Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Job 19:21-27
Luke 10:1-12

Reflection:

In past times (perhaps 50 years ago), in Sydney’s Domain Gardens of any Sunday there were advocates of all sorts of viewpoints delivering speeches to any of the public who cared to stop and listen. The speakers were called ‘Soapbox Orators’. (The title derives from the fact that they brought with them a ‘box’ or some such means to elevate themselves and be seen by their audience.)

This practice was a feature of the pre-mass media world and reflected a time when public oratory was akin to today’s ‘podcasts’. Like today, people ‘tuned in’ to certain “influencers” who achieved this by personal presence in the gardens rather than virtually. People enjoyed the spectacle and came to the gardens to listen to the speakers extolling the virtues of their particular perspective on life.

 A humorous feature was the interjections and the responses of those in the audience who ridiculed the speaker’s perspective, or who argued solidly against the view being espoused by the speaker. 

Among the ‘soapbox orators,’ there was usually a representative of the official Communist Party. It is said that any new and enthusiastic recruit to the Communist Party was intentionally allocated a slot in the gardens – and as the audience usually contained well-educated members of the public who were vitriolic in their opposition to communist philosophy –  the poor novice proponent of communism was often embarrassed and left unable to argue back against solid and logical opposition. As intended, this resulted in the novice communist studying Marxist theory with much more energy and diligence in the weeks after the disastrous debut!  

It is a hard lesson but one that illustrates that one should not go forth on a mission until one is well equipped to do so.

Thus, coming to the gospel scene today we see ‘novices’ being sent out to face the world. We might imagine the 72 disciples setting out nervously and yet enthusiastically to proclaim the good news of the kingdom or reign of God.

Did they, too, meet a well-rehearsed and practiced opposition? Perhaps! However, they went with the confidence and support of Jesus who entrusted his precious message – the good news – to them. They went not as scholars but as witnesses. They were to influence by actions not words and this made all the difference. 

Likewise, we are entrusted with Spreading Jesus’ message. Perhaps we not as eloquent as those soapbox orators – but then we are not sent to espouse a theory or a philosophy. Rather, we like the 72, are sent as witnesses and our actions and presence speak far louder than mere wordy arguments. 

A person is rarely led to meet Jesus by logic, but rather by example and personal accompaniment. 

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

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

Scripture:

Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Reflection:

How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from birth an angel commissioned to guard it.  ~ St. Jerome

Today’s Gospel reading begins with the disciples asking Jesus about who is the greatest.

This question is so foreign to the mind of Jesus! So, He calls a child over to Him and sits the child among the disciples. And he says: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” ~Mt.18:3-4

The word “humble” is related to the Latin word humus, which means “earth”. Humbled by suffering and loss, Job came to understand himself as Earth creature, in relation to the Creator. In today’s first reading he is in awe of God who “does things great and unsearchable, things marvelous and innumerable.” ~Job 9:10

When we are humble, we stand in awe before the powers of the Universe, and the mysteries of life. We experience our vulnerability and our need for God, and we look for guidance. We welcome assistance from companions along the journey, like angels!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains that children have angels to guide and guard them. Our angels guide us so well, because they know our destination—their eyes are on us, and their eyes are also on God. As Jesus says, they “always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” ~Mt.18:10

In a homily for the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, Pope Francis explains the role of angels in our lives:

Our angel is not only with us; he also sees God the Father. He is in relationship with Him. He is the daily bridge; from the moment we arise to the moment we go to bed. He accompanies us and is a link between us and God the Father. The angel is the daily gateway to transcendence, to the encounter with the Father: that is, the angel helps me to go forward because he looks upon the Father, and he knows the way. Let us not forget these companions along the journey.

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.

Scripture:

Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
Luke 9: 51-56

Reflection:

Today the church celebrates the memorial of St. Therese of Lisieux, but the first reading and responsorial psalm can hardly be described as celebratory. Job recently lost all his possessions and suffers from painful sores all over his body. He wonders why he did not die at birth. You can feel his emotional and physical pain. The psalmist echoes Job’s despair, that the Lord has rejected his pleas and hidden his face. You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit, into the dark abyss.

