Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Isaiah 22:19-23
Romans 11:33-36
Matthew 16:13-20

Reflection:

“You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

When I was a small boy I remember hearing sermons preached on this verse from Matthew’s gospel.  One sermon would focus on the “therefore Peter was the first Pope” theme and the other might reinforce the argument for the Catholic Church being the “one, true Church.”  Another minister might talk about the un-changing nature of doctrine, the “faith as solid as a rock” speech with the song “Rock of Ages” playing in the background.  In any case, this verse sometimes was used as a hammer to drive home the permanent and unchanging nature of true faith.  Little did I know at the time.

As I encountered more of life, especially through adolescence, adulthood and midlife, I began to realize the truth about faith from the prophet Jeremiah.  A beating, living, heart of faith is what I needed to develop and build on the foundational faith of my early years.  There’s nothing wrong with a good, solid foundation for faith and most other things in life (houses).  There also is something right, necessary and essential about growing and deepening our faith as we age.  Other more noteworthy individuals than I have found this to be true.

One need only look at the journeys of Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton to see how life can change the expression and experience of faith.  Merton died while he was traveling and deepening his exploration of eastern approaches to faith and merging them with his own experience.  Day lived her faith in a way which challenged the hierarchy of her own Catholicism.  Back to me.

Now, in the later third of my life, I find myself asking questions and reflecting on the core nature of what I believe.  I am finding much more in common with people of all faiths while experiencing a re-birth of my own Catholicism, connecting me with God in the present moment.  I find myself in a wonderful “mindfulness” of who I am, the richness of being human, the experience of Christ in others, our earth and the presence of God within my heart.  They say people “slow up” as they age.  Physically maybe.  Spiritually, this should never happen!

Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Matthew 23:1-12

Reflection:

Throughout the Gospels, there is an interesting pattern that occurs with some regularity. High versus low. Inside versus outside. Public versus private. We hear Jesus chastising those who take the high places at the banquet only to find themselves replaced by those who take the low place. We hear him reference the tomb that is beautiful on the outside but full of decay on the inside. We hear the story of the widow’s mite that is more valuable than the rich person’s offering. Today he tells us, “The greatest among you must be your servant.”

Today’s readings share in this pattern. Jesus enjoins his followers to listen to the scribes and Pharisees, but do not act like they do, “For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen.”

From the first reading, Ruth has lived quite a different life than that of the scribes and Pharisees described by Jesus. Boaz is moved by how she has cared for others, leaving her own land and her own family. “Casting herself prostrate upon the ground, Ruth said to him, ‘Why should I, a foreigner, be favored with your notice?’ Boaz answered her: ‘I have had a complete account of what you have done for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death; you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know previously.’”

We live in a time of grandstanding and self-aggrandizement. Who’s richer or more powerful? Who’s a foreigner and who’s not? Who’s in and who’s out in Hollywood or Washington DC? The simple, quiet work of caring for our families, paying attention to our co-workers, and making our communities a little more peaceful may not garner much attention…except by Jesus. Living a life of discipleship does matter. We have to believe it does make a difference in our world…because it does.

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:

Revelation 21:9b-14
John 1:45-51

 

Reflection:

Love and Service

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit! John 1:47 

Jesus gives Nathanael a beautiful compliment by saying “there is no deceit in him”.    The word deceit in original Greek New Testament is “dolos”.   It probably comes from obsolete word meaning decoy; a trick (bait), i.e. (figuratively) wile:—craft, deceit, guile, subtlety.  “they plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him”. Mt 26:4

Nathanael was not someone to use others for his own purposes by guile.   In the modern world we are bombarded by deceitful adds that often are more useful to the advertiser than the receiver.  In real life we can easily use others for our gain.  When they are on to us and refuse to cooperate we get angry at then.  This is a major problem for all of us who live in community.  A modern expression for this is a “micro manager”.   He is a person who does not recognize the gifts of the Spirit that others have.  He only trusts in his own self-serving vision.

We can easily see that it is important for an Apostle in the Church to recognize the needed gifts of all the members of the Body of Christ!  Service to others in SS is enormous!  The form “ebed” (servant) appears 799 times in the Old Testament.    In the New Testament we find beautiful quotes on service 74 times!  The word in original Greek text is the verb  dee-ak-on-eh’-o or the noun dee-ak’-on-os.   Our word deacon comes from service.  

