Daily Scripture

Scripture:

James 4:1-10
Mark 9:30-37

Reflection:

I always thought my mother was the person who formulated the saying, “Ask for it the right way or you’re not going to get it.”  I see in the Scriptures today that James beat her to it.  They both had the same message, however.  James makes it clear that we had better know what we are asking for and then ask for it in the right way.  If the request is all about me – me – me, we will have a long wait for a positive response.  Our Scriptures today call us to a single mindedness in making our requests.

James reflects on the tragedy of our splitting ourselves into two minds.  The one mind knows God, hears the call to holiness and righteousness  and makes choices in a manner that leaves self behind and focuses energy on moving into a closer identification with the mind of God.  At the same time, James says, we sometimes are wrapped up in self so intensely that self and what we are able to gain from the world becomes the object of our energies.  This mindset is at odds with the first mindset focused on the Lord which leads to internal wars, conflicts and hostilities that become reflected in our relationships with God and one another.  Recognizing this, James laments we are in danger of becoming people “… of two minds.”  Our only remedy is repentance              which cures our double mindedness and returns us to people with a single minded focus on walking gently with our God.

Saint Mark allows us to listen in while Jesus confronts the double-mindedness of his disciples.  They are well into their three year walk with Jesus.  Yes, they recognize Jesus as sent by God.  Yes, they see that Jesus has brought the grace of the Kingdom of God to everyone, especially the sick, oppressed, marginalized, sinners, and lowly ones.  Yes, they even entertain hope against hope that Jesus is the Savior.  At the same time, they find themselves reaching out for a piece of the action.  Their other mindedness is looking for earthly power, glory, and adulation.  They wonder and argue aloud with each other about whether their importance will be recognized, appreciated and acclaimed.  In today’s gospel, they are caught hedging their bets, looking in both directions at once.  In the words of James, they are experiencing internal wars, conflicts and hostilities which are playing out in their interactions with each other.   At this moment, Jesus introduces the “child”.  Jesus assures them that if they receive a child in His name, they receive not only Him but the One who sent Him.  This doesn’t sound so strange to our ears but try to imagine hearing this for the first time in Galilee at that time.  A child had no rights.  A child was considered the property of a parent in the same way that a parent owned a beast of burden or a table or a water jar.  A child had little societal significance.  When Jesus tells his disciples if they wish to be first, they must be the last of all and the servant of all and then places the child in their midst, he is calling them back to single mindedness.  He is telling them to stop thinking of themselves.  He is telling them that discipleship necessarily entails a single minded focus on reaching out to the lowly, the insignificant, the marginalized, the despised, the oppressed and, yes, to sinners, even unrepentant sinners in the name of Jesus.

This will be the sure sign that a person has chosen a single minded, single hearted manner of living his or her life.  Perhaps our Scripture today calls us to quell any warring factions within ourselves.  End the internal hostilities and fighting and regain a single minded focus on living the characteristics of discipleship enjoined upon the followers of Jesus by St. James and St. Mark today.  The grace and strength to live this single mindedness – this is the right request, asked in the right way.

Fr. Richard Burke, CP, is a member of St. Paul of the Cross Province.  He lives at St. Ann’s Monastery in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Scripture:

James 3:13-18
Mark 9:14-29

Reflection:

This year, for the first time, this Memorial must be celebrated by everyone choosing to attend mass , according to a new directive from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  The “must be” in this statement does not mean it is a new holy day of obligation, but rather that anyone who freely chooses to celebrate mass on this day is no longer free to choose from a whole series of options (which we have called “votive” masses) but must choose the mass formulary entitled MEMORIAL OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH (which apparently is not yet available).

So anyone choosing to celebrate mass today must use this Marian prayer form and not arbitrarily, as was previously done, choose the Mother of Sorrows or the Immaculate Conception or The Mother of Holy Hope, but rather THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH.  Pope Paul VI (to be canonized with Oscar Romero in October of this year) is the most authoritative spokesperson describing Mary in this way, which he did November 21, 1964, during the course of Vatican II.

We may wonder at the newness or difference involved in calling Mary the Mother of the Church, since we have been calling upon her as the Mother of God for centuries, a title that no other can equal in importance.  And, as we know, we are accustomed call upon her with many titles.  But there have been periods in the history of the church when calling on Mary with certain titles has proven difficult for certain groups, as if attributing to her some of these titles that we find in certain litanies devoted to her derogate from or diminish the honor and glory that belong properly to God.  And even now, in the breviary (the prayer book, used daily by priests and deacons) the layout of this official prayerbook of the church gives priority to a section devoted to the “dedication of a church” before it provides access to prayers devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Should it not vice versa?  But, in general, these quaint arrangements have little effect on our prayerful devotion to Mary, nor do they diminish the status of Mary in God’s plans for her and us.

