Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Acts 2:1-11
1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Romans 8:8-17
John 20:19-23 or John 14:15-16, 23b-26

Reflection:

Come, Holy Spirit

Creative energy seems low in the area of liturgy these days. Perhaps things have just settled down from a more creative period? But creative energy is volcanic, it simmers, it finds crevices of expression. It feels like this energy is moving to Pentecost. Parishes are developing Pentecost Vigils using the readings in the lectionary. Many parishes are finding that programs to welcome practicing adults who have never celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation are enthusiastically received. Come, Holy Spirit Come, shed a ray of light divine!

The initiation sacraments are the Easter sacraments – Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. They weave us together in celebrating the dying and rising of Our Lord. It was necessary for Jesus to suffer, as Jesus told the disciples on the road to Emmaus. It seems that it is necessary for us to suffer to come to faith in the Risen Lord. John is the first Apostle to believe is the one who stood by the Cross closest to the act of Jesus’ love and suffering. Peter is humbled and crushed. Mary Magdalene tearfully mourns for Jesus. Paintings of Our Lord’s Ascension often show his wounded hands and feet as he ascends into heaven, a final glimpse of something so important. O most blessed Light divine, shine within these hearts of yours, and our inmost being fill!

Disciples are not to look heavenward but to turn their gaze to the Church, to the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is a wounded body, the crucified of today. Peter will be far from Galilee and Jerusalem when he crosses into the new territory of Cornelius and the mystery of God’s grace. Paul hears in his dream, ‘Come help us’, and is sent by the Spirit to a new land, Macedonia. Pope Francis calls us to go the sheep, leave the comfort of the known, cross boundaries to reach those in need. We are called to the margins and to be with the marginal. You, of comforters the best; you, the soul’s most welcome guest; Sweet refreshment here below.

So our celebration of Easter ends on this the 50th day. As Jesus was sent by the Father we are now sent by Jesus, to go to the new territories to which the Holy Spirit will lead us. Our suffering and our wounds help us to believe. We go as witnesses of forgiveness and healing. Heal our wounds, our  strength renew; on our dryness pour your dew; wash the stains of guilt away.

Seven young people will be confirmed in my parish today, the youngest an eighth grader the other six in high school. In talking to each of them I fell from the youngest to the oldest God’s grace is very present. Where did these kids come from? They were not friends to start with, each responded to the invitation to be Confirmed. I realize they do not quite fit into my adult world, they experience a world differently than I do. I hear a mature sense of right and wrong, a listening to God in their lives, a care for others, a desire to do good. They are not self absorbed. Each one is unique but shares faith and with faith looks outward. On the faithful, who adore in your sevenfold gift descend. This celebration of Pentecost give us all virtue’s sure reward; give us salvation, Lord; Give us joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit.

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York.

Scripture:

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
John 21: 20-25

Reflection:

In our reading from the conclusion of John’s Gospel, Peter sees the disciple whom Jesus loved, and asks Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” This is after Jesus has told Peter “by what kind of death he would glorify God.” Jesus answers, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” By Jesus’ response we see that Peter is probably not asking out of idle curiosity, but perhaps trying to compare himself with the beloved disciple; to see whether the beloved disciple is going to get some special treatment or a better prediction of his fate. Have you ever encountered anyone who did the same thing, always checking to see what other people get and how it compares to what they have received? Perhaps you have fallen into the same trap yourselves. I know I have.

Checking to see how much others have and how much we don’t, or trying to determine whether they should be loved by God or not, is not our purpose as disciples. If we follow Jesus, when we ask “What about him?” or “What about her?” or “What about them?” we are really asking “How can I help him?” or “What is her story?” or “Is there a way we can meet their needs?” We are to look at the choices we make and ask, “How does this affect others?

