Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Philippians 2:12-18
Luke 14:25-33

Reflection:

My anthropology teacher in college, Dr. Warren Roth, was skilled at expanding my narrow ways of thinking. In one class, instead of profiling the culture of a tribe in tropical Africa or New Guinea, he helped us outline the characteristics of our American culture.

What still stands out from that discussion is how different we Americans value time, effort, and material well-being compared to many other cultures around the globe. From an early age, a majority of Americans are taught to not waste time, to work hard to achieve “success,” and to savor possessions (including our financial portfolios), and comforts.

A well-respected American is one who assumes time is money and who works overtime to make a business/practice/you-name-the-work productive and lucrative. The same American is expected to balance this effort with marriage, family, social life, civic engagement, and a compartmentalized time called vacation.

Dining with a tour group recently, I sat next to a woman who had spent her life developing respect and wealth in the real estate profession. As she enjoyed her meal, she raised a glass of wine in self-satisfaction and said, “I deserve this!” Perhaps she felt she had attained what most Americans assume is happiness.

The challenging readings today can afford us an opportunity to expand our narrow assumptions about daily living. What do we value? Where do we invest time? What gets us out of bed in the morning?

In the Gospel, Jesus is telling us to go for the best in life. More money? A car with more bells and whistles? A bigger home in a gated community? A more exotic vacation? The latest tech gadget?

No, Jesus is telling us that if we are too attached to these things, we’re missing the best life has to offer- to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

This invitation to discipleship requires accepting one’s own cross and getting on the same path as the prophetic Messiah. In the words of scripture scholar Luke Timothy Johnson, “. . . the call of God issued by the prophet must relativize all other claims on life.”

There could not be a more challenging way to live in our American culture. In prayerful reflection on today’s readings, we may be inspired to reevaluate the routines and direction of our lives in fresh ways. Where do I invest time, money, energy, and my passions?

Do I value time alone with Jesus, listening to him, enjoying his company? Do I see Jesus in my family members, my co-workers, my next door neighbors, the beggar at the street corner? Do I speak up against words of hate aimed at immigrants, refugees, prisoners, the poor? Do I voice opposition when a racist, homophobic, sexist, or xenophobic slur is spouted in conversations?

Do I let policymakers know the immorality of capital punishment, possessing nuclear weapons, homelessness, and the destruction of our common home, Mother Earth?

We are called, not to look after our own interests, but to respond whole heartedly to the call from Jesus, the Christ. As Johnson says, “. . .(excuses) reveal an entanglement in one’s own possessions and relationships that closes one . . . to the prophetic imperative.”

In his message to the Philippians, St Paul tells us, “Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”

This is a way to live that surely expands our narrow concepts of success. It is an expansion I am sure my anthropology teacher would approve.

Jim Wayne is a board member of the Passionist Solidarity Network (PSN), and author of The Unfinished Man. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 14:15-24

Reflection:

Brothers and Sisters: have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus.  -Philippians 2:5

Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.  -Luke 14:21

Today is election day in the United States. Like Pope Francis, I will not say how to vote, only note that is a hard decision for anyone who considers all the issues. However, I find myself reflecting on today’s reading from Luke, where once again, Jesus reminds us that everyone is welcome at the table.

God deeply desires to be in relationship with us. He also wants us to be in relationship with each other. The early Church had many disagreements about the best way forward for the building up of the Kingdom on earth. But they remained in relationship. They considered, discussed, and even argued over how to accomplish this. But, through prayer and discernment, they found their way. We, too, may find ourselves disagreeing about how to move forward to meet the problems before us. But our mandate is clear. In Matthew 25:42-43 Jesus tells us how we are to build up the kingdom: “For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.” This is true both for us individually and as a nation.

No matter how this election goes, let us do as Saint Paul advised and put on the attitude of Jesus. May God continue to bless us as we continue on in the work of building up His kingdom.

Talib Huff is a retired teacher and a member of the retreat team at Christ the King Retreat Center In Citrus Heights. You may contact him at [email protected].

