Daily Scripture

Scripture:

1 Colossians 2:6-15
Luke 6:12-19

Reflection:

Today the Church honors the name of Mary, a name responsive to  the needs of the Church. Mary’s role in our salvation is immortalized in the human discipline of “lifting our minds and hearts to God”- prayer. “For God wonderful in power, has used that strength for me.” (Lk. 1:47)  Her words in the Magnificat summarize the role of prayer in her life, and in the life of her Son whom she first taught to pray.

Her intimate interaction with the Spirit of God, brought Jesus into the world. Her continual actions of letting go (“be it done unto me according to your Will…” “…do what He tells you to do.”) gives us a lesson in surrender for a greater good, that is, allowing God to work through, with and, even, despite me! Throughout her life she would be present in the midst of the disciples, in ways that she would model fidelity and hope amidst the people being formed as the Body of her Son on this earth.

In the Gospel, it is described how Jesus and his newly chosen disciples came down from the mountain where he had spent the night in prayer, and he “stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people.”  Again, in Mary’s prayer, she acknowledges with gratitude how God “regarded her humble state.” Jesus is teaching his disciple their humble state as to being on level ground with their fellow human beings. No pedestals, privileges, power or popularity. Would not Mary, too, stand at the foot of the Cross, and, eventually stand in the midst of His Body, that is the Church on earth, in the upper room on Pentecost?

As in the spirit of Mary, we seek to recommit to our own personal discipline of prayer, for the sake, of those to whom we are sent everyday.

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president emeritus of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.

Scripture:

Colossians 1:24-2:3
Luke 6:6-11

Reflection:

“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

Is the power of good really greater than the power of evil?  Or is the power of evil greater than the power of good?  As I think back over the past few weeks, looking at numerous situations and events, I can certainly see how the good is more prevalent than evil.  I’ve heard about communities rallying together in evacuation of towns and cities in anticipation of hurricane Harvey and hurricane Irma. Indeed, I’ve witnessed some truly good people expressing their goodness.  The flip side is certainly true as well.  I’ve seen people in need and I have watched others responding to these needs in selfish and cruel ways.  Both of these dynamics are active in the gospel today.  Again, Jesus asks, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

Of course, Luke also tells us who Jesus is talking to.  He is talking to scribes and Pharisees who were watching him closely.  Their agenda was clear.  They were looking for a reason to accuse him.  I suspect we run into conflicting motivations and people with different agendas every day.  And these different motivations frequently lead to conflicting behaviors and differences of opinions.

For the scribes and Pharisees, if Jesus really is the messiah, then he must follow the prescribed Jewish law.  Yet Jesus implies how ignoring someone in need, or not making something right is an evil unto itself.  This is a very difficult teaching. Most of the time it is so much easier not to get involved, or even to choose ignorance.  Frequently we may find ourselves using phrases such as, “I don’t have time, it’s not in my job description, or I don’t know how”, thereby justifying our own agendas.

I suspect the first step here to get us beyond our personal excuses is to begin trying to accurately listen to the needs of others.  If we are capable of doing this then perhaps we are capable of stretching our understanding of the sacred.  When the Pharisees limited their ability to do work because it was the Sabbath, perhaps we could stretch our ability because it is what is sacred.  It is the right thing to do, just as Jesus realized when he saw this man’s hand.  The Sabbath expands from being a day of the week to being a realization of the sacred in our midst.

I’m left wondering today what would happen if Jesus wrote a specific job description for each of us.  It certainly would force us to modify our daily agendas.  And it may even change our perceptions of what is right and what is sacred.

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

Scripture:

Ezekiel 33:7-9
Romans 13:8-10
Matthew 18:15-20

Reflection:

I have heard many people lately say that they are sick of the politics of our society. They can’t stand to see or read any more of it. They have started tuning out, turning off the news or refusing to read about the latest developments. They sadly shake their heads when there is yet another affront on dignity, morality, civility, respect, and truth. They lament the mess and misplaced priorities of our leaders. And then they go on with their daily business.

This in itself demonstrates a harsh truth. If you can afford to just tune it out, then it means you are in such a privileged class that you don’t believe you will personally be affected by it. I struggle mightily with this, because I do realize my privilege. I am white. I am a Catholic Christian. I am heterosexual. I make a good living with meaningful work. I own a nice house in the suburbs. I encounter some obstacles and uncomfortable situations because I am a woman. But clearly, I’ve got it easy in so many ways.