When we find ourselves asking, “What about him, or her, or them?” Jesus has answered our question by His Cross and the empty tomb: They are beloved by God. May we share Jesus’ answer with the world.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Community in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Acts 25:13b-21
John 21:15-19

Reflection:

There we—ten high school seniors, two guides and I—were, in a single file, meandering slowly, ever so slowly, taking one step at a time, on the teens and my first high-mountain ascent in the Rockies around Vail Colorado. It was rather early in the morning; the sun had risen about an hour earlier, when all of a sudden, I discovered we were in the middle of a garden planted by mother nature. I couldn’t believe it. There were flowers all around us where, up to this point, it was just tundra as we bushwhacked our way up and up. Despite knowing I would slow our progress, I stopped to take it all in—a garden in the wilderness near the top of the mountain.

Looking back, I realize my life has been a series of these high mountain ascents, with starting a teaching career in my mid-twenties, leaving that path and learning how to sell life insurance to rich people, returning to teaching in my fifties, all leading to this moment where I’m learning to retire, truly a misnomer—it’s more like learning to stop and smell the roses. I’m back on that high mountain ascent finding myself in the middle of a garden.

Having been blest with many gifted men and women as my guides all through my educational and life’s experiences, I have heard many times that I should “follow Jesus!” So, I tried, one slow step at a time, very seldom stopping to look around to see how that was working. As I sit and write this reflection, I realize that while I sometimes veered from that path, I believe today, that I can truly say I did my best to follow Jesus. I feel like Peter in today’s gospel selection who I suspect had no idea what Jesus was asking of him when he told him:

He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”  (JN 21: 17-19)

Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear today to follow you.

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

Scripture:

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
John 17:20-26

Reflection:

No doubt the Chief Priests and whole Sanhedrin were excited to have a chance to get Paul condemned by Roman authority but surely they must have also been a bit nervous.  After all, the top Roman military commander of their area was personally bringing Paul before them to hear their complaint.  And, the Pharisees and Sadducees had no great love for Roman authority.  But, now was their chance to get Paul condemned and hopefully executed.  So they were ready.

Paul, too, was ready.  He knew that while they were united in their desire to get him condemned, their unity was a fragile thing because there were many other issues about which they vigorously disagreed.  So, as soon as he stood before their condemning eyes, he launched his plan.  “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.”  Resurrection of the dead was a belief firmly held by the Pharisees but hotly denied by the Sadducees.  So the in-fighting began.

The argument became so heated that the military commander grew fearful for Paul’s life so had his troops rescue Paul from the room and bring him to safety, leaving the mayhem in the Sanhedrin going full blast.

Every time I read this account of Paul’s quick thinking, it reminds me of the many internal disagreements we experience in the Church.  We have our factions and our arguments about sometimes important but often enough not essential issues.  We condemn those who don’t agree with us and sometimes treat them with disrespect and even contempt.  We wrap ourselves in our convictions and are confident that those who don’t share our every belief are unworthy.

Paul was a man of deep conviction and strong beliefs.  Yet, he could acknowledge that he had been wrong in his beliefs about Jesus and he could embrace those he had once condemned.  At first he was convinced that the followers of Jesus were heretics and should be condemned, even to death.  After his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, he realized that Christ was the fulfillment of God’s revelation.  And that was just the beginning of the changes in his life.  He continued to grow in his understanding, changing his views on the law, moving beyond the Jewish community to the Gentiles, and recognizing in the sufferings and death of Christ the path to true life for all believers.  Paul is a remarkable example of someone with strong faith who could still really listen to the voice of God coming to him through the people in his life.

We are challenged every day to give an account of our faith.  Unlike the Pharisees and Sadducees, we must not get caught up in internal squabbles and self-righteous condemnations of others but give visible witness to God’s love for all peoples.   May God give us a loving heart.