St. Therese, who was blessed with a deep spirituality and love for God, was tormented during the later years of her short life with doubts of the existence of eternity. “[God] allowed my soul to be overwhelmed with darkness, and the thought of Heaven, which had consoled me from my earliest childhood, now became a subject of conflict and torture.” (Story of a Soul)

The fictional Job and the real-life St. Therese discovered, despite their doubts, that God was present throughout their suffering. Job seriously questioned God but never cursed Him. Therese never gave up on her prayer life even in her darkest times.

We may experience our own spiritual or mental crisis, but God never abandons us at challenging times in our life. Dr. Jessica Coblentz speaks of meeting God in the wilderness in times of personal crises, especially mental illness. At that time, it may be difficult to recognize God is walking along with us. We should be open to finding professional assistance, especially when prayer is most difficult, or God seems so distant. Whether we meet with a spiritual director or a professional counselor, these support systems may be exactly the gifts we need to navigate these very difficult personal challenges.

May we be open to encountering God in the wilderness of our lives.

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:

Job 1:6-22
Luke 9:46-50

Reflection:

If ever there was a person who had the right to complain to God, it was Job. The story of this upright and faithful man who lost all of it at the hand of the Evil One easily shocks us. Wasn’t it horribly unfair of God to let catastrophe befall Job?

We can say the same of Jesus, can’t we? Why did he suffer as he did?

Suffering and Justice are eternal mysteries that saints and scholars have wrestled with for millennia. There is, of course, no answer. There is only faith, remaining steadfast in knowing that we are the beloved of God. And when we are confronted by suffering and injustice, we might find some peace in praying the Anima Christi:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from you.
From the wicked foe, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me
and bid me come to you
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever. Amen.

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:

Numbers 11:25-29
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Reflection:

As I was reflecting on this Sunday’s readings, the thought came to me, “By their fruits you shall know them.” In our first reading (Numbers 11:25-29), and in our Gospel reading (Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48), this is a positive statement. In our first reading, God takes some of the spirit that was given to Moses, and bestows it upon seventy elders. Two who were meant to be at the gathering to receive this spirit, Eldad and Medad, weren’t there. But they received the spirit anyway – What God wants God gets done. But someone sees Eldad and Medad prophesying, reports it to Joshua, who then reports it to Moses, and tells Moses that he should stop them – they weren’t at the meeting! But Moses replies, “Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!” Even though Eldad and Medad were not at the official gathering, God saw fit to bestow His spirit on them, and by the fruits of their prophesying, they testified to God’s goodness.

A similar thing occurs in our Gospel reading. The apostle John tells Jesus that he and the other disciples saw someone driving out demons in Jesus’ name, and they tried to “prevent him because he does not follow us.” Like Moses, Jesus replies, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a might deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.” I don’t know if this startled John or not, but it shouldn’t have. Think about it. What John and the others were trying to do in preventing this person from doing good, was the exact same thing the Pharisees were trying to do, going against Jesus! They tried to prevent Him from doing things because He was not one of them.

It seems to me that people of good faith, no matter what system of belief they have, or even if they have no belief in a Higher Power at all, can come together and try to make the world a better place. That is a “good fruit” worth working for. We believers would see it as following Jesus’ command to love and helping build up the kingdom. Others would probably see it differently, but the world would be better with the efforts made.

In our second reading from James (5:1-6), we have the opposite side of the coin. James tells those who are rich because they have withheld wages from their workers that God hears the cries of those who have been exploited, not the prayers of the unjust rich. Being rich in itself does not indicate God’s favor. It is by our fruits with regards to others that we shall be known and be judged.

How can we best obey Jesus’ command to love? By doing good for others, working for justice, avoiding sin, and avoiding leading others to sin. Jesus says, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin [an example for me would be fomenting fear and hate], it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”

May the depth of our convictions lead us not to sin, but to “good fruit.”