Yet this life is not all about me. As Jesus constantly reminds us, we are all connected. We are all children of the one God. We are called to live out the Gospel in this world. So I have a responsibility to defend those who don’t have my privileged status – those who are Jewish, Muslim, immigrant, black, Latino, poor, refugee, marginalized, or oppressed. I want to shake sense into those who believe that this country ought to be “white again” or that the primary legislative purpose of a political party is to tear down everything ever done by the other party. I want to stand up for those who need healthcare, food, decent housing, education, and work assistance. I want budgets that cut back on military spending and that quit enriching only those who are already wealthy. I want a government with checks and balances that upholds the dignity of all people and of the earth we call home.

This does not mean choosing a particular political party or politician. It is a choice for the principles we are called to uphold as followers of Jesus Christ. Pope Francis proclaims all of these as part of discipleship, and in our scriptures today God warns us that we must speak out when we see injustice, oppression, and evil. In fact, God tells us that if we do not speak, we ourselves will die for the evil we failed to call out. That’s pretty serious stuff!

In practice, it won’t take a lightning strike from God to inflict that “death” upon us. The more we ignore and stay silent now, as these evils emerge from the shadows and while we still have hope of countering them, the more they will indeed take over and eventually affect us, too. Our nation is on the verge of changing our very identity, our core values and beliefs, and the basis of our system of government. As those things erode, they are very hard to get back, and we will not emerge unscathed.

Where do I start? How can my voice be heard? Dear God, it is so much easier just to turn off the news and live in my own little world!

It helps me to know that Jesus was never concerned about questions of what effect one person could possibly have. He just started doing things, speaking out, witnessing, and teaching people. He spoke the truth to powerful figures even when they didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t stop in the face of threats or trials. He stayed true to the message of God’s love and compassion, of the inherent worth of every person, of the common good, of healing and inclusion, until the only way they could silence him was to kill him. Of course, not even that worked! God does not give up. God is not defeated by death. We must not be either.

Therefore, in order to follow Christ, I must start somewhere. Personally, I choose to begin on two fronts. I will speak out, march in protest, write and call my representatives, and do everything I can to fight against the white supremacist, neo-Nazi movement. People fought and died to be free of those ideologies. Millions died because of them. I will be peaceful, but I cannot, will not, stay silent.

My second cause is healthcare. I know and work with too many people who will be without health insurance, necessary medications, or services if the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is repealed. I see too many disparities between the treatments afforded to the rich vs. that given to the poor. Yes, the law is flawed, but so much of it is still good. If our political parties worked together to improve it and fix the flaws, it could be an amazing system that upholds all of us and protects the most vulnerable. I pray that we can collaborate to create a just law and claim this as a joint victory, coming together as God would have us do, for the good of all.

You may start elsewhere, whether because your primary concerns vary from mine, or because you outright disagree with me. That’s fine. As Jesus says, you owe nothing to anyone except to love, and there are, unfortunately, plenty of issues to go around. Just choose something and start making your voice heard in love and compassion. God is holding all of us to account for our actions and especially for our inactions. We will be judged for our failures to work against the evil that exists in this world.

Will you speak out? If you don’t, who will? God is calling. Let’s answer.

Amy Florian is a teacher and consultant working in Chicago.  For many years she has partnered with the Passionists.  Visit Amy’s website: http://www.corgenius.com/.

Memorial of St. Peter Claver

Scripture:

Colossians 1:21-23
Luke 6:1-5

Reflection:

 A Colossian from Cartagena?

Yesterday the Letter to the Colossians spoke in cosmic terms of Jesus, the image of the invisible God, who has reconciled the things of heaven and earth in himself through the blood of the Cross. Today Paul is not ‘cosmic’, rather down to earth. In his mortal body Jesus died; as if we were brides the Bridegroom presents us to the Father. We must be unshaken in our faith, unshaken in our hope promised by the Gospel.

Today as we celebrate the feast day of St. Peter Claver, SJ, Pope Francis is visiting Columbia where Peter arrived in 1610 at the age of 29. As the ‘slave of the slaves forever’, limited by the barrier of language and health problems, he served the continually arriving slave ships at Cartagena, a hub of the slave trade. He tended the sick and baptized the dying among the terrified and poorly treated slaves who had survived the middle passage, often of several months. Peter once said, “We must speak to them with our hands before we speak to them with our lips”. Columbia honors today, having made it yearly celebration of the Day of National Human Rights. In Peter’s day his work was recognized and supported by some officials, others found him bothersome, and there were some who refused to enter the same church or confessional as the slaves Peter was serving. Before his death Peter had been ill and was unable to minister, but at his funeral there was a great celebration for his holiness and work among the people of Cartagena. What he did was not unseen; others besides the slaves heard the work of his hands.

