ever I find myself in the hands of God. This is what
     I have wanted all my life from my youth. But now there is a difference:
     the initiative is entirely with God. It is indeed a profound spiritual experience to
know and feel myself so totally in God’s hands’.

Jacob knew gratitude.

Jacob knew darkness and loss. But he kept faith in the promise to return home. A promise kept by Joseph who buried his father in the cave in the field bought from the Hittites, where Abraham and Sarah, Issac and Rebecca, and Leah also rested.

His life had plenty of stories. Did he realize that the best one was being written during his final days? Jacob tells us elders today that we may draw strength and guidance from his later years. A poem is written from the woman’s perspective, which Jacob would approve. He worked hard to keep his wives happy! They are a big part of his story, and we are all, each part of one another’s stories. May Jacob invite us to probe the meaning of our stories….

Always she carries in the arms of her heart,
Uphill and down, and in all weathers the child she was.
And beside her walks the bride, striding with fire and passion,
Hiding the fear,
Still another comes- but slowly, the mother, laden, filled with joy.
Never alone, she walks accompanied by all her past.

-Anne Keith

Scripture:

Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29, 45:1-5
Matthew 10:7-15

Reflection:

Salvation and Peace

God is into saving lives not destroying them. We save lives when we bring the word of God to people who do not know Him. People bring peace to their homes when they acknowledge him and do not deny him. God loves us and want us to experience salvation with him in heaven. At the same time, he will not force himself upon anyone. In both readings today God demonstrates his desire to save lives.

In the 1^st reading, the salvation He brings is demonstrated in the words of Joseph, “Come closer to me…. I am your brother…It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you.” God gives us the command that, without cost you received, without cost you are to give.

In the Gospel reading Jesus sends his Apostles to those burdened with insurmountable problems, and he commands them, “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons.” God is so good that he orders his representatives to utter these words each time they enter a home, “Peace to this home.” He commits himself to make such words effective by bringing forth the peace they express into these homes at the very moment these words are uttered, provided that the souls inhabiting it do not of themselves reject peace through ill will.

Let us hope because our Lord sets a very easy price for our salvation: to acknowledge him, not to deny him in thoughts, words, or deeds, not to blush because of him, not to be ashamed of what he was or the features of his life (poverty, abjection, and work). There is one thing only that should put us to shame, and that is not loving him enough. Let us do this. In fact, let us love him and keep our hope. For then, he will acknowledge us in heaven!

Deacon Peter Smith serves at St. Mary’s and Holy Family Parish in Alabama. He is also the Athletic Director and Facility Manager at Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School in Birmingham, Alabama, and a member of our Passionist Family.

Scripture:

Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a
Matthew 10:1-7

Reflection:

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness. -Matthew 10:1

I can’t imagine throwing my brother under the bus or as the story goes in Genesis, into the well. But I certainly can and I’m afraid must admit, I often do throw those who think differently than me there, especially if they are rich or in some way more favored in terms of this world’s values and goods. “They deserve to be there”, or so I think. I also can’t imagine living through a famine.

Famine, or a lack of food has never been a concern of mine. I’ve been truly blessed. I’ve heard it said that the earth produces plenty of food for even our population of seven plus billion, but contrary to that, everyday it seems, I hear of people starving or moving whether being forced or freely choosing in search of food. My own grandparents moved to the United States from Ireland in search of food and housing security. I’m tempted to think there is nothing I can do about these world problems, but I know better. Mahatma Gandhi said: “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

Since COVID-19, I’ve begun grinding my own flour and making bread. I haven’t perfected using the whole wheat berry making bread yet, but I do love the cream of wheat I make from the whole ground wheat berry. I simply heat a cup of milk and a tablespoon of butter, mix in the freshly ground wheat, and when it’s thickened add a little maple syrup for what has become my favorite breakfast.

God thank you for the gift of living today. Please give me the authority over the unclean spirits of thinking I’m better than anyone and wanting to throw them under the bus. Help me also realize that I can do something, no matter how inane it may seem, to address the challenges in our world today.

Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists.  He lives in Chicago.  

Scripture:

Genesis 32:23-33
Matthew 9:32-38

Reflection:

Recently I met a young mother of five to arrange for her children to attend a Catholic school this fall. We also planned for her to work with Habitat for Humanity to someday own her own home.

Several years ago, one of her babies was thrown against the wall by her boyfriend, crushing his skull, killing him immediately. She lives in one of the most crime-ridden and poverty-stricken sections of our city. A rare week passes without gun violence there. Prostitution and illegal drugs are omnipresent. Daily people struggle for food, shelter and love.

After I left our meeting and drove home through her neighborhood I took in the many abandoned buildings, boarded up homes and businesses, the people on the streets, heads bowed as if awaiting a reason to look up. In the last decade, the Catholic chancery closed two more parishes there. Long ago all Catholic schools…at one time 21…closed.