So we are indebted to Blessed Pope Paul VI, soon to be recognized as a saint (in November of this year).  And there is room to wonder whether Fr. Barnabas Mary Ahern, a now deceased member of our Holy Cross province, might not have been instrumental in bringing attention to this title of Mary as Mother of the Church, given his notable devotion to Mary.  For he was part of the American contingent of bishops and theologians attending the first part of the 2^nd Vatican Council, and Cardinal Albert Meyer of Chicago took along with him to the council as his theological advisor, Fr.  Barnabas Mary Ahern, C.P., whose biblical expertise together with his notable devotion to Mary might well have proven instrumental in persuading the American bishops at the council to highlight the prominence of Mary as a center of their efforts at the council.  At any rate, it is fitting that this new feastday of Mary occurs for the first time in May this year, the month dedicated to Mary, and, in the future, it will occur on the Monday following the feastday of Pentecost.  For it is likely that Mary was part of the large group of people assembled in the Upper Room, in Jerusalem, on the occasion of Pentecost, often called the birthday of the church, and she could certainly claim preeminence among the members of the church that was born on this occasion, as mother of the church.

Fr. Sebastian MacDonald, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Feast of Pentecost

Scripture:

Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11
1 Corinthians 12: 36-37, 12-13
John 20:19-23

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.   This great feast marks the birth of the Church as we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit onto the disciples gathered in Jerusalem.   Just before Jesus returned to the Father having fulfilled his mission, he told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until he sent the Holy Spirit upon them.  So, they waited.

In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles the coming of the Holy Spirit is described for us.  First, a great roar of wind, then tongues of fire over the heads of those gathered, finally they all raise their voices in praise of God and in testimony to what Christ has done for us.  They made such a ruckus that many of the people visiting Jerusalem from many different countries gathered around the building the disciples were in to see what was happening.  And they were amazed at what they heard and even more amazed because they heard the testimony of the disciples about Jesus in their own languages.  And many were converted on that day.

In the second reading Paul continues to reflect on the impact the Holy Spirit had on whole of the Christian community.   Through the Holy Spirit every member of the community is united with one another and with Christ, making them the living body of Christ.  Every spiritual gift, form of service and good work is the result of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the community.  It is the Holy Spirit who enlivens every member of the community and empowers them to be witnesses to what Christ has done and is doing for us.

And in the Gospel, we are reminded that our witness is to bring the peace and forgiveness of Christ into our world.

We remember this glorious moment of God’s intervention into human history and celebrate the living community that came from it.  We also pray for the grace to be who we are, today’s faithful witnesses to God’s love for the world and Christ’s living presence in it.

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

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” John 21: 21 – 23

With these readings, the Church concludes the Easter Season. Paul the Apostle, the missionary disciple, ends his life under house arrest. His proclamation of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ has led him to be a prisoner for Christ. It was Paul’s preaching that opened the Church to all peoples of good faith to be baptized in Jesus’ name. Would the Church continue after his death?

John the Evangelist ends his Gospel with this appearance to some of his disciples and one more instruction for Peter. The Acts of the Apostles concludes with Paul, knowing that he would soon be executed. This is how the Season of Easter ends.

The next day the Church celebrates Pentecost.

But today’s readings leave us with a feeling of uncertainty for the future of the followers of Jesus in John’s Gospel and for the future of the emerging Church in the Acts of the Apostles. Most of us do not do well with uncertainty, especially when it comes to envisioning what our future should be. We become like Peter, who loses focus on what is the most essential task before him, the following of Jesus, and begins to worry about how John the disciple is going to fare in the future. It is this kind of worry and concern that Jesus responds with a very startling comment, “What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” We almost hear Paul saying to us, “But I shall show you a still more excellent way” as he prepares to tell us about what real love looks like. Nothing else really matters.

If we dare to follow Jesus, then our future is assured. The future is not markets, or polls, or political parties or economic success or any of those worrisome realities. Yes, these things are included in our future, but our future is about the following of Jesus and it is about helping others follow Jesus. It is about the witness of Gospel values, values about truth, respect, integrity, the dignity of life, care for the hungry and thirsty, the care for mother earth, for the quality of life for all human beings, words that save and do not violate and destroy.

There are many people who will not follow Jesus and the Gospel, and they will try to put us to death, as they did Paul and the early church martyrs. It’s good that we pray for their conversion, but it is even better when we create a culture of Gospel values that will always overcome the evil ways that humanity has devised for us. We are not helpless in this situation. We will overcome! As Jesus said: “You follow me!”

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

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Today’s readings seem to be starkly at odds because they exhort us to embrace what appears to be such radically different behavior.

The reading from the gospel of John continues Jesus’ discourse to his disciples the night before he died. In one of the most poignant passages of the New Testament, Jesus prays “that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you….” Those words go straight to our hearts because Jesus articulates a vision of harmony and unity, of deep intimacy and abiding peace, which are the very things for which all of us long. We hunger for a world in which there are no more divisions, no more alienation and estrangement, no more arguing and shouting, no more hatred and hostility. We hunger for a world in which there are no more breakdowns in love. Jesus’ prayer is one we want to make our own because we know that we are brought to fullness of life not apart from one another or independent of one another, but only together. As Jesus prays: “that they may be brought to perfection as one….”

