Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Isaiah 25:6-10a
Matthew 15:29-37

Reflection:

In all of our readings today, we see that we have a Father who provides for his children. Even when things look bleak, He will provide. When the apostles tell Jesus they have only 5 loaves and 2 fish, he doesn’t complain that they don’t have enough, rather he prays. He knows His Father will open heaven and provide. It’s a classic tale of walking by faith and not by sight. Looking at the loaves and fish, we would say there’s no way to feed everyone, but Jesus looks beyond what is to what is possible with faith and with God.

I want to live my faith with that much confidence! I for one often look at the negative before I can see the positive. I look at what seems to be a lack, rather than looking at what God can do for me when I walk by faith. I’m reading a book called Daring Greatly by Brene Brown and she says that we live in a “culture of never enough.” She says we wake up in the morning and say we didn’t get enough sleep, and we go to bed at night saying we didn’t have enough time in the day to get everything done. Living with that frame of mind can cause discouragement as we perceive scarcity rather than blessing.

How much better to wake up and thank God for another day believing that He will provide for all of our needs according to His riches in glory! (Phil 4:19) Living with grateful hearts will help us to live in peace and joy as we focus on our blessings instead of what we don’t have. Brown calls it living “wholeheartedly.” I for one want to do a better job of seeing the glass half full rather than half empty. Thank you, Lord, for eyes to see beyond what seems to be.

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:

Isaiah 11:1-10
Luke 10:21-24

Reflection:

This past week I was reading a delightful story I found on Ronald Rolheiser’s¹ website about a little six year old boy named Christopher.  During the second half of an evening soccer match the coach put him in as the goal keeper.   While the ball was on the opposite side of the field, a little gopher popped up right in front of Christopher who crouched down real low to see him.  Christopher had never seen a wild animal and was so fascinated by it that he forgot about everything else.  He slowly started crawling toward it.  Their eyes locked on each other and in the midst of a magic moment of intense connection, he forgot about everything.  Suddenly he heard people shouting at him, “Get up, and pay attention!!!    All the shouting scared the gopher who disappeared back down the hole and before little Christopher could look up the ball was in the net.

On the ride home the car was filled with his father’s disappointment.   But little Christopher, at six years of age was more enthralled with an encounter with a gopher than he was organized sports.  And he knew that when he closed his eyes that night, he would be remembering the gopher as he went to sleep.  Rolheiser concluded his story with Jesus’ quote from today’s gospel. “I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the clever and have revealed them to mere children.”  Yet, how applicable it is to us for this Advent season.

The Christmas story, as we all know, unfolds in a manner which no human person was expecting. This says a lot about how God comes to us.  The incarnation is more about God’s ability to enter our experience with beauty and surprise.  Those who embrace this, share in Divine joy and delight.   Part of Advent has to be about coming to a greater understanding and appreciation of this truth. I think this is why Jesus affirms the children in today’s Gospel.  They still hold an innocence allowing them to believe beyond the limitations which cripple the adult mind.  They can see how wolves, lambs, leopards, kids, calves, and lions can all get along together, “with a little child to guide them.”   Isaiah continues, “There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain.”  And there’s even a place for a six year old boy to stare into the eyes of a gopher and grasp the significance of Emmanuel – God with us.

¹ Source: http://ronrolheiser.com/secrets-of-the-kingdom/#.WiLS8nlOlhE

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

 

Monday of the First Week of Advent

Scripture:

Isaiah 2:1-5
Matthew 8:5-11

 

Reflection:

Our Advent Call to Deeper Faith, Rooted in Humility

It’s early December and the sights and sounds of the Christmas season are ever more evident; there’s a special “beauty” as we approach Christmas 2017. The decorations, the inspirational carols and instrumentals we hear these days help put us in a special holiday mood, stirring up the Christmas spirit in these early days of Advent.  Our faith in Jesus is foundational to the Life we celebrate at Christmas.

Today’s Scripture readings highlight the power of faith in enriching our outlook and motivating us to increased action. With classic style Isaiah proclaims God’s transformative love, helping us embrace a new world order founded upon goodness and peace…enabling personal and community transformation.  Jesus meets a centurion who needed help for his servant who was in very poor health; with faith and humility, the centurion speaks to Jesus of the situation, and Jesus offers to come and visit.  As the centurion expresses his faith in Jesus, Jesus highlights his deep faith…and the servant’s miraculous cure took place.  Both Isaiah and the centurion recognized God’s presence in their lives, and with humility and faith opened their hearts to God’s action; life was changed, given new meaning!

During these Advent 2017 days we’re encouraged to grow as we pause from the Christmas “hoopla” and seriously reflect on how our faith enriches our relationships with others. With the help of these Advent days and the special Scripture selections, we are challenged to get ever more serious about putting our faith and love into practice…devoting time and energy to prayer that God will be present to us and motivate us to live as true children of God, children of the Kingdom of Jesus.  Perhaps…if we have a lasting change of heart and act upon it…the experience of Christmas can flavor every day of the year.  We have nothing to lose…and our world has so much to gain!

