Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Sirach 17:20-24
Mark 10:17-27

Reflection:

Life and Love:  All Things Are Possible For God!

Today’s Gospel is another “human interest” story related by St. Mark in which Jesus witnesses to the depths of God’s love for each of us…no matter what!  The story:  Jesus is on a journey; a man runs up and excitedly pops a question about “inheriting eternal life”; Jesus reviews with him the commandments, then looks at the man with love; He then invites him to give away his resources to the poor and then come follow Him.  But, no…the man’s face fell:  he had many possessions, and was attached to them — he went away sad.  For Jesus…a teachable moment with His disciples…and us.

Jesus shares with His disciples that true detachment is key to sharing in God’s Kingdom — and part of promoting that Kingdom.  God’s gifts to us are true blessings, to be humbly received and shared.  The familiar (and challenging!) overstated image of a camel passing through the eye of a needle was Jesus’ attempt to hammer home to the disciples that all things are possible for God… even when we may be held back by “things”.  Jesus’ life witnesses true detachment as He offers salvation to us all…even to His death on the Cross.

As we embark on the great spiritual journey of Lent, this Gospel invites us to “let go” and see our Lenten programs as helps to our openness in both receiving and sharing God’s love.  Jesus invites us to be free / detached from those things that, though good in themselves, can turn us inward and limit our love:  things such as people, possessions, power, thoughts…to name a few blessings / challenges.  To follow Jesus is to share in His freedom to love unconditionally, to generously serve others and share God’s Life…especially with those in special need.

Challenging?  You bet!  Impossible?  No way!  Jesus looks at US with love, and invites us to follow Him and spread the Good News today.  “All things are possible for God.”  May we add our “Amen” by our lives.

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

Scripture:

Sirach 27:4-7
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Luke 6:39-45

Reflection:

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit.” Luke 6:43-44

I have a friend who started out her young adult life in the wrong lane. She did some drugs, moved in with her boyfriend and also suffered some abuse from other men. Two years later she married her boyfriend and the first 15 years of their marriage were very rocky and filled with threats of divorce. She was raising three children by this time, and was very unhappy. Their life certainly looked like a “rotten tree.”

At the time when they were ready to call it quits, they turned their lives over to Jesus and the transformation began. This year they are celebrating 30 years of marriage, still have four boys at home (the first three of their seven children are married and have children of their own.) They are a model family and their fruit testifies that even though they had a long, rough start, they are now “good trees bearing good fruit.” They are beloved members of their church who help other married couples who are struggling.

The point is, never give up on the “bad trees” in your family orchard. There is always hope! Keep praying for those kids and grandkids who may have gone astray. I know my friends’ grandmother never quit praying for her. There is good and bad in all of us, but it’s comforting to know that we can always come back to our Savior, and He will pick us up and help us start again.

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].

Scripture:

Sirach 17:1-15
Mark 10:13-16

Reflection:

So often at the time of birth, when a new born baby is placed into its mothers arms and with a father standing by, the parents often – by way of social media today – put not just a photo of the new baby, but also add a small saying or comment something like ‘welcome into our world little one’ or a similar phrase.

It is their way of welcoming the child who has grown quietly in the secrecy of the womb, but who now comes into a world which he or she is to experience through the loving touch of other people, through family and wider society in the long, slow growth to maturity. But just for now the little innocent baby is held safely in the arms of the two people who will be closest to it and who will introduce it into family and then wider society over the years to come.

The whole vocation of parenting and the dynamics of parents and children’s relationships might be summed up in this one moment – pure gratitude to God for the gift of this child, love pouring out spontaneously, dreams and hopes for the child being expressed from the beginning and a welcome into family as the vehicle through which the child will slowly encounter life in all its mysteries.

In the society and times of Jesus it was no different. Certainly parents, and often the mother at home, had a primary role in the care and education of each child. The parents introduced the child to the world of the family and village, but more so they also introduced the child to the mystery of God and especially of God’s revelation to them in the scriptures. Normally learning was restricted to the home, but as the children grew a little older they would then attend class conducted by the rabbi of the township.

It is said that the area where Jesus lived was unique in Israel in that the people were most devoted and very knowledgeable in the scriptures; so we get a good sense that education was important to the people.

Thus we see that Jesus came from an area that valued the education of children and that he too shared this experience personally and obviously still valued it highly. In this context we need not be surprised that a unique feature of his ministry was that he did welcome children into the company of those who surrounded him, listened to him and received his message.

But in today’s text we see that Jesus also used the presence of children to make another point too. The attitudes of openness, wonder and trust that he saw in them are the very attributes that he suggests are ‘keys’ which everyone else might use in order to unlock the mystery of God’s reign amongst them.

