Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Acts 11:1-18
John 10:1-10

Reflection:

The talk of circumcision in the first reading from Acts of the Apostles makes most of us very uncomfortable. However, the struggle of the Apostles to understand who is and who is not included in the Kingdom of God is, in this biblical context, all tied to who is or who is not circumcised. Obviously, the reference only pertains to males. But let’s not lose the point.

What is glorious, as we make our way through the Acts of the Apostles during this Easter time, is that Acts is really a story about how the Apostles make sense of what they know about Jesus and his teaching, and how they apply what they know to new situations along the way. Jesus promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit not a roadmap. They have to figure things out as they go.

In the first reading, Peter is relaying a revelation about the generosity of God welcoming all—Jews and Gentiles—into the Kingdom of God. Peter says, “Who was I to be able to hinder God?” And those who doubted then believed. They understood that all are welcome, circumcised or not.

In our own time, we pretend to be so sure about who is in and who is out. Who is right and who is wrong. Who is included and who is excluded. It may not be about circumcision, but it might be about conservative or liberal, gay or straight, Black or White, rural or urban, documented or not, married or divorced.

What inspires me—and gives me hope—is that God is gracious and welcoming no matter who we are. And the Apostles began to realize this. They lived in a culture that defined itself too often by who was in or who was out, a part of their community or not. Soon, they began to understand that Jesus is calling them—and us—to include, not exclude. Let us welcome, not shun others and rejoice in how the Spirit draws diverse peoples together into community.

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:

Acts 4: 8-12
1 John 3:1-2
John 10:11-18

Reflection:

I am the good shepherd. Jn 10:11

A friend asked me a few weeks ago “Would your life be different if you had grown up with a black Jesus?” My instinctive answer was, “Yes, of course!”  But, at that moment, as a white woman, I hadn’t really given much thought to the ins and outs of that reality, hadn’t yet imagined my way into what a life lived with a black Jesus might have been like.  Yet, in the weeks since, his question keeps coming back to me–in times of prayer, in conversations with my black sons, now 22 and 26, and as I listen to the reports on the Chauvin trial and read about Ma’khia Bryant, the 16 year old black girl fatally shot by police in Columbus, Ohio, my home state.

A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jn 10:11

When I was in my twenties, I had an experience of Jesus that can never quite be fit into words. In a moment, I felt in every cell of my body the vast, incomprehensible love for me that is Jesus’. And understood, simultaneously, that Jesus loves everyone in that exact same incomprehensible, overflowing way.

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me. Jn 10:14

In the weeks since my friend posed that question, I’ve imagined what it is like to connect that feeling of overwhelming love with the face of a black Jesus.  In fact, around the same time, another friend coincidentally sent me a prayer card with an icon of a black Jesus and I’ve spent time simply gazing at the icon and taking in the divine love that is now always with me. It’s made me wonder how a practice like this might open the hearts of so many of us who have been educated into certain ways of seeing the world.

There will be one flock, one shepherd. Jn 10:16

Now we all know that Jesus was neither white nor black.  He was Middle Eastern.  He likely looked much like the four Sikh victims in the recent FedEx shooting by a young white man who had visited white supremacist websites.  Our society gives us so many opportunities to hold ourselves apart from each other, by appealing to our basest fears.  Jesus invites us to go beyond our fears. He is the good shepherd in whose name we too, like the cripple in Acts 4, are made whole, in his one body.

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 Jn 3:2

Lissa Romell is the Administrator at St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

Acts 9:1-20
John 6:52-59

Reflection:

In our first reading from Acts, we first hear of a dramatic encounter between the Risen Jesus and Saul, who was persecuting the early Christians. Saul has been blinded, and Jesus sends His disciple Ananias to lay hands on Saul so he can regain his sight. Ananias has misgivings about Saul but goes as Jesus tells him. And after Saul regains his sight, he begins to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. Obviously, Saul’s encounter with Jesus changes his life.

In our Gospel reading from John, Jesus continues His discourse on being the Bread of Life. The passage that we hear today indicates a shift towards the Eucharist: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you … For my flesh is true food, and my blood true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” It may not seem as dramatic as Saul’s conversion, but we, like Saul, encounter Jesus, in the Eucharist. And again, like Saul, our encounter with Jesus, though not as earth-shaking as Saul’s, is meant to change our lives.

And, like Ananias, we are called to trust in Jesus, and go out, bringing healing to others, and helping restore sight to those who cannot see that they are loved.