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8
Luke 9:43b-45

Reflection:

In every age, O God, you have been our refuge.  Psalm 90

Refuge has many meanings. When used as a noun, its various meanings include asylum, harbor, haven, sanctuary and shelter. When used as a verb, to offer refuge is to offer a safe haven, provide shelter or harborage. Our parish is preparing to welcome its 10^th refugee family to our city. The refugee ministry began over 10 years ago as we became more aware of the need to provide a safe haven to those fleeing from countries besieged by war, famine and violence of all sorts.

Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses and is likely the oldest psalm in the collection of psalms. It was written during Israel’s wandering in the desert. The Israelites were looking for a safe haven, a place of respite from their never-ending journey. God had mercy and compassion on this people whom he loved.

God provides a time and place of refuge for each of us through his great love and mercy. God calls us to do likewise. May we respond with love and courage in offering a safe haven to our sisters and brothers who are suffering in our midst. How are we offering sanctuary to those who flee from violence on our streets. Many people suffer daily from the effects of storms, fires and other natural disasters.  Can we offer shelter and security during this time of crisis.  We look forward to welcoming our refugee family in the weeks ahead. Is this something your parish or community could do to step up to the plate and show God’s love and mercy. 

May we remember often the words of the psalmist in today’s reading.

                In every age, O God, you have been our refuge. 

 Thanks be to God!

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

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Luke 9:18-22

Reflection:

Jesus was praying in solitude Luke 9:18.   Through thousands of years of human history no one ever prayed like Jesus.   The word for prayer means desire for God.   What human and divine yearning for His Father was in the heart and mind of Jesus.   Before Jesus picked his apostles, He spent the whole night in prayer.

We tend to think we are too busy and have too many more important things to do than to spend much time to pray.  An important part of the Passionist charism is a deep prayer life.    St Paul of the Cross would spend the whole night in prayer before he would preach in the morning liturgy.   St Vincent, like Paul, was totally dedicated to mental prayer.   Not to appreciate the craving for God in these Passionist saints is to totally miss their spirit.   We can never realistically talk about Passionist spirituality without emphasizing the massive importance of time with God.

“As a man of great prayer, Paul of the Cross inculcated its importance most forcefully by word and example.  He wished his followers to pray without ceasing and desired our communities to become real schools of prayer, leading to a deep experience of God.”  Chapter 111  Constitutions

In Paul’s original idea of Passionist life he had hoped we could spend at least half of the year in solitude and contemplation. In his famous painting, the Angelus, Millet pictures a man and his wife stopping their word of harvesting potatoes to pray even though their sack, and basket are not yet filled.   Prayer is more important than life itself.   As a boy, I used to look at this painting in my grandmother’s house; now, I have the same picture some 75 years later in my office.  It is faded and a little worse for wear, but a wonderful reminder of an age-old truth in our Catholic Church.   Prayer is one of the most important tasks in our life.  “Pray  without ceasing.” 1 Th 5:17

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
Luke 9:7-9

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus first asks His disciples what the people think of Him; who were they saying he was. The disciples give their answers, and then Jesus asks them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter, who so ften gets it wrong, gets it right. He says to Jesus, “The Messiah of God.” And after Jesus warns them not to tell this to anyone, He then says, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

In acknowledging Peter’s confession of Him as the Messiah, Jesus then tells them how He will be the Messiah: neither by military conquest nor by getting rid of corrupt leaders, but by sacrifice, even to the point of death, followed by resurrection.

For me, the Gospel readings for the last few days have highlighted the difference between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of the Gospel, and we see this once again in today’s reading. That, I think, is one of the reasons Jesus doesn’t want the apostles to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. The people were expecting a different kind of Messiah, and even the apostles had trouble understanding what was going to occur, so perhaps Jesus didn’t want to get the people’s hopes up for something that wasn’t going to happen.

Understanding Jesus’ death on the Cross as an act of redemption helps us understand that God does not promise to remove all our difficulties, but instead, God promises us that He will get us through to the other side. Jesus did not only predict His Passion and Death, but also His Resurrection!

Can we live in hope, and thereby tell the world who we say Jesus is?

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama.