Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7b-15

Reflection:

“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and…they had everything in common.” (Acts 4:32)

Today’s reading from the Acts of Apostles has always been an inspiration to me. I dreamed of a community where all shared their goods and goals, and all collaborated to achieve them. This reading is especially inspirational given the current social distancing and quarantine. This past month we have witnessed an estimated 22 million become unemployed, food bank lines of hungry people, loss of businesses and thousands of people dying from COVID-19.

I see evidence of this passage being lived out during this horrible worldwide pandemic. We have witnessed doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals, first responders, front line caregivers, risking their lives to save lives. Of “one heart and mind” includes truck drivers, postal workers, grocery store workers, and teachers. We have witnessed people donate money for masks, face shields and ventilators and farmers giving their crops to food banks. Business leaders and entertainers have come forth to donate millions to food banks around the world.

The dream of the early Christian community lives on in religious communities such as the Passionists and lay movements within the Church. This dream is of God and every attempt to live this dream, even during the time of a pandemic, is a sign of God’s kingdom. (Living with Christ, April 2020, Today’s God News, Paige Byrne Shortal, p. 114)

Lord, help me to respond to those who are in need today.

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

Scripture:

Acts 4:13-21
Mark 16:9-15

Reflection:

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature”

Mark’s gospel is likely the first of the gospels written, it is the shortest and very fast-paced.  I often think of the old Dragnet TV series – “..the facts, just the facts…”  Mark is determined to share the ‘Good News’ – the in-breaking of God into human life.  The story of Jesus!  And for Mark, there is a certain sense of urgency!

Today’s passage from Mark, many commentators agree, was likely not written by Mark, not part of his original manuscript.  But they fit with Mark – his succinctness, his urgency, his facts.  This short passage summarizes passages from the other gospel writers – the appearance of Mary Magdalene from John and Luke; the two travelers from Luke, the gathering of the eleven from Matthew, Luke and John, the Ascension and mission from Luke and Acts.

Again, this summation compels the reader to get busy, get out into the world and proclaim the Good News!  It’s not good enough to sit in disbelief; it’s not okay to let fear overcome you;  do not wallow in your grief;  you can’t just hear something – you have to embrace it and believe it!!

Do we believe it?  Are we allowing ourselves to live into the ‘Alleluia’s’?  Are we letting God ‘Easter’ in us?

As we continue to navigate through this pandemic, how are we proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel?  How are we present to God, to self and to others?  Are we making the best of ‘shelter in place’ or are we whining and complaining?  Are we willing to stay home so others can stay safe?  Are we taking time to ‘savor’ the quiet space long enough to hear the voice and movement of God?   How might God be rebuking us in our unbelief and hardness of heart – what is he asking us to do to build the kingdom, to recognize our connectedness – who are the ‘creatures’ that need to hear the Good News of the Gospel from us??

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

Scripture:

Acts 4:1-12
John 21:1-14

Reflection:

With Jesus at the center of our lives, unimaginable things are possible. That is the message of our readings on this Friday of Easter week. Today’s gospel begins in a most ordinary way. These disciples, who are fishermen and have to support themselves, go to work; however, after a whole night of fishing, they’ve come up with nothing but an empty net. Just after dawn, the risen Christ appears to them, but none of the disciples recognizes him, a fact that makes us wonder how many times Jesus has been among us—in a family member or friend, in the face of a stranger, in the plea of a person in need—and we didn’t realize it. Still, even though they do not know it is Jesus, they follow his advice to cast their net on the opposite side of the boat; when they do, their net overflows with an abundance of fish. Something unimaginable happens and their eyes are opened to Christ in their midst. The gospel story ends with an unmistakable allusion to the Last Supper because here, again, Jesus, the host, prepares a meal for them, this time with bread and some of the fish they just caught. In the early church, a fish was a symbol for both Christ and the Eucharist. The first Christians knew—and we do too—that the risen Christ is the bread of life and if we feed on him unimaginable things can happen in the most ordinary circumstances of our lives.

Proof of that is the riveting story recounted from the Acts of the Apostles. Peter and John are brought before the Jewish leaders who ask them to explain how they were able to heal a man who had been crippled from birth. Peter boldly declares that “it was done in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead.” Empowered by the Spirit and transformed by the risen Christ, they did what Jesus did so many times in his ministry.

We may not, like Peter and John, heal the lame, but we can bring healing and hope to every neighbor who comes our way when we love, extend kindness, listen, are patient and compassionate, and share what we have with them. When we do, unimaginable things continue to happen in a world that desperately needs the hope that Easter brings.

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:

Acts 3:1-10
Luke 24:13-35

Reflection:

Sitting here, sheltering at home, and thinking about today’s readings, I’ll admit to you; I have favorites.   And when it comes to favorite Gospel accounts, today’s Gospel certainly sits in the top three on my list.  Over the years, as I have heard, read, and prayed with this Gospel. It is extremely applicable to many people in numerous situations and stages of discipleship.

It is the classic story themed around how do you come to know Jesus, and how does Jesus lure you in? It is aligned with some of the other great stories we have just heard in this past Lenten cycle of Jesus, calling people into relationship and bringing that relationship to a very personal and meaningful culmination.   Some of these stories include the Sunday lenten Gospel accounts from John:  the woman at the well, the man born blind, and the relationship Jesus builds with Martha in the story of the raising of Lazarus.

For today, lets simply look at the progression of this Emmaus story.  First, Jesus is merely a stranger who began walking with these two.  It is Jesus who initiates the conversation by asking a simple question.  The two travelers repeat back to Jesus the story they believe.  And Jesus calls them both foolish.  Their stories and interpretations are not resurrection stories.  In fact, after hearing about the empty tomb, they chose to simply walk away. Listening as they recall their expectations, their memories of Jesus, and their interpretation of his death,  their language mimics their body posture.  Luke describes them as “looking downcast.”   Jesus then starts speaking to them about the fulfillment of the Messiah reinterpreting their well-known scriptures.  Certainly, no one has spoken to them like this before.  And we, as the reader of this text, will later discover that this is when their hearts begin burning a little brighter.  He has now moved from being a stranger to being a teacher.   As the day begins to draw to a close, they invite him into their home.  Jesus has now gone from being a teacher to being a guest.  When it is time to share the meal, notice what happens.  Jesus moves from being a guest of the house to the host of the meal as he engages them with those four sacred Eucharistic verbs: taking, blessing, breaking, and giving.  And when their eyes are opened, and they see him, he vanishes from their sight.  He has now moved even closer.  He now is dwelling within their hearts.  Again, this progression; Jesus moves from being stranger to co-journeyer, to teacher, to guest, to host, right into their hearts.  Notice he keeps drawing closer and closer.

Several years back, my office was adjacent to the AA room of the Retreat Center.  One evening after an AA meeting, a middle-aged man stomped in my office and blatantly stated,  Padre, “This isn’t going to work!”  Not sure what he was talking about or even who he was, I replied, “What is not going to work?” He said, “This higher power thing.  It’s not going to work.”  He went on to tell me that he didn’t know of any power greater than himself.  So quickly borrowing a line from the book of Job, I asked him,  “Are you the one who brought forth the sun rising on us today?  Are you the one who placed the stars in the sky?” He thought about that and exited the room as quickly as he entered.

Exactly a week later, he is back for another meeting.  A second time he stomped in my office and said, “Padre, this thing aint going to work.”   “What isn’t going to work,” I responded.  He said,  I go down to the water and speak into the wind blowing in my face, which is a power greater than myself.  But the wind doesn’t hear me.”     What an advancement he had made in just seven days.  He had come to the realization that this higher power needs to be one who can hear, know, and understand.    And he stomped out.