Before Pope Francis concludes his trip he will go to Cartagena tomorrow visiting the shrine of Peter Claver and blessing a homeless shelter. The background of the Pope’s visit is Columbia is the fragile peace that is ending 52 years of civil conflict in which 220,000 have died. Children, one of whom was born while his mother was captive for six years, met the Pope’s plane on arrival, not the usual military honor guard. He has visited Villavicencio, the agricultural region greatly affected by the war where he met with wounded victims. The pope is a spokesperson for peace, social justice and the marginalized by his presence as much as by his words.

Modern day slavery, issues of race, dominance, care for the poor and reaching out to people on the margins need people inspired by the example and basic approach of St. Peter Claver. Today many find a ‘Peter Claver’ bothersome and would not associate themselves with those who resemble the ones he reached out to in tender love. Pope Francis’ visit may be seen as a making visible the words to the Colossians: Jesus reconciles us through the blood of the Cross. This is cosmic but also in our everyday relationships. We must be unshaken in the gospel, in the faith and hope that it gives us. In his mortal body Jesus died. But Paul, Peter Claver, Pope Francis, missionaries and all of us as we follow Jesus proclaim the victory of the Resurrection in Jesus’ death and the reconciliation we strive to live.

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

 Reflection:

 I once read that whilst we 21^st Century dwellers could probably only name 3-4 generations of our ancestry – a young person in 1^st Century Palestine might well name the past 20 or more generations of his or her family. They’d be able to name the patriarchs and matriarchs of each generation of their particular family with pride and certainty. Perhaps this is not so surprising for societies that relied heavily on memory to keep alive story and history.

One sees an example of this in the listing of the ‘genealogy’ of Jesus – perhaps not surprisingly Matthew wants his audience to know Jesus not only as the Son of God, but also as a son of Abraham (and thus his use of the genealogy that brings the reader to the marriage of Mary and Joseph as the final step in God’s plan for our salvation).

Whilst today’s feast – the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – focuses our attention on Mary as God’s chosen from birth, our readings stress more her role in the birth of Jesus. Today’s Feast is one recognised from earliest times and shared ecumenically across the whole Christian community; interestingly and noteworthy in today’s world too, we might also observe that the Islamic faith recognises Mary’s special place in salvation. The birth of Mary is narrated in the third sura (chapter) of the Qur’an.

In our own scriptures we are accustomed to Luke telling us of Jesus’s birth through the lens of Mary’s faithfulness, but here today we see Matthew telling the story of Jesus’ birth through the lens of Joseph’s genealogy and more importantly, his faithfulness to God.

And as we can notice Joseph is silent in the gospels – not a word escapes his lips, but his commitment and whole-hearted response to God and his deep care for Mary and Jesus is shown only too clearly in all his actions. Perhaps in this he is a model for so many parents whose love for their family is poured out daily in acts of sacrifice, forgiveness, acceptance and loving kindness while the words to express all this seem to escape them (or shyness prevents them making such utterances).

So our gospel calls us to notice both Joseph and Mary and we see very clearly that they are wholehearted in their response to God – at considerable cost to themselves, their comfort and security. Through their generous responses we can see that Jesus begins his life in safety and, in that his first home is in the hearts of Joseph and Mary, we see also that despite relocations and upheavals, he is certainly surrounded by love and security as he begins the adventure of life.

Perhaps such beginnings are not all that Joseph and Mary had dreamed of for their married life – and in that they are not alone. For many families life takes difficult turns, and all that partners seek for themselves or as parents desire for a child, is not always possible. But like Joseph and Mary love and trust help us to find our way into the deeper things of life. Loving relationships, mutual selflessness and generosity become far greater gifts than dwellings, comfort or even certainty.

So today let us seek to imitate Mary (and Joseph’s)  faithfulness and reproduce it in our day and age.

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is a member of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.  He currently serves on the General Council and is stationed in Rome.

Scripture:

Colossians 1:9-14
Luke 5:1-11

Reflection:

I attended class on Saturday mornings to complete my undergraduate degree allowing me to begin my working career before graduation. Jack, the president of the company, had a big corner office on the first floor of this ten-story warehouse that filled a block just south of the Chicago Loop. I don’t remember the car he drove, but I do remember that he had a sailboat moored at the Chicago Yacht Club where he periodically hosted sales meetings and dinners. He taught me how to sell.

Father Benet Keiran, CP,  served as the assistant pastor of Immaculate Conception, the parish staffed by Passionists on the northwest side of Chicago in the 1950’s. I remember the day Father came over to bless our house. We, my twin brother Dave and my younger brother Tim, followed and watched as he meandered from room to room with a pen in one hand sprinkling holy water and a prayer book in the other from which he read the blessings. On the way back downstairs our dog, Rusty bounced up the stairs to catch up when we asked Father if he could bless Rusty. He gladly obliged reciting a special blessing for Rusty and sprinkling him with the holy water. Father taught me at that young age, that my home and even my pet were special and worthy God’s blessing.

“While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats… When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.” (LK 5:1-11)

I admired and followed Jack and Benet, two men of very different backgrounds and social standing, who happened into my life. Peter James and John encountered Jesus and followed him. My hope and prayer today is that we, the followers of Jesus will attract younger people to follow us and maybe more importantly live lives that are worthy of following.

Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists.  He lives in Chicago. 

Scripture:

Colossians 1:1-8
Luke 4:38-44

 

Reflection:

Why Believe?

 Today’s Gospel selection vividly recounts Jesus’ healing ministry:  the cure of the severe fever of Simon’s mother-in-law, multitudes of sick with various diseases – even people with demons!  Crowds of people followed Him, and even tried to block his path as He desired to move on to other towns and proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God.

We must constantly remind ourselves that Jesus is the center of our faith because of Who He is, not simply because of his miraculous powers or his persuasive words.  The demons driven out by Jesus had more insight into Jesus than many people of times past and present:  they declared to Jesus, “You are the Son of God.”

Jesus cured Simon Peter’s mother-in-law of a severe fever, but there were undoubtedly many other sick people whom He did not cure.  Jesus laid hands on those with various diseases and healed them, but there were many more sick people throughout the world at that time with whom Jesus never came in contact.  Jesus worked his miracles out of a sense of compassion, but he was even more concerned with drawing people to himself in faith.  The response of faith is much more important than a cure or a healing; our eternal future, not just our here-and-now lifetime, depends on our response of faith.

We cannot limit ourselves by accepting Jesus only if he pleases our needs or our sense of values.  Jesus reveals himself to us as much more than our human “view”:  He is the Christ, the Word Made Flesh — and Son of God!  We’re invited to believe in and generously follow Him without condition.  Like St. Paul in the first reading, we give thanks to God for the gift of faith in Jesus, and the love that freely flows from that faith.

With and in Jesus, we embrace our needy world with the good news of the Kingdom of God.  May hope and healing abound!

 

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

Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11
Luke 4:31-37

Reflection:

When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them… 1 Th 5:3

And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. Luke 4:37

I recently took a road trip that included passing through many areas near great forest fires. Although I never came close to the actual fire, signs directing firefighters to the base camps and the deep haze of smoke in the air left no doubt that there was some disaster nearby. But there were also many signs thanking those who were working the fire lines, showing great gratitude for the dangerous and often deadly work they were doing to protect others. This is also seen in the pictures coming out of Houston of regular folk helping each other, carrying family and friends, strangers and even unknown pets to safety.

Paul’s statement in 1 Thessalonians certainly describes what many are experiencing these days. Floods, fires, contended elections, the movement of refugees, the list goes on and on. He names these events “The day of the Lord,” that comes, “like a thief in the night.” Unannounced and unlooked for, sudden disaster comes. For many years I equated “the day of the Lord” with the disasters themselves. God was angry with something and He sent His righteous judgement to balance the scales. However, Paul continues that we should remain awake during these events because we have gained salvation. If we are indeed saved, why would the day of the Lord, a disaster come upon us?

What if the disasters just happen? What if trials and troubles are just part of our human journey here on the earth? What does that make “the day of the Lord?” What if the day of the Lord is when He is especially close to us, holding us through the troubles, inspiring us to help each other? What if the day of the Lord is when He is calling us to be awake and see His living presence in those around us, regardless of color, gender, political leaning, age, etc.? Calling us to help and witness others helping? What if the day of the Lord is not the disasters themselves, but God’s response to seeing His children suffer?

As Jesus said, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. He may as well said, “today is the day of the Lord.” He lived His life in constant service, even when it contradicted social convention, i.e., healing on the Sabbath. As a result news of Him spread far and wide. Jesus is God’s response to all of our suffering.

My prayer for myself is that I make every day a “day of the Lord,” finding ways to serve those around me.

Talib Huff, in addition to many other things,  works and volunteers at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights. You can reach him at [email protected].