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is on the retreat team at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

 

Scripture:

Acts 20:28-38
John 17:11b-19

Reflection:

In our yearly liturgical calendar, this is an in-between week whereby we sit in a void between Jesus’ departure while awaiting the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit.  We do this every year.  And for some, this absence  intensifies their desire to call out,  “Come Holy Spirit!”     I reflect on these readings today having celebrated graduations for the past couple of weeks.  Graduations, after all, are times of transition.  Graduates have worked to accomplish all their requirements, and then in a single celebration, they have to move on.    In some ways, this is the story Luke shares with us in the first reading today. We find Paul taking leave from the people he loves in Emphasis.

As I have witnessed leave-taking with graduations, there are plenty of stories which both connect the group together and give definition and identity.  The class belongs together because of the common experiences they hold.  And many of these events defined who they are.   And it’s easy to predict that when their class anniversaries roll around,  the stories which defined their time together will be retold several times over.  Additionally, there is always talk about the future, as uncertain as it may be.

It makes so much sense that Luke would include these elements of Paul’s leave-taking.  His love for the Church of Ephesus is portrayed in his teachings, and his willingness to endure hardships. He speaks of the future, knowing Paul can’t protect them from all the things that will be coming their way.  But he does have the ability to “commend them to God”.   Luke doesn’t have Paul simply walking out of the picture into the sunset like a spaghetti western.  Before the elders walk Paul back to the ship, He reconnects them with prayer, just like we find Jesus doing in today’s Gospel.  Indeed,  Jesus’ prayer is his preparation to take leave as he entrusts his little ones into his Father’s care.

Similarly, Paul does the same:

When he [Paul] had finished speaking
he knelt down and prayed with them all.
They were all weeping loudly
as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him,
for they were deeply distressed that he had said
that they would never see his face again.
Then they escorted him to the ship.

Maybe it is our turn to think a little about how we take leave of others.  And even as those events happen, we may be surprised to find we can still remain connected to them.   If by chance, you want to go a little deeper, ponder how deeply you are connected because of Jesus’ prayer to his Father for you.

Fr. David Colhour, C.P. is the pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Acts 20:17-27
John 17:1-11

Reflection:

Love, Love, Love!

We’re deep in the home stretch of the Easter Season, with the celebration of Pentecost just days away.  Today’s Scriptures challenge us to let the Good News of Jesus Risen come alive in us and through us to meet the challenges of life in the 21^st Century…the Church on the grow.

The Gospel selection is part of the beautiful priestly prayer of Jesus as presented by John the Evangelist.  Jesus is in heartfelt prayer to His Father, with love and devotion flowing forth in His words.  That love overflows into Jesus’ tender love for all of us…those He came to love and serve.

No doubt St. Paul did his human best to follow Jesus’ example of selfless love and service.  The reading from Acts shares a sermon Paul preached to the leaders of the Church he founded at Ephesus.  Paul speaks of his bold yet humble service of the Good News of Jesus…not valuing his own life but fulfilling the mission given him as a disciple.  As he says:  the future?  Who knows?

Both Jesus and His disciple Paul witness dedication to God and service of God’s people…love in the best sense!  It’s our ideal and goal for all of us, whatever our vocation:  Love God…and Love Neighbor.

Jesus is Love personified, and these days He invites us to follow Him…in good times and not-so-good times, in health and in sickness, and never for selfish motives but always in service of God’s glory and the good of our sisters and brothers.  The “vision” of Jesus in the Eucharist and on the Cross of Calvary inspire us to hold nothing back as we “run the race” of Christian life in the 21^st Century.

As the Passionists of Holy Cross Province gather these days for the 35^th Provincial Chapter and seek to shape their Vision and Program for the coming years, may we join in prayer that the Holy Spirit may fill us with generous love and a heartfelt enthusiasm for credibly sharing the Good News of Jesus Crucified.  May God be glorified in our thoughts, words and deeds!

Fr. John Schork, C.P. is a member of the Passionist community in Chicago, Illinois. 