The next week, I got to my office early, expecting the next chapter in the story.  He didn’t show up.  Two weeks later, he walks gently into my office again.  This time his body posture has radically changed.  He asks me a simple question. “Padre, why is God not an alcoholic?”   “Why is that important?” I inquired.   If he was an alcoholic, he would know my lowest places.”   And then I started telling him about the cross and Jesus’ crucifixion was a very low place.  Yes, indeed, Jesus has been to lower places than ourselves.  Within a matter of weeks, this man went from not knowing God to befriending the one who knew him even at his lowest place.  Much like the above-mentioned gospel accounts of the discovery of Jesus, this man has been led to seek and discover Jesus is ahead of him.

How is this applicable to us today?  As a country, nation, and global community, we are at a very low place.  Our future is unpredictable.  How long will we remain in a mode of sheltering at home has not been determined.  How many more will die?  It gets all too frightening when it is people we know.  There are those who want to deal only with optimistic fanciful ideas of resurrection.  Through all of this, there are two things that keep coming back to me.  First, the readings of the Easter season continually draw us into the discovery of the risen Christ.  And this discovery is the glue building up the community of believers.  We are no different.  It may be twenty centuries later, but I testify to how seeing faith through the lenses of resurrection builds up the body of Christ.   It is the discovery of the risen Christ, which roots our faith.  And the second is the encouragement we have from the Gospels.  We don’t have to seek Jesus.  If we are walking with Jesus, he is probably already taking the lead.  Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way?    And it was in the taking, blessing, breaking, and giving that they recognized him.

Fr. David Colhour, C.P., is the local superior of St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

Acts 2:36-41
John 20:11-18

Reflection:

“Woman, why are you weeping?”  She said to them, “They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him.”  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?”  She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

I have always enjoyed Easter Week and, for as long as I can remember, I have always loved this wonderful Gospel passage from the 20^th chapter of John’s Gospel.  Quite simply, these few verses evoke a sense of powerful loss followed by a compelling awareness of discovery and new life.  I hear in Mary Magdalene’s voice a plaintive cry from one who is still in such shock at the loss of her Lord that she is on the verge of panic and despair.  Yet, with only a word spoken from the mouth of Jesus, “Mary”, her eyes are opened and a whole new awareness begins in her life.  A simple calling out of her name by one who loved her so very much and her life is changed forever!  For me, this is almost like a second resurrection except that this time it is profoundly personal and intimate, almost as if Mary Magdalene was singled out to be another special bearer of the unbelievable news of the resurrection.

We are all invited to listen for that calling of our name by the Risen Lord and we must listen carefully or we may miss it.  But one thing I know, if we do hear the Lord call us by name, like Mary Magdalene, we will never be the same again!

Continued blessings for you all during this wonderful Easter Season and may the joy of the Resurrection fill your hearts with great peace.

Fr. Pat Brennan, C.P. is the director of Saint Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Acts 2:14, 22-23
Matthew 28:8-15

Reflection:

Here we are at the beginning of the Octave of Easter. I don’t know about your Easter festivities but ours was vastly different than we had expected. I still bought Easter Lilies, but sadly no traditional See’s Chocolate Bunnies—a family tradition if you live in California. Things feel very surreal when families are apart, and you send air kisses at your young grandchildren through the windows of their home.

Nothing feels the same and I wonder if that was the case for the followers of Jesus on the first Easter Sunday morning? Afraid of the authorities, they too, were safer-at-home. Yet, from our lens, we know that THIS day dawned like no other in the history of the world. Death had been conquered and Resurrection had taken place. Imagine the joy of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary as they tried to rush back to tell the disciples, holding their joy. They were the first to hear and see Jesus post-resurrection. Have you ever held a joyful secret bursting to share your news, knowing that what you have to share would change everything?

