Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Acts 4:1-12
John 21:1-14

Reflection:

We see the re-emergence and rehabilitation of Peter in today’s readings.  It is a forceful indication of the power of the resurrection in the life of this colorful apostle.  We catch glimpses of him rising to reclaim leadership among the apostles, in both Judaea and Galilee.

The second incident presented in the day’s readings occurred in Galilee, showing Peter, with several of his companions, following the directions of the risen Jesus to meet Him back up in Galilee.  This, of course, would have met with Peter’s satisfaction at returning to his native area with its bitter-sweet memories, and await some further encounter with Jesus.  In fact, it would have been good news for a number of the apostles, several of whom claimed Galilee as their native place.  And it would give them the opportunity to move out of Judea where they had so recently led a tortuous existence in an area where their Lord and Master had undergone such brutal treatment and rejection.  Above all, it would enable at least some of them to pick up fishing again at their favorite place, the sea of Tiberias.

Fishing, for those who engage in it, seems to be a wonderfully restorative past-time, and as they set out on it yet once again, it would have revived memories of doing it in past times with Jesus Himself in the boat with them—some of the times pleasant, at other times frightening.  And, on this occasion, as they pushed off out into the deep, it would remind them of the occasions when Jesus joined them, and gave them some good advice on likely rewarding fishing areas.  And that’s partially replayed this time, though on this occasion, as once before, Jesus is standing on shore while they were out seeking a good slew of fish, and they strike it rich with Jesus, once again advising them from His vantage point, about where the fish were gathering.

His help led to an abundant haul, and a tasty breakfast, provided by Him.  Once again, it was John’s sharp eye that noted it was Jesus on the shore, but it was Peter’s excitement that powered the boat to shore.  This was like déjà vu, the good ole times being replayed.  Only this time, the apostles with Peter were veterans seasoned in the tragedies of life, no longer care-free fishermen whose sole focus was a good haul.  Peter was to be rehabilitated here on his favorite lake doing what he does best.

But in conjunction with this, the day’s reading restores another narrative of these post-Easter days in Judea, the place of bitter memories, as well as consoling ones, and the scene of a confident Peter and John striding through a temple gate and encountering a crippled beggar who receives more from them than he had bargained for, as the miraculously cured man leaps to his feet.   And the uproar caused by this reached all the way to the guardians of the peace, and a night for Peter and John in custody.  And when presented to the powers-that-be the next morning, Peter and John made no bones about it: it was through the power of Jesus Christ Whom they nailed to the cross that the crippled man was healed.  There was almost defiance and a swagger in these confrontational remarks of Peter to them.

Certainly, we have a new Peter here.  He’s a better fisherman, and a better spokesperson for the newly formulated faith.  He’s a new man.

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

Scripture:

Acts 3:11-26
Luke 24:35-48

Reflection:

We are still in the midst of the octave of Easter, and yet today’s Gospel and the Reading from Acts both speak of doubt.  In Acts, the crippled man is cured and the people are amazed and they begin to praise Peter and John.  But Peter has to remind them that this man is not cured by them but by faith in Christ.  We wonder did they not hear the message?

And in the Gospel we hear of his very own disciples being overwhelmed by His appearance, even though they were just talking to each other about recognizing him in the breaking of the Bread.  Jesus seems to be trying to convince them that he is real and that all that he has told them would happen has happened.  But nonetheless, they are incredulous and he still needs to open their minds to understand the scriptures.  It is not through their own intellect or logic that they understand but only when Jesus opens their minds.  In fact, even though Jesus’ walks and talks, even eats with the Apostles after his Resurrection, their faith will remain weak until Pentecost when the Holy Spirit will fill them with the gifts they need to fully live their faith.

Easter week more than two thousand years later and our spirits are again filled with the commemoration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ.  We believe that Jesus died for our sins and that raised from the dead, he promises us eternal life. We celebrated the Last Supper, we walked the Stations, we listened to the Passion, we reverenced the Cross, and we sang the Gloria because Jesus who was dead has been raised.

But how strong is our Faith?  Do we live as though we really believe in all that happened this last week?  How would our lives be different if our Faith were stronger?

Let us pray to grow in the gift of Faith during this Easter Season so that the Holy Spirit will fill our hearts and our lives and all that we do will be permeated with a deep Faith in the Risen Christ.

Mary Lou Butler is a long-time friend and partner in ministry to the Passionists in California. 

Scripture:

Acts 3:1-10
Luke 24:13-35

Reflection:

With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Luke 24:31

In one period of my life, I lived in Rome. I was assigned to our Generalate for six years, as a member of our General Council. When I got to Rome, I reconnected with a religious friend from my early years of priesthood. She was now a member of her General Council and would soon be elected as Minister General for her Congregation.

Whenever we found ourselves in Rome at the same time, we would often attend Santa Susana Church for Sunday Mass. This Church served English-speaking Catholics. It was an easy walk from our Generalate, Sts. John and Paul. She had to catch several busses.

Many times, as I would walk up the steps to enter the Church, there was a beggar sitting on the top step asking for alms. She would patiently hold out her hand as we entered. I was always reminded of the passage we read from the Acts of the Apostles in today’s first reading, as I would say, “Bon Gorno”, and slip into the Church. Sometimes I would be able to give her some lose change. I would identify with Peter and John as they said to the beggar they encountered at the temple door: “I have neither silver nor gold.” What I did was to include her in my prayer, believing she was the Risen Christ.

The readings today, and in fact, all the readings during Easter Week, are about recognizing the Risen Lord in our midst. The Risen Lord is no stranger to us, for the Resurrected Jesus is very present in our surroundings. Sure, the Risen Jesus is easily recognizable in our Pope, our bishops, and priests, all those people who do good and work diligently to create the Reign of God here on earth. Despite their humanity and personal weaknesses, we believe their loving and compassionate heart guide their mission and ministry.

However, it is more difficult to recognize the Resurrected Jesus walking in our midst marked by the scars of suffering and the injuries of self-imposed wounds. What prevents us from recognizing the Risen Lord is our own narrow world view, our interpretation of those events that have taken place within our lives and the absolute belief that our judgment is true and accurate. This obstinacy prevents us from seeing the Resurrected Christ walking down the road with us, even as we argue about the state of affairs that depress us and lead us to hopeless.

In the Evangelist Luke’s classic account of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, we have people just like ourselves who have seen our hopes dashed because things have not gone the way we wanted them to go. Innocence is put to death. Truth is Crucified. Justice is Condemned. There is no way that God can redeem this situation. What happened has happened.

A stranger walks along side of us and shares with us a different vision, a vision of life that emerges from death, an understanding that suffering is redemptive and that hope overcomes all. We will sometimes break bread with a beggar, and our eyes will be opened. It is indeed the Jesus who rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. And our hearts will burn within us, for we have just had an Encounter with the Risen Lord. Alleluia!

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Christ the King Community in Citrus Heights, California. 

Scripture:

Acts 2:36-41
John 20:11-18

Reflection:

The days of Lent have passed; our Easter celebrations are waning, spring break has come to an end for many young people, and we look forward to the passing of our protracted winter weather.

Today’s first reading, from the Pentecost account of the Apostles’ first preaching foray into the streets of Jerusalem, will be back before us in a few weeks.  But the gospel passage is particularly relevant for us as we spend the Easter Season trying to embrace the meaning of the gospel acclamation, He is risen!