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo

Scripture:

Philippians 2:1-4
Luke 14:12-14

Reflection:

Called to Serve the Least, the Last, the Lost…

We continue the journey of our annual November commemoration of saintly people; today we thank God for the person of Charles Borromeo — a zealous man of the 16^th Century Church, credited for helping reform and build up the Church in a variety of ways.

As a bishop and Cardinal, Charles was one to encourage the intellectual and moral growth of clergy and religious, especially in forming new seminaries.  He also helped author the catechism that was called for during the Council of Trent and started the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) for children’s growth in their faith.  He held many special meetings in his home diocese of Milan, seeking to incorporate the message and teachings of the Council of Trent.  In all this, he reached out to the poor and needy of his day, sacrificing wealth, honor and influence to serve them – even in the challenges of the plagues and famines of his day, ministering to the sick, the hungry, and the dying.  Truly a zealous man during his relatively short 46 years of life!

We have the same opportunity to grow and serve as God’s People, the Church.  We must change our old ways, and like St. Paul in today’s first reading to the Philippians, we are to be selfless and look to serve the needs of others.  Jesus in today’s Gospel highlights a foundational attitude of openness and service, especially of the poor and crippled, the blind and the lame – a true change of attitude from that of the Pharisees of His day!  Today’s readings highlight a change of heart and service of others –part-and-parcel in following Jesus, and a rule of life for St. Charles Borromeo!

May the creative and zealous example of St. Charles Borromeo help motivate us as 21^st Century Christians:  called to be women and men of prayer and action, building up the Church in our day with the example and encouragement of our Papal Pastor, Pope Francis. 

Fr. John Schork, C.P. serves as the Province Vocation Director and also as Local Superior of the Passionist Community of Holy Name in Houston, Texas.  

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 6:2-6
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 12:28b-34

Reflection:

There were endless arguments in Jesus’ time about which of the 613 commandments was to be most honoured. That is, which was ‘the greatest.’

Scholars debated this amongst themselves at every opportunity (often over a meal) and as was the custom when the learned debated over in public forums or in a household over a meal, others looked on and listened to the wisdom being expounded. Scholars formed ‘schools’ of opinion, with their own disciples adhering, and argued, often fiercely with each other about interpretation. Jesus too was often called upon to favour one side over the other – sometimes innocently, but mostly to see if he could be trapped and aligned with one school of opinion.

So, one might normally approach scenes where Jesus is questioned, with some caution – it is an innocent question or is there a more political motive? Yet today we see a sincere question from someone who obviously has searched not only the scriptures, but his heart. Through him we learn a great truth today.

In the response to the scribe’s question about “Which is the first of all the commandments?” we see Jesus’ reply with an instruction that goes to the core identity of each person and to the vocation of Israel itself. All are to honour and love God as the “Lord alone”, and we are to do so with all our heart, soul, mind and strength – all attributes that sum up the totality of how our ‘inner life’ or our totality of capacity was seen or understood in those times.

However, the genius of Jesus is that he moves the focus to our social or exterior life, too. Our beliefs are to be lived not only in our inner world, but also in the world of relationships and social life that also mark and define our capacity to be human. “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”.

This is the great command. This is our core mandate from Jesus, the heart of the gospel and the only deep law of love. Love God above all certainly but love our fellow travellers who ae made in the image and likeness of God too.

This is our primary way to live with integrity, and how we might extend the reign of God in our world.

Let us do this. If we do, then as Jesus says, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is the Provincial Superior of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Scripture:

Wisdom 3:1-9
Romans 6:3-9
John 6:37-40

Reflection:

Yesterday, when we celebrated All Saints Day, we remembered those recognized by the Church as saints. And today we commemorate all others who have passed away in union with Christ, the “faithful departed”. These people are described as “the souls of the just” in today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom.

In our funeral liturgies, the priest says: ‘Life is changed, not ended”. The funeral liturgy also proclaims that death does not break the bonds forged in life. And those who have lost a loved one understand that love does not end, and communion with the dead continues, even as we live our lives without their physical presence.