“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mt 20:28  St Paul in a rare quote from Jesus says; “remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Act 20:35   Genuine service has little self interest!   Like Nathanael would it not be nice if Jesus said to us “there is no deceit in him”?

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

Scripture:

Judges 9:6-15
Matthew 20:1-16

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells the parable of the workers in the vineyard. As we hear this parable, we may find ourselves sympathizing with the workers who started work at dawn, who thought they might get more pay since the ones who worked only a short time got the “usual daily wage.” They didn’t get more, and they thought it was unfair, and our first thoughts might be that they were treated unfairly.

Now if the Israel of Jesus’ times had a National Labor Relations Board, they might have had a case, and if the parable was about paying everyone the same hourly rate, we might have a certain feeling about how the parable ended.

But I don’t see the parable speaking about labor practices and wage scales. I see Jesus speaking about the eternal life. People undergo a conversion at different times and under different circumstances in their lives, and the parable tells us that the important things is not “when,” but “if.” If what is offered to us is eternal life with God, how can there be more to offer? We may imagine different size “mansions” in heaven, but will that really be the case? Will there really be positions of status in heaven when we hear how much Jesus tells His disciples not to be concerned about that on earth?

All I hope is that I get there, period. It won’t matter when I get there, as long as I do. And if I’m surprised by who is already there, then once again, God shows me Who knows best.

Keeping score and making comparisons only distracts us from doing what we’re commanded to do: Love. In fact, doing those things often hinders us from loving freely. May we let Jesus enter in, and open our hearts to generosity and love.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Community in Detroit, Michigan. 

Scripture:

Judges 2:11-19
Matthew 19:16-22

Reflection:

St. Pius X was Pope from 1903-1914.  These were momentous times, capped by the outbreak of the First World War.  He was not a man to wait things out.  He was an interventionist, and tried to straighten things out where and when he saw trouble brewing.  The over-arching plan for his pontificate was “to restore all things in Christ” ever-ready to get involved when he saw opportunities beckoning or problems threatening.  So his life is probably better described in terms of the issues facing him.

We can glean an insight into his mode of operation from our biblical readings assigned for the day.  For instance, we have a selection from the book of Judges describing the situation of the Jewish people, once they ceased their wandering over the Sinai desert, and finally settled down in the Promised Land.  This, of course, was a long sought goal: a place of their own.  But there was a downside to this accomplishment.  They had lost their leadership, of the caliber of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or Moses.  Left to their own devices, they were making a mess of things, and getting into lots of trouble, triggered by associating with surrounding nations who were not part of God’s chosen people, buy who had their own religious practices: basically paganism.  And, despite their own glorious history under the leadership of their God, the Jews now began, now and again, to worship the false Gods of the people around them, listening to the wrong voices, and paying the penalty of constant military defeats.  But God time and again came to their aid by providing them Judges, a strange title used in those days, differently from how we use the term, but meaning “leadership” people—not of the caliber of a Moses or Joshua, but at least enjoying some abilities.  But whatever skills the Judges had, they were short-term abilities that would disappear as quickly as they came.

Certainly Pope St. Pius X was someone who appeared on the scene, with his skill-set, at one of those times in history when he was needed.  His arrival on the scene was somewhat like that of the young man who presented himself to Jesus, in today’s gospel, eager to be His disciple, possessing the kind of qualities that enabled him to keep the commandments with ease, but when Jesus enlarged the field of skills and abilities for which He was looking in His disciples, He introduced the notion of a calling or vocation, entailing the further step of giving up one’s possessions, but, at that point, the young man found he lacked such a calling.

St. Pius X, however, possessed the kind of qualities enabling him to meet the demands that would be laid on him, as he assumed the leadership of the church.  His achievements were impressive, but outstanding among them was his alertness to the emergence of what he called Modernism, in the church of his day, which he described “as the synthesis of all heresies”.  This earned him the reputation of being a kind of vigilante guardian of the revelation committed to the church, but, on the other hand, he established the Pontifical Biblical Institute, which has become an outstanding proponent of preeminent studies of the Scriptures.  And also to his credit, he re-enlivened the role of holy communion  in the lives of many Catholics, who in his day frequented it infrequently, and he also lowered the age for young children to receive first communion.  So we appreciate his giftedness to the church.