In some of the parishes I visit, the people say some prayers, such as the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, or the Divine Praises, after the conclusion of Mass. Perhaps we could say a prayer before the start of Mass. It would be the words used by Abraham, Isaiah, and our fellow disciple Ananias in today’s reading: “Here I am, Lord.”

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

Scripture:

Acts 1b-8
John 6:35-40

Reflection:

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.  -Psalm 66:1-2

Psalm 66 is a great psalm for the Eastern Season.  It is one of joy and celebration.   The psalmist is proposing vigorous celebration and worship.  No sitting quietly and reverently.  It is a call for “whooping it up”.  A call for exultation. The psalmist is saying that we should be so grateful to God that our worship is heartfelt and exuberant.  “Shout joyfully to God”.  How joyful and grateful is our worship of God? (Sermon Writer, Biblical Commentary on Psalm 66, https://sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary/psalm-66-commentary/)

In our reading from Acts, Saul (Paul) was trying to persecute the young Church dragging men and women from their homes and handing them over for imprisonment.  Philip went to Samaria and proclaimed Christ to them exorcising demons and curing crippled people resulting in great joy. Instead of cowering in fear Philip boldly proclaimed Christ and healed them. What do we do when fearful?

The Gospel of John proclaims to us that Jesus “is the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35). What is it that you and I really hunger for?

What can we learn from today’s scripture readings? The Psalmist teaches us that we should take time to stop, reflect and be grateful and joyful and give a shout out for all that God has done for us.  One takeaway from our reading from the Books of Acts is: when problems are besetting us look for something positive to do for others, including share Christ with them.

The Gospel gives us insight hen we are spiritually and emotionally hungering, we need to turn to the Bread of Life in the Eucharist if possible and if not turn to daily prayer, meditation, and prayerful reading of the scriptures.   

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

Scripture:

Acts 7: 51— 8:1a
John 6: 30-35

Reflection:

Today we hear the final part of the death of the Deacon, Stephen.  Surrounded by the people, elders and scribes, Stephen continues to proclaim the truth of the resurrection of Jesus and compares their rejection of Jesus to the rejection of the prophets by their ancestors.  Angered by Stephen’s testimony, the mob throws him out of the city and stones him to death.  A brutal scene, indeed.  The gentle Stephen whose responsibility was the care of the widow and orphans thus became the first to die for witnessing to Jesus.

There is a noteworthy part of the story which tells us that the mob, as they prepared to stone Stephen, put their cloaks at the feet of a bystander named Saul.  After Stephen has been killed, the author of Acts comments, “Now Saul was consenting to his execution.”  That’s got to be one of the coldest statements in the whole of the book of Acts.  Later in his life Paul deeply regrets his hardness of heart at this moment in his youth.

In our Gospel this morning we have Jesus’ claim to be the Bread of Life.  As you recall, this dialogue between Jesus and the “crowd” comes about as a result of the feeding of the 5000.  Many who experienced that miracle followed Jesus and caught up with him the next day in Capernaum.  They wanted “more” and they referred to the manna during the Exodus.  Jesus reminds them that the bread that fed the community during the Exodus was sent from the heavens by God.  He then identifies himself with that living Bread and teaches that the one who eats that bread will live forever.  The crowd can’t accept that Jesus is the Bread from heaven and so walks away.  It was a pivotal moment in Jesus life as the crowd never came back though it was the occasion for Peter to make his great profession of Faith, “Lord, to whom shall we go, you have the words of everlasting life.

The events we read about today are remembered not just because they were things that happened to Jesus during his life and were part of the history of the early church.  We are invited to remember them because these same kinds of struggles often happen in our own lives as we live out our lives of faith.  Can we honestly say that we have never dismissed someone who didn’t seem to conform to our expectations?  Have we ever responded with anger to someone who challenged us?  Perhaps our prayer today should ask God to help us find His presence in the expected ways and people that God sends into our lives.

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

Scripture:

Acts 6:8-15
John 6:22-29

Reflection:

“And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” John 6: 25 – 26

Why do we seek Jesus? Why do we go looking after him when he seems to disappear? What is it that we really and truly want from Jesus in our lives? These are the questions that Jesus is asking those who come looking for him the next day after he fed the 5,000 at Bethsaida in Galilee. Very soon after the crowd had eaten their fill of the bread given them by Jesus, they began making plans to make him king. (John 6:15) Jesus quickly withdrew up the mountain by himself while his disciples crossed the sea by night to Capernaum. The crowd was left wondering where Jesus could have gone.

The next day, some of the people caught up with Jesus in Capernaum. This is when they asked Jesus the question, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus never answered their question, but he questioned their motivation, they were looking for him because he had fed them and not because he was their “Rabbi” or the Messiah or the Son of God. Then Jesus leads them to a very important spiritual quest: to follow him, not primarily because he is able to satisfy their human needs but to believe that he is the One sent by God to be their Lord and Savior.

He tells them to work for food that does not perish, but for food that endures for eternal life. Some begin to believe. They say, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” They recognize that this effort to work for food that endures for eternal life is a work of God. These people were very familiar with the Book of Genesis, and the “work of God” in the seven days of creation, and then resting after the seventh day. Working for God would not be an easy calling!

So, why do we go looking for Jesus? Are we after the bread of daily life, the cures of our many personal illnesses or those of our dear family members and friends? Are we looking for Jesus because we want to live a comfortable life with no personal or familial sufferings or challenges? Or are we looking for Jesus so that we can accomplish the works of God? Jesus himself tells us what the most important work of God is: “that you believe in the one he sent.” (John 6:29)

Believing that Jesus is the Son of God is hard work! Believing in the teaching of Jesus is hard work! Following Jesus to the Cross is hard work! Living the life of the Resurrected Jesus is hard work! But because it is a work of God, it is not all up to us.

Jesus himself has fed us with the Bread of Heaven. He strengthens us with his Word. He accompanies us in our journey. He intervenes when we try to walk away. We are not alone. What echoes in our minds and hearts is Jesus’ last words to us, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mathew 28:20) Alleluia!

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
1 John 2:1-5a
Luke 24:35-48

Reflection:

…And how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread…Peace be with you…recall the words I spoke while I was still with you…

The disciples are fresh off their journey to Emmaus…they are still talking about recognizing Him in the breaking of the bread…but they are scared to death when he again stands in their midst!

We say we recognize him in the breaking of the bread – in the Eucharist – St. Augustine reminds us we are invited to become what we eat – we recall the Words of Jesus – do this in memory of me – who do we recognize?  What facets of Jesus do we want to embrace and embody?  Do we allow our hearts to be filled with God’s Peace?

If we really pondered these questions how would that change the way we are present to all those around us?  Would we continue to be ‘startled’ when he comes into our midst?  Can we let Peace fill our hearts, recall Jesus’ words and recognize him because of our participation in the breaking of the bread?  What startles us about the poor, those that think differently than us, look different than us or challenge our assumptions?  Who is the Jesus that we recognize?  What is this Jesus asking of us?  How are we responding to the invitation to be a part of  the unfolding of the Easter Mystery – the building of the Kingdom of God?

Today’s readings challenge us to integrate the stories of Scripture – our salvation history – revealed in God’s Word and the stories of our lives.  How do the stories of our lives help us identify the ‘God moments’ those times when we met God in the most unexpected places or the most unexpected people or circumstances and life was not the same, those intersections are places where God opens our minds to greater understanding. 

Are we willing to notice and because of the noticing how is our response different?

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

Scripture:

Acts 6:1-7
John 6:16-21

Reflection:

Our gospel today is one each of us should eagerly take to heart because it is about finding hope amidst unforeseen storms. In this story, the disciples are about to embark on a simple evening sail across the lake to Capernaum. Nothing seems amiss, nothing ominous appears on the horizon. Indeed, because they have likely taken this journey many times before, when they set out on what seem to be untroubled waters, there is no reason for them to expect anything other than smooth sailing. But suddenly, and quite unpredictably, everything changes. As if out of nowhere, strong winds and rough waters leave them fearing for their lives, utterly at the mercy of forces they are powerless to control.

Is it any different for us? This gospel story is a fitting metaphor for our lives because there are moments for all of us when everything—like the waters of the lake that evening—seems calm, tranquil, and promising. But then, through no fault of our own, we sail into unforeseen storms and find ourselves buffeted by unexpected misfortune, tossed about by overwhelming adversity or nearly pulled under in oceans of loss and desolate grief. Too, like the disciples that unforgettable evening, we can feel that Jesus is nowhere in sight when we need him most, leaving us to navigate the rough seas of our lives all on our own.  

But that is never true. In this gospel story, Jesus doesn’t quiet the storm or calm the waters; rather, he’s walking right beside the disciples as they make their way through the storm, even though at first they do not see him. Similarly, we may not be able to escape the storms of suffering, hardship, calamity, and loss, but we never navigate them alone. We can always find hope amidst unforeseen storms because Jesus says to us exactly what he said to those disciples that night: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

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.