Our loving connection with those who have passed away from our sight has been referred to as the “Communion of Saints”. The Communion of Saints is the spiritual unity of the Church, which includes all members, both living and dead.

Theologian Sr. Elizabeth Johnson says the Communion of Saints “signifies the relationship flowing among an intergenerational company of persons profoundly touched by the sacred, sharing in the cosmic community of life which is also sacred.”

When we journey with others in this life, as well as learn the stories of our spiritual ancestors, we inspire, challenge, and encourage each other as the Communion of Saints. This is especially true for Black Catholics in the US in the month of November: in 1990 the US National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus designated November as Black Catholic History Month.

As the Church prays for saints and faithful souls in loving remembrance during November, we lift up these six inspirational African Americans who are on the path to sainthood: Pierre Toussaint, Mother Mary Lange, Henriette DeLille, Father Augustus Tolton, Julia Greeley, and Sister Thea Bowman. Each of them lived a compelling, creative, and heroic life under difficult circumstances.

With Black Catholics, we also commemorate those often anonymous and faithful souls who endured slavery, Jim Crow, prejudice, and institutional racism, and still found the strength to help others survive and thrive. They identified their suffering with the sufferings of Jesus, and they died with Christ. Now they live with Him. In today’s second reading, St. Paul’s says:

“If then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.” -Romans 6:8-9

Patty Gillis is a retired Pastoral Minister. She serves on the Board of Directors at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroi, Michigant. Patty is currently a member of the Laudato Si Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.

Solemnity of All Saints

Scripture:

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
1 John 3: 1-3
Matthew 5:1-12a

Reflection:

As we celebrate All Saints Day, many Catholics would likely describe sainthood in terms of a formal canonization process or would define the ‘communion of saints’ as those who have entered heaven. Certainly, those observations are correct. The church recognizes these holy women and men as models for our own lives and recommends we pray with them and ask for their intercession on our behalf.

The church likewise encourages us to pursue a life of holiness and virtue so that we too become saints. However, the lives of great missionaries like St. Teresa of Calcutta and St. Francis Xavier, or holy persons like St. Therese of Lisieux and our own St. Paul of the Cross, present difficult, if seemingly impossible, examples for our own spiritual growth.

Soon after Thomas Merton became a Catholic, his close friend Robert Lax asked him “What do you want to be?” Merton’s response was, “Well I guess I want to be a good Catholic.” Lax then said, “What you should say is that you want to be a saint.” Merton asked, “How do you expect me to be a saint?” “’By wanting to, said Lax, simply…’All that is necessary to be a saint is to want to be one. Don’t you believe that God will make you what He created you to be, if you will consent to let Him do it? All you have to do is desire it’” (Seven Storey Mountain 260-261)

This exchange between Lax and Merton provides a fresh insight into our personal search for becoming a saint. God does not love us because of what we do, what possessions we have, what accomplishments we have made. God simply asks us to be who we are created to be. We are not expected to be perfect. St. Augustine wrote, “there is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future.” God does expect us to discover and be our true selves…and along the way we, too, will become saints!

Mike Owens is coordinator of the Passionist Alumni Association and a member of the Migration Commission of Holy Cross Province. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Scripture:

Ephesians 6:10-20
Luke 13:31-35

Reflection:

Happy Thursday in the 30th Week of Ordinary Time!

Our time on earth is filled with beautiful moments. Gifts from God of incredible grandeur and intense simplicity flood our days and our nights. From the Great Artist painting every sunrise and every sunset to the flowers and trees, the love of friends and family to a joyful smile from a stranger, God showers us all with the most amazing gifts.

And yet, there are times – many, I’d venture to guess – we must face things we don’t want… times we must face things that are difficult, things which we know will hurt us.  From something as simple as an awkward conversation with a coworker, or perhaps an honest talk with a friend that hurt you, to more challenging things like standing up to a bully (of any age in life) or jumping in to protect the innocent.  Perhaps being forced to accept a medical diagnosis you just don’t want to hear or having to watch a parent age quickly. Losing all you have due to theft or natural disaster.  It can be as terrible as being dragged through the death of a relationship or experiencing the dying of someone you deeply love.  These are all points when we have to stand on the rubble of the moment, and of all the past moments, and wonder about the journey, the purpose of it all, the plan God has for us.