The kingdom of God, or Reign of God, was something real and present, but one needed to enter this realm and embrace it by one’s own choice – it was not to be forced upon anyone. In this sense God’s rule was something that surrounded people and supported them, but in ways that were not institutionalised, stylised or visible in terms of the traditions that people normally associated with rulers. One needed to seek or to search and indeed to look within – for so often the gift of God’s reign manifested itself in interior freedoms and joy.

Jesus rightly associates child-like enthusiasm for discovery, their playful searching for each other in games and their delight in finding their quarry, with the openness one must bring to this embrace of all that God has hidden before our very eyes. His parables are full of such imagery!

In this light it seems from today’s readings that there is a clear message for us. If one approaches the world and life with an open mind, an open heart and an open will then we will have the right kind of attitude – a child-like openness – that will lead us to discover the Reign of God in all its many manifestations.

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

Scripture:

Sirach 6:5-17
Mark 10:1-12

Reflection:

The gospel reading for today poses a strong challenge for followers of Jesus.  His chronic opponents, the Pharisees, direct a question to Jesus: “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”  As Mark the evangelist notes, “they were testing him.”  In fact, Jewish tradition, based on Deuteronomy 24:1-3, permitted a man to divorce his wife for certain conditions.  The debate in Jesus’ day was not focused on whether there could be divorce and remarriage but on what were the circumstances justifying this step.

In his reply, Jesus refuses to get embroiled in such a discussion.  Instead he recalls for his opponents the original intent of God who created man and woman out of love and desired that the union of husband and wife would be a permanent bond of love.  Moses’ permission for divorce was a concession to human weakness.  To drive his point home Jesus quotes from the creation account in Genesis and the ideal that a husband and wife would “become one flesh.”  For Jesus, fidelity to God’s will was the driving force of his life and superseded all other considerations.

Jesus’ commitment to this vision of faithful and life-long mutual love of husband and wife was, in fact, part of his view of the human family as a whole.  All of us were called to faithful love for each other; all were called to unlimited forgiveness, even of enemies; all of us were called to seek the good of the other—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, consoling the sorrowful, seeking justice, making peace.  Jesus’ teaching throughout the gospels affirms that an authentic human life is committed to respect and love for the other.  How much more would be expected of a man and woman who vow love for each other in the intense bond of marriage?

Jesus’s beautiful and challenging understanding of the human capacity for love did not lead to a heartless rigor in the face of human frailty.  Jesus’ own chosen disciples were evidence of this—they often failed to understand Jesus’ teaching, were prone to petty jealousies and arrogance, showed indifference to the needs of others, and, ultimately, abandoned Jesus out of fear when the threat of death approached.    Jesus continued to love and forgive his disciples, even when they failed him.

This mix of breathtaking beauty and human frailty runs throughout the New Testament and remains a lesson for the church today.  If anything, our modern social context is less supportive of marriage than the circumstances of traditional societies.  The prevalence of divorce in modern western societies is high, including Christians as well.  Pope Francis has encouraged bishops and pastors to continue to lift up the ideal of faithful and enduring married love while, at the same time, showing compassion, understanding, and respect for those who find themselves in difficult circumstances.  His beautiful instruction on married life, “The Joy of Love,” reflects the enduring teaching of Jesus about marriage and, at the same time, invokes Jesus’ own merciful and compassionate love for us as we struggle to be faithful.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Scripture:

Sirach 5:1-8
Mark 9:41-50

Reflection:

Jesus seems to be adamant about telling us to get rid of everything in our lives that lead us to no good.  Whether it be our hand, foot, eye, as well as unhealthy thoughts and actions.  For most of us, like myself, if we were to take his words literally, we would all be maimed in one way or another!  I don’t think Jesus had in mind that we should cut off a hand, foot or poke an eye out.  But, I do believe he is challenging us to take time to examine our life and actions and set about making right where we are going astray!  What are some ways we can do this?

First, we can take to heart the message found in the responsorial psalm today;

‘Blessed are they who hope in the Lord!’

Second, keep in mind that when we stay connected to the Lord, when we believe and live as people of hope and promise we are more likely to be grounded and faithful.  Hope becomes very elusive when we place it in all the wrong places and things.  When we get caught up in worldly pleasures and find ourselves too busy to pray, to take time to focus on the things of God, we lose sight of what is really important.

Third, Lent is coming in a few short weeks.  What will your Lent look like this year?  Will you:

Connect with an estranged relative or friend?

Spend time volunteering at the parish food pantry or another outreach mission?

May Lent be a time of new beginnings that lead you to always hope in the Lord.

Have a Blessed Lent!

Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Sirach 4:11-19
Mark 9:38-40

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, John comes to Jesus about a man who was driving out demons in Jesus’ name. John tells Jesus that they tried to prevent him because “he does not follow us.” I wonder if Jesus’ answer surprised John and the rest of the disciples: “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

In these times when people seem to be choosing sides on every issue, and loyalty and purity are measured by an unwillingness to speak to the other side, maybe Jesus’ answer surprises us, too. To many, there may not even be a category of people who, though not part of us, “are not against us.”

Perhaps we may need to look at why John brings this up to Jesus in the first place. The apostles don’t necessarily have a problem with someone driving out demons in Jesus’ name. They have a problem because the man wasn’t one of them. Could this be similar to the problem the Pharisees had with Jesus? Jesus did good things, like healings and exorcisms, but since He didn’t have the same understanding of the Law (or the status of the Pharisees?) that they did, the Pharisees rejected Him.

Jesus in our Gospel reading cautions us about how we judge others. I think we can be true to our Catholic Christian identity and still work with others of good faith for the building up of the kingdom. That has been my experience in both Birmingham and in Detroit.

Perhaps it is a test of Wisdom, as it says in our first reading from Sirach (4:17), to see others as God sees them. May we follow the Wisdom of God in Jesus Christ, as we strive to work for justice and peace.

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

Scripture:

Sirach 2:1-11
Mark 9:30-37

Reflection:

I had a flashback while reading today’s gospel story: “Taking a child, Jesus placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.’” For those of us of a certain age, we might remember Art Linkletter’s television show that showcased young children answering questions in a segment called “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” What America loved about his interactions with kids was how refreshing and unvarnished they were. You may recall when one boy answered Art’s question about what happened to Adam and Eve after they ate the apple: “They went to hell and then were sent to Los Angeles.”

The tender selection for today from the Book of Sirach reflects the simple child-like trust that Jesus tries to teach his disciples. The author invites us to be in the presence of God and to trust, to be at peace and know God’s love.

I’m afraid that many of us get tripped up over the refrain in this reading of “Fear the Lord…” Fear in English does not convey anything more than dread of an impending event. But the Hebrew word conveys something much more. It can mean awe or reverence when in the presence of the holy. And awe begins with first seeing. Until we set aside our blinders and all the filters with which we have learned to see the world, we will never see the majesty of God that is all around us. We won’t be able to stand before God in awe and amazement.

We are all unresistingly excited to young children who engage life with eyes wide open in awe. They see as we long ago knew how to see. Today’s scripture is an invitation to see again with child-like eyes, and there before us and all around us amazingly is the awesome presence of God.

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:

Sirach 1:1-10
Mark 9:14-29

Reflection:

We hold on, we hold on tighter

August Wilson’s play, Fences, captured a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, while the movie version also earned four Oscar nominations. It’s the story of a resentful sanitation worker who never made it to baseball’s major leagues, and his wounded family. At one painful moment, Rose, our protagonist’s wife, now aware of her husband’s infidelity, speaks her truth:

“I been standing with you! I been right here with you, Troy. I got a life, too. I gave eighteen years of my life to stand in the same spot with you. Don’t you think I ever wanted other things? Don’t you think I had dreams and hopes? What about my life? What about me? Don’t you think it ever crossed my mind to want to know other men? That I wanted to lay up somewhere and forget about my responsibilities? That I wanted someone to make me laugh so I could feel good? You not the only one who’s got wants and needs. But I held on to you, Troy. I took all my feelings, my wants and needs, my dreams…and I buried them inside you. I planted a seed and watched and prayed over it. I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom. And it didn’t take me not eighteen years to find out the soil was hard and rocky and it wasn’t never gonna bloom. But I held on to you. I held you tighter. You was my husband. I owed you everything I had. Every part of me I could find to give you. And upstairs in that room…with the darkness falling in on me…I gave everything I had to try and erase the doubt that you wasn’t the finest man in the world. And wherever you was going…I wanted to be there with you. Cause you was my husband. Cause that’s the only way I was gonna survive as your wife. You always talking about what you give…and what you don’t have to give. But you take too. You take…and you don’t even know nobody’s giving!”

In a parallel way, Jesus seems so very discouraged in today’s Gospel, as Mark’s narrative offers one of the more haunting questions of Our Lord:

“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”

Last week, you may recall, Mark offered another of Jesus’ statements of frustration when he told the crowds:
“Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

What seems to upset Jesus more than anything is when the crowds expect religion to be a quick fix. Perhaps that is why the Pharisees always seem to be at odds with Jesus; they want black and white answers, immediate gratification, spontaneous solutions. They also want a punitive God. And Jesus proclaims a God slow to anger, rich in compassion.

Our first reading provides a form of spiritual direction when we feel overwhelmed with sadness, or darkness and discouragement today:

The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,
the days of eternity: who can number these?
Heaven’s height, earth’s breadth,
the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?

And like Rose, we hold on, we hold on tighter.

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.