And yet, in the first reading from Acts, the apostle Paul seems more a disturber of peace than an instrument of peace. Paul is on trial before the chief priests and the Sanhedrin because of his belief in the resurrection of the dead. Instead of keeping quiet, Paul speaks out. His words lead not to harmony and peace, but to a “great uproar,” one so extreme that the commander fears for Paul’s life.

Perhaps the message of today’s readings is that, yes, we are called to live in harmony and peace with one another, but not at any price. Paul refused to be silent because he knew that Christianity stands or falls on whether or not Jesus’ resurrection—and our sharing in it—is true. Like Paul, we should not suppress the fundamental beliefs of our lives, and especially of our faith, simply not to provoke conflict and opposition. In fact, as Paul shows us, there are times when disturbing the peace is not only an act of courage, but also a powerful act of love.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor of Theology & Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the extended Passionist family.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

This passage is one of the most touching sections in Luke’s Gospel.  Jesus and his disciples are on their way to Jerusalem. They are passing between Samaria and Galilee.  Subtly Luke is saying that suffering is the great leveler.  Samaritans and Galileans are thrown together by their sufferings.  This passage tells the story of the cure of these Ten persons, who were afflicted with leprosy.  Nine are Israelites and one is a Samaritan.  After being cured all ten are told to go to the high priest who verifies that the recipients have been cured and are welcomed to return to their families, friends, and society.  It is a surprise that only one of the ten returns to give thanks to Jesus for the cure.  It is ironic also that the only one to return was a Samaritan, a non-Jew.  Gratitude is held in high esteem in Judaism.  It is held as a basic ethical attitude. Gratitude or thanks is a source of vitality In Judaism and Christianity.

In Luke the one who has faith is able to be cured.  The shepherds (2:20) return home and praise God. The paralyzed man who’s friends have faith is healed .  He got up took his mat returned home and thanked God (5:25).  The widow of Naim’s son is brought back to life. The crowds thanked God (7:16).  The woman who suffered for eighteen years is healed. She stands straight and thanked God.  (23:23). The  man afflicted with blindness believed Jesus was the “Son of David.”  He followed Jesus and thanked God. (18:43).   The Centurion at the foot of the Cross witnessed Jesus’ death and resurrection, thanked God (23:47).

Several years ago there was a periodical on the spirituality of priests. In this journal there was an article about the anger of priests.  The editor of the article has been publishing this periodical for several years.  In the issue following on the article on anger the editor said that this article received more responses than all previous publications completely.  He went on to say that he wanted to remind the priests who read this article that the opposite of anger is “Gratitude!”

Each of us is a song sung by God.  Our task is to discover that song and sing it in harmony with God.  Someone mentioned that a friend is one who hears the song in my heart and hums it to me when my memory fails. We should be grateful for such friends

Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is the local superior at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Feast of St. Matthias 

Scripture:

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
John 15:9-17

Reflection:

Today’s feast is the day when we remember St. Matthias, the faithful follower of the Lord who was chosen to be the replacement of the “apostate apostle” Judas.  Just imagine those early days after the resurrection of the Lord.  Surely the disciples felt deeply the reality of one of their very own, one who was so trusted and close to the Lord, who through his betrayal would both abandon the Lord as well as his brother apostles.  With his demise there was a hole in the ranks.  The empty seat could not be overlooked or ignored.  Even then, so soon after the death and resurrection of Jesus, there was an awareness of “the Twelve” as signifying something special in the foundation of the developing Church.  Hence, there was the need to elect or cast lots and call forth another so that “the Twelve” could be whole and complete once again.  And so it was that Matthias was nominated, along with Barsabbas or Justus.  It was Peter who called for the election as he spoke with about one hundred and twenty persons, as the scriptures tell us, including both men and women.  First they prayed to the Lord who “knows the hearts of all” asking him to reveal by their vote who he had chosen!  How spirit-filled was this moment!  And the lot fell upon Matthias, one who had been a follower with the Twelve the whole time – which meant from the baptism of John until the day of the resurrection of the Lord.   The Twelve were again complete and the Church was ready for Pentecost!

Doesn’t the Lord continue to work among his people today in the community of the Church?  And isn’t it amazing the way the Holy Spirit continues to work through specially chosen men and women to bring life day by day to the Church.  Just look around you the next time you are at Mass or some special parish celebration.  Look at all the wonderful disciples, so spirit-filled, loving, selfless, and eager to care for one another and to serve!  The disciples are there in so many ways: lectors and Eucharistic ministers; members of the St. Vincent de Paul society and religious education teachers; companions in the RCIA and people who visit the sick, the incarcerated, and the elderly.  They are there! The Lord’s spirit is alive and among us today as it was so very, very long ago.  We have reason to rejoice and to open our hearts eagerly for the coming of Holy Spirit this Pentecost.

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