Scripture:

Acts 19:1-8
John 16:29-33

Reflection:

“’Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They answered him, ‘We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’” Acts 19:2

Does this sound like the church today? Actually, I think most Catholics know there is a Holy Spirit, I’m just not sure they know how much the Holy Spirit can help them in their everyday lives. I know that’s how it was for me when I moved to Chico, California, and met some people who were living a lot like the disciples in Jesus’ time. They intrigued me, and I wanted what they had.

Every baptized person has access to the same Holy Spirit. Anyone can go deeper with God by just inviting the Spirit to take over. I recently read about a bishop in South America who said he won’t ordain a new priest who isn’t already baptized in the Holy Spirit, meaning they are aware of the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit and have invited the Holy Spirit to work in their lives.

There is a program currently airing online called the Wild Goose Series by Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR. He explains how the Holy Spirit works, and how we all need the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jim and I are actually on the road as I type this to go see him in person in Oregon City, Oregon. It is his last public conference for now as he was just named the President of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.

When I first started walking in the Spirit, I felt very close to God, and had conversations daily with Him. The Holy Spirit taught me so much and helped me grow in many areas where I was struggling… like  worry, fear, trust and raising our kids to know Jesus. Now, 40 years later and as a grandmother of six, I struggle a lot more in my prayer life, and in hearing from God.

The training wheels are off, and I need to walk by faith more. God is the same, but I am not hearing from Him as easily as I used to. It’s like when our kids are little and we are right there helping and teaching but when they grow up, we have to let them find their own way.

When we find ourselves in this new chapter of life, we are being challenged to go even deeper, and to continue doing what we know to do – go to Mass as often as we can, take time to pray every day, read the Bible and keep believing all the way home to heaven.

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Bainbridge Island, Washington,  and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently published her second book: God IS with Us. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].

The Ascension of the Lord

Scripture:

Acts 1:1-11
Ephesians 1:17-23 or Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23
Luke 24:46-53

Reflection:

In the Eastern Church there is a story of Satan trying to regain entry into Heaven. He sees his chance in the days between Jesus’ death and resurrection and the moment of his eventual return to the Father. Thus before the ascension of the Lord, that is before Jesus re-enters Heaven, the story goes that Satan disguises himself as the risen Jesus, rushes towards heaven and attempts entry.

As he approaches the gates of heaven he announces himself to the angel guarding the gates and claims that he is Jesus risen. The guardian angel simply says – ‘if you are Jesus risen, show me the wounds of your Passion’. And of course the devil has omitted to mark his body with the signs of the suffering and death of Jesus – signs which are also part of his glorified and risen new life. So Satan’s plan fails because he has omitted to relate the return of Jesus to the realm of heaven from his mission to bring the Good News to us, a mission which culminated in his suffering and death for us.

So we might focus on today’s feast in light of its wider meaning.

Indeed in earlier times the feasts of the Ascension of the Lord, Pentecost and the Resurrection day itself were seen as merely elements of the one great feast Easter.

In such a light it is possible to see today’s Feast – The Ascension – as a part of the great mystery of the resurrection. So although this feast has a separate focus it is but one part of a greater mystery.

If we now turn to the gospel chosen for today’s liturgy we can reflect more precisely on the scene depicting Jesus’ return to the Father.

Immediately we see that the gospel invites us to listen once again to the message of Jesus. In his final encouragement and direction to the disciples Jesus commissions them to preach and to witness to a message of reconciliation. They, and we today, are to be about creating harmony, community and peace amongst peoples and to free them of burdens that might threaten to overwhelm them. But Jesus goes further, for the disciples are not be alone in this mission, rather they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who will fill them with power from on high.

The response of the disciples is one of prayerful gratitude. And perhaps that is a key message for us too.

As with the first disciples, so too with us. We are not alone in continuing the mission of Jesus, we have the Spirit to guide us and we are given the very same commission. Let us go about continuing the work of Jesus confident that the Spirit will guide and direct us in very moment of this service.

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