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

First Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:33-37

Reflection:

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come… May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.  Luke 13:33, 37

As Advent begins we are forcefully exhorted, as we are each year, to stay awake and be ready! When we think about Jesus coming back at the end of time, we generally think it will be a long time from now and most of us don’t even consider that He could return during our lifetime. But you never know! He said that no one knows the day or the hour, so it is possible that we will see His return. If He comes back tomorrow, will we be ready?

Even if Jesus doesn’t come back for a very long time, today might be the day that you or I die. Are you ready to meet God? I have been longing for heaven for quite a while now, and I just read a book that makes me even more excited for the day when I will go home. It’s called Imagine Heaven by John Burke. It is a fantastic read which I highly recommend.

So, how do we make sure we are prepared for our final day here on earth? You probably already know these things, but it doesn’t hurt to remind ourselves of the basics.

1. Begin and end your day in prayer, making time to listen, not just talk. Keep bringing your heart and thoughts back to the Lord throughout the day.
2. Read Scripture daily. Invite the Holy Spirit to teach and inspire you as you read. Be open and believe that God will speak to you through His Word.
3. Receive the Sacraments. Daily Mass is the greatest treasure we have as Catholics. Just as our physical bodies require food each day, our spirits need to be fed and nourished by Jesus in the Eucharist.
4. Hold all things lightly. This world is passing away. Cling to things that will last forever.

Our former pastor in Beaverton, Oregon shared these words recently: “Pray! Read the Bible! Confess your sins! Live in truth! Bring beauty and a positive spirit wherever you go! Jesus is Lord – and He alone can fill the center of our lives and our world with peace.”

If we cling to Jesus we will be ready!

 

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:

Daniel 7:15-27
Luke 21:34-36

Reflection:

If this were the last day of the calendar year, we know that we would be caught up in seeing the old year out, and sharing our hopes for the coming year. Whether we do so in a family setting with the television or radio for company; or whether we go out and indulge in some New Year’s Eve revelry, the sentiments are very much the same for all of us: “where did the time go?”, “what were the highlights of the year?”, “how we will miss John (or Mike, or Mary),” or others who have died in this year. In the light of the coming year, we traditionally lay out some “new year’s resolutions.”

This December 2^nd is the last day of our “Liturgical Year.” We are standing on the threshold of a new Liturgical Year, which will begin with the First Sunday of Advent, tomorrow, December 3^rd.

What was my spiritual journey like this past year? What progress did I make, what graces did I receive, what discernment brought me to major decisions for myself? What challenges did I face…and overcome? In what ways have I become a more engaged Christian, anchoring my life on the person of Jesus Christ? What has been the quality of my Christian witness to my family, to my workplace, to my circle of friends?

Dare I even raise the question of “new year resolutions?” Do I have a vision of the year ahead as an invitation to grow in the spiritual life? Will I be able to convert some of the disappointments of the past year into challenges for the coming year? Will those people who love me and count on me for support and guidance be rewarded for placing such hope in me?

When I speak to retreat groups about the sacrament of reconciliation, I try to emphasize the universality of one question against the long-list of possible sins, the standard “examination of conscience.” I ask people to certainly confess any mortal sins of which they are aware; and then stop…proceed to just one more question: “What is it that God expects of me, that I am not fulfilling?”

Both of our readings today remind us that all time is transient; all kingdoms are doomed to failure, with one exception, the power and authority of our God, who invites us to share in an eternity of fellowship. Because we do not know the day or the hour of that final summons, we live in hope and in the assurance that Jesus will call us home at the right time for each one of us.

So as the yearly cycle resets to “Day 1,” and the Church prepares to celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God, my new year’s resolution could be to ask myself each day, “What is it that God expects of me, that I am not fulfilling?” The answer to that question can be the starting point for a new day, every day of the New Year.

Happy new liturgical year!

Fr. Arthur Carrillo, C.P.  is the director of the Missions for Holy Cross Province.  He lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

Daniel 7:2-14
Luke 21:29-33

Reflection:

This Sunday will be the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a new liturgical year.  The mood of today’s readings reflects this climactic moment in the Church’s reflection on time and history.

Ever wake up from a strange and perhaps disturbing dream and feel relief when you realized it was, in fact, only a dream? That is what I thought of in considering the two very different dimensions of history as seen through the eyes of faith that stand out in today’s scripture passages.  One, found in the first reading from the Book of Daniel, sees history as filled with chaos and threat.  This biblical selection is, in fact, presented as a dream sequence.  Daniel sees a disturbing vision of wild and threatening beasts unleased in the chaos of history.  This is what is called “apocalyptic” literature, a style of ancient writing that communicates its message in the form of visionary experiences and the use of wild and disturbing imagery. Daniel’s message reflects the many assaults that Israel had to endure throughout its history from various enemies that devastated the country.