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

Scripture:

Joshua 24:14-29
Matthew 19:3-12

Reflection:

“Is it lawful for a man to…then why did Moses command that…it’s better not to marry”

Here we go again with the Pharisees, trying to manipulate, trip up or trap Jesus with the letter of the law.  Interesting how quick we can see it in these stories of scripture!  And yet, do these words not sound like they come right out of today’s conversations?  A search for certitude, right/wrong; black/white, blame and trap, we/they…  Jesus points to their hardness of hearts and how that hardness prevents the building of the Kingdom of God – the embracing of a vision of love – ultimately, living together the Spirit of the law!

Has this hardness of heart become the breeding ground for festering hate?  In our first reading, Joshua reminds the Tribes of Israel of God’s continued presence and love in their lives – calling them to a change of heart.  In the Gospel, Jesus calls the Pharisees to a change of heart and points out that not everyone can meet the challenge.  Can we hear Jesus call us to a change of heart – is our relationship with Him strong enough and personal enough to hear the challenge?  Or are we, like the disciples, content to throw in the towel and simply say ‘it’s better not to marry!’   

In Baptism, we became a ‘new creation, clothed in Christ’ what does that mean for our hearts and our world?  For the sake of the kingdom, can we accept what we ought to accept?

Faith Offman is the Associate Director of Ministry at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17
Matthew 18:21-19:1

Reflection:

To be a Christian is to live a forgiven and forgiving life. It is to extend to others the liberating mercy that God always extends to us.

That’s the message of today’s gospel, a passage that begins with what may well be the most famous question posed in the scriptures. Peter asks Jesus if it is ever permissible to stop forgiving. Can we put a limit on forgiveness? Can we cease being merciful? As he often does, Jesus responds with a parable. It’s the story of the unforgiving servant, the man who had been saved by mercy but who brazenly refused to show his fellow servant the same mercy that had been shown to him. Each servant’s future absolutely depends on the gift of forgiveness because neither can pay back his debt. Each servant falls to his knees and begs for mercy. But the one who had received it, instead of forgiving his fellow servant’s debt and imitating the mercy that he had received, throws him into prison. The parable ends with the unforgiving servant—having been stripped of the mercy he had been given—imprisoned as well. Jesus concludes with the ominous warning that the same fate awaits us if we withhold forgiveness to anyone.

Pope Francis declared 2016 “A Year of Mercy” to remind us that mercy should be a defining characteristic of every Christian, of every truly religious person, and indeed of every human being. Each of us has a mission of mercy. Each of us is to be a living sacrament of God’s merciful love in the world. It is the fundamental calling of our lives. And that is because God has been endlessly merciful to us. God’s mercy is the gift that makes all of us equal and all of us one. God’s mercy is the foundation of our lives. This is why to withhold mercy—to refuse to offer it whenever we can—is not only unjust to another, but also a blasphemous insult to God.

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

Solemnity of the Assumption
of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Revelation 11:15a, 12:1-6a, 10ab
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Luke 1:39-56

Reflection:

In the passage from Revelation John presents for our prayer a series of images. We start with a vision of God’s temple in Heaven. As the main doors slowly open we see in the center of the temple the Ark of the Covenant.  The image brings home to us that Church is rooted in the Old Testament and can only be appreciated by those who deeply understand the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. One of the most basic things we can say about Jesus is that he was a Jew. Synagogue and temple formed Jesus’s religious sense and provided the deepest insights of who his Father really was. When we realize this we are encouraged to pick up and read the book that that Jesus studied and learned.

The second image is that of a woman.  She is presented clothed with the glory of the sun, the moon under her feet, and wearing a crown of twelve stars. She is in labor to give birth. Immediately an opposing sign is presented of a huge red dragon threatening to devour her child, a son destined to rule all the nations.  God preserves the newborn and sets him on his throne. The woman flees into the desert where there is a place of safety prepared by God. Many interpretations have been made of this passage.

Is the woman the church?  Is she Mary? Most agree that the son is Jesus. As we pray over this image let us believe that the final victory of Jesus over the huge red dragon or Satan is sure.

John’s final image is the loud voice from heaven. We are immediately transported to the Jordan where Jesus receives his mission from the Father and to the mountain of the Transfiguration where Jesus, standing between Moses and Elijah. has his life’s work is approved by the Father. In this passage the voice declares the final victory: the Kingdom of God coming in saving power as every knee bows to the authority of the Anointed One. We are challenged to accept that the victory is ours. Let us prayerfully thank Jesus for all the blessings and graces of our lives.

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.