As ashamed as I am to admit it, I sometimes try to run away.

No one is immune from the horrors of this earthly life.  Not even those who are the writers of all of Sacred Scripture — not Saint Paul, not the Psalmist, not even Jesus — were shielded from the pains and inflictions that haunt us.  In his letter to Timothy, Saint Paul reflected on his situation at the time.  Being imprisoned and awaiting punishment, he said, “I am already being poured out like a libation.” (II Timothy 4:6)   And in his letter to the Romans, he declares, “We are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered,” (Romans 8:36). 

In today’s First Reading (Ephesians 6:10-20), Paul is in chains and asking that they pray for him to have courage.  And in today’s Gospel, even Jesus hears the warning, “Go, leave this place, for Herod wants to kill you.”  (Luke 13:31)

Wow… I surely want to run away now!  But Jesus sets the ultimate example.

As terrifying and saddening as these statements — these realities — are, in nearly the same breath, we are reminded to not lose hope, to be patient, and to seek the great joy and love of God.  Saint Paul also writes, “Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.  Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the Devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11) And in our Psalm today, we sing, “Blessed be the LORD, my rock — my mercy and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, in whom I trust.” (Psalm144:1B, 2) And Jesus, in the Gospel today, replies to that stark warning by standing up and calling Herod a “fox” (the literal translation would be closer to “jackal,” an insult in ancient Greece).  He says, “You go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.  I must continue on my way.”  (Luke 13:32-33a)

Yes, With Jesus at our side, we can weather the storms of life.  Saint Paul hammers it home to us as completely as I think possible: “If God is for us, then who can be against us?  All these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.”  (Romans 8:31b, 37)

As Christians, we know the glorious dawning of life that blasts forth from the tomb of darkness.  Sometimes, we have to wade through the muck – sometimes, we have to be covered with manure – sometimes, we must be nailed to the cross and face our trials.  But on the other side, friends, with Jesus walking with us, is joy, love, and a new life beyond all imagination.

Dear God,
Thank you for the gift of all the gifts you give us.
Grant us the strength to stand on the rubble,
hold our heads high,
and look to the light
as we step forward
on the path laid before us. Amen.

Peace and love to you today, and forever.

Paul Puccinelli is Director of Liturgy & Music at St. Rita Parish in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the retreat team at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center.

Scripture:

Ephesians 6:1-9
Luke 13:22-30

Reflection:

I wonder how presiders and preachers will handle today’s readings. This is complicated. Masters. Slaves. Who is in? Who is out? First. The Last. Maybe they’ll pass and invite their congregation to enjoy a moment of personal prayer.

Biblical interpretation is tricky. Literalists might argue that St. Paul’s reference to slavery in today’s first reading from Ephesians would suggest “The Bible says slavery is permissible.” We know that not to be true. This selection from Ephesians is more about how we are to treat one another, and, maybe in our contemporary context, how employers and employees might honor and respect one another.

Then what are we to make of the Master in the Gospel story who locks everyone out. Maybe this story complements the first reading, calling us to recognize and respect others, even if they are not “from the south” or “look like us.” Those who would have thought they have an easy entry into the Kingdom of God are shocked that they are locked out. So, who’s in? Well, as Luke tells is, “People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.” What?! Those outsiders? They don’t look like us. They don’t speak the same language as we do. They do not profess the same faith as we do. Yet, there they are, at the table of the Kingdom of God.

What most inspires me is that I believe Jesus, the Lord of Life and Son of God, is generous. No insider-outsider, master-slave, or us-them. And the basic gesture of generosity is to include, not exclude. In a cultural/political world of us-them, we should exercise our faith by gestures of welcome and inclusion, even if we don’t always agree. We can still be friends in the Lord.

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.