Today is no different. If we look at this text through the Christianity lens, unfortunately, we are unable at this time to live into this joy. To gather with our faith community and family sharing the joy of resurrection. We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song. Exiled from our places of worship, I am reminded of the words of Psalm 137 as the Israelites struggled to “how can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land.” (137:4)

Today’s first reading offers us much consolation and I wonder, how did Peter get to this point? He who denied Jesus three times is now proclaiming his Resurrection and offers stern words for “children of Israel;” In spite of the “priests and the elders” trying to shut them down as we read in the Gospel. His use of Psalm 16 is a beautiful gift to us today in our Responsorial Psalm, “…..with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.” (16:8) This part of the Book of Acts is following Pentecost, and Peter has already received the Holy Spirit. Peter is proof that the Spirit is alive in him and he will not be silenced by anyone. His transformation and courage offer us hope today. We remember the gifts of the Spirit that have been shared with each of us, the gift of Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude/Courage, Piety and, Fear of the Lord.

As Christians, we are called to find the seeds of resurrection. Even within this seeming night of COVID-19. Can you notice those seeds? I love this quote by author Robert Wicks, “If we remain sensitive to the presence of God in faith and in prayer, and in the darkness of confusion and suffering, the darkness will teach us, it will become (new) light.” (Crossing the Desert. p.42.)

May our world be healed; may we learn from this time of exile, may we remember the words of Jesus as he greets his followers, “Peace be with you” and may God hold us all in the palm of his hand. 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.

Easter Sunday

Scripture:

Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians5:6b-8
John 20:1-9 or Matthew 28:1-10

Reflection:

May there echo in your hearts, in your families and communities the announcement of the Resurrection, along with the warm light of the presence of the Living Jesus; a presence which brightens, comforts, forgives, gladdens. Jesus conquered evil at the root: he is the Door of Salvation, open wide so that each person may find mercy.                                                                             -Prayer of Pope Francis

Greetings, and may all of you enjoy, together, a blessed, peaceful, and happy Easter, wherever this finds you!

This Coronavirus Pandemic has changed everything. We all feel it in various circumstances. It is, indeed, a providential Lent, much of which has been very difficult.

And change usually means some degree of discomfort and irritability.  Signs of maturity are always manifested in behaviors that address the adaption to change according to the situations around us. Many of you have been very close together for quite a while. Christ is in your midst, especially in the form of the grace of wisdom, received and shared!

In your personal experience, what have you learned about yourself and others in these novel, and providential times? Has the yeast of Grace and Wisdom prepared the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth? (I Cor 5:8)

Since the beginning of March, I have done weekly emails to people who are quarantined and have been deprived of Holy Mass and the Eucharist. I have been laying out various scenarios as to how we can be a “home church.” I have asked various questions to assist in building “church” at home. After all, this is the way the Christian community grew, out of people’s homes.

For instance, “have you noticed a change in habit or behavior since you have been quarantined?  For better or for worse? Can you tell one another what it has been like? Are all of you still talking to one another? Has the Spirit among you moved you to praying together?

Perhaps during these past three days, that we call the “Triduum,” we have been able to read, pray and talk about these most sacred days of the Church year, that is, the story of our salvation- the open, inviting pathway to Eternal Life and reunion with our Heavenly Father!

As best we can, we are praying, reflecting and maybe talking about the act that changed the very nature of human reality, as we entered into the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This novel Lent, perhaps, has enabled us to ask questions that really matter to us and others with whom we live.

I take solace in the scriptural comments regarding Peter and the unidentified disciple who arrived and entered into the empty tomb. It is noted that the unnamed companion of Peter “saw and believed” that Christ had Risen from the dead. However, “they did not understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.”

That understanding grows only through the encounter with Jesus through our own personal and inter-personal stories about building His Body, the Church. The “hidden life with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3) is only accessible by faith. And within the particular confines in which we find ourselves, we can call upon His Risen Presence. In the coming days follow his appearances, and by all means, watch for His appearances in your own situations.

Father Alex Steinmiller, CP, resides at St. Paul of the Cross Community, Detroit, Michigan.