Reflecting on this ugliness I felt God had abandoned these people.

The following week the young mother’s blight worsened. I received a call with news her father was murdered, shot in the face, destroying his countenance.

“At the sight of the crowds his heart was moved to pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”

I alone didn’t cause the hardships that have befallen this young mother. There are many forces working against her. But I do have a role in fighting these forces. A thorough examination of my conscience might reveal my eagerness to look away, to hide in an entertaining distraction, to escape these harsh realities. God does not want me to do this. And God is not the source of my hopelessness. God wants me to look at sin, and, in total trust, do my part to lift up others.

We are to be shepherds to one another. God can change the world…usher in the Reign of God…through our lives, if we completely dispose ourselves to God.

Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel speak to the deepest fear in our hearts…feeling abandoned. We are not meant to be alone, to be without emotional support, to be isolated in our pain or to be without hope. Yet, look around you as Jesus did…”at the sight of the crowds…” see the ugliness, the pain, the lost, the scared, the abandoned masses. This is sin. When we stare sin down, we act with pure, simple faith. We admit our part in sin, yes. But we admit our total dependence on God, by grace, to take away our sin.

We are not abandoned sheep. We have a loving shepherd who pledges to be with us in our sin, to wipe it out, to use us as shepherds.

It is only in God we recognize and admit our sin, find forgiveness and the grace to not sin again.

Ask for this grace today.

Jim Wayne is a board member of the Passionist Solidarity Network (PSN), and author of The Unfinished Man. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Genesis 28:10-22a
Matthew 9:18-26

Reflection:

Jacob then made this vow: “If God remains with me, to protect me on this journey I am making and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear, and I come back safe to my father’s house, the LORD shall be my God.

Genesis 28:

She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter!  Your faith has saved you.”

Matthew 9:22

Do you trust God? I know I like to think I do. However, if I were to be fully truthful, I often question His guidance. It seems that sometimes when I am in discernment (trying to figure out what the heck is going on with my life) I say things to God like, “Dear Father, please tell me the way I should go. But, be aware, I’d like it to be this way!” That’s not very trustful. In our first reading today Jacob only asked God to provide protection, bread, and clothing. I know that I have all these things. And yet I desire more. I look in my pantry and I see it is full of food. I look in my closet and see it’s full of clothes. I look at my daily life and, again, if I were to be truthful, I have nothing to worry about.

And yet, I feel I need to tell God how my life is lacking. Now, that’s not to say that there are not times that I have experienced the need of God in my life. I think very few of us have passed through this world without experiencing the loss of loved ones, serious illness, or other traumas that lead us to turn to God. Still, I often lack the trust that God is guiding my life. I pray that I can have the trust, and courage to rely on God to provide me with all that I need without my having to tell him what it is.

In addition to being an independent teacher (now online!), Talib Huff is on the retreat team at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights. You can contact him at [email protected].

Scripture:

Ezekiel 2:2-5
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Mark 6:1-6

Reflection:

Our Faith in Jesus, the too-familiar Prophet

Today’s Gospel selection from St. Mark focuses on Jesus and the people of his hometown:  folks who lacked faith in him because he was all-too-familiar to them:  He’s the Carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon…  And “…they took offense at him…”

Jesus came to his hometown with his disciples, and no doubt his preaching “message” was good — even astonishing!  Yet He was too familiar, a hometown son-turned-prophet.  Jesus’ response?  He was amazed at their lack of faith and was not able to perform any mighty deed there. 

Thus, our 21^st Century question:  what about our faith in Jesus?  We’ve pondered the Scriptures, very likely studied our faith with the help of catechists and catechisms; we’ve gathered together with other believers over our lifetime, shared in the Sacraments given us by Jesus.  We can so easily take all of this for granted, seeing our faith in a very routine manner.  We recite the words and sing the songs – but we can easily miss the “feeling” and the true dynamic meaning of faith in Jesus Christ.  For sure, we humans benefit by regular, ongoing reminders and encouragement. 

Today’s Scriptures invite a renewed spirit, a deeper faith, a genuine 21^st Century life of faith in Jesus.  Our daily prayer, our at-least occasional study of the Scriptures (even the footnotes!), our preparation for the Eucharist and the other Sacraments including our heartfelt participation therein, our resolve to put our faith into practice in the nitty-gritty of daily life:  Jesus wants to be near us, in us, and shared by us — “familiar” yes, but also “The Prophet of God’s Love for all of Creation”!

May today be a day of gratitude:  gratitude for our ever-growing faith in the Person of Jesus, for our many blessings as women and men of the 21^st Century; gratitude for our country this July 4th including freedom and our rights as citizens; for our God-given vocations as people of life and service…  No doubt, Jesus challenges us as He has so many before us; may we continue to grow and witness our faith in Jesus and the transforming power of His Life, His Love!

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