But the conclusion of the passage ushers in a different dimension.  The violent and threatening beasts are subdued by the power of “the Ancient One”—the saving power of God.  Also introduced into the vision is a mysterious figure, “one like a son of man, coming on the clouds of heaven”.  In Daniel’s dream, God empowers this “son of man” with “dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him…his kingship shall not be destroyed.”  The early Christians saw in this mysterious triumphant figure the image of Jesus himself—the “Son of Man” who would defeat death and bring everlasting peace and joy to God’s people.

The psalm response— “Give glory and eternal praise to him!”—is also from the Book of Daniel, but lifts up the mood of triumph and praise.  This exultant text presents all of nature as praising God: “Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.”  This beautiful hymn of praise is recited in the church’s morning prayer for each Sunday.

Note how the gospel selection from Luke picks up both moods in today’s end-of-the-year liturgy.  Towards the very end of his life, Jesus warns the disciples to be alert to the signs of the times.  But he also assures them that his words of justice and peace and his acts of abiding love will not pass away: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

Stepping back from the vivid details of these readings, we discover an enduring message of the Scriptures and of our Christian faith.  As Christians we are encouraged to view the world and its history with open eyes, recognizing its beauty and accomplishments but also its moments of chaos and violence.  But beyond this realism is another conviction that is absolutely true from the perspective of faith; namely, that God’s love is stronger than death.  No matter what the future may bring, we trust that God’s love will have the last word about our destiny as human beings and children of God.

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.

Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle

Scripture:

Romans 10:9-18
Matthew 4:18-22

Reflection:

Did you know that one fourth of the bones in our body are in our feet?  Amazing things, our feet.  With our feet we dance, play football or kick the can.  With our feet we are able to stand and not fall over.

Some people are footmen or foot soldiers.  Some people stand in the footlights, get a foothold or are just footloose.  Sometimes we put our best foot forward, put our foot in your mouth, read footnotes, foot the bill or live in the foothills.

Amazing things, our feet. The most amazing thing about feet, be they small or big, dainty or calloused, is that they can be…the feet of Christ.

It was Teresa of Avila (1515–1582) who said that.  She said,

“Christ has no body but yours…
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good…
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.”

In our first reading today, St. Paul quotes from Scripture: “How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the good news.”  (Cf. Isaiah 52:7).  Then in the gospel of Matthew we see Jesus walking along the seashore and calling Peter and Andrew to follow him.  Jesus goes on to call others to follow him.

For three years these early followers were disciples (“learners”) and walked with Jesus, listening to his words and learning from his example. Later, after they witnessed Jesus’ death and resurrection, he sends them forth to preach the good news to the whole world. (Cf. Mark 16:15)  ow, as apostles (“those who are sent”), they put their feet in action (along with their mouths) and “their message goes out through all the earth.”

At Mass we listen to the Gospels and, like the early disciples, learn from Jesus’ words and example.  At Mass we also remember Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Then, nourished with the body and blood of Jesus, we become apostles and are sent forth to preach the good news of the gospel.

If you are reading this reflection, I’ll bet you believe that Jesus is Lord, and that God has raised him from the dead.  I’ll bet you are preaching those truths by your words and example.  I’ll bet your feet are really beautiful!

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.   http://www.alanphillipcp.com/

Scripture:

Daniel 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
Luke 21: 12 – 19

Reflection:

 By your perseverance you will secure your lives. Luke 21:19

 In this last week of the liturgical year we are reminded of many things. In the reading from Daniel we are challenged to look at what our focus is in life. The King was so caught up in his party that he became carried away and brought the sacred vessels from the Temple to use for his own pleasure. This time of the year it is so easy to be caught up in the frenzy of Black Friday or Cyber Monday! Sale! Sale ! Sale! Catch our eyes as we try and look for the bargain on those Christmas presents we are shopping for. Not that gift giving is a bad thing it is just our focus and keeping ourselves focused on the true meaning of the coming season of Advent and Christmas. Are we focused on material things or the people and events around us? Are we using objects to assist us in our daily work or to help us become a better person? Saint Benedict reminds us to keep all things in moderation. It’s all about keeping our balance.

In today’s Gospel Jesus reminds us that it is not easy being a disciple. I continually remind my students that being a follower of Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing they will do throughout their entire life. It requires daily attention to what we are doing and why we are doing it. It requires us to daily feed our spiritual life. It requires of us tough decisions that may not always make our friends or family happy. And through it all Jesus Christ will be there with us, protecting us, guiding us and that perseverance does win the day.

As the end of the liturgical year draws to a close and a new one is about to begin we take time to look at how we are focused and keeping our balance. May the new liturgical year bring many blessings and graces to you and your family.

Linda Schork is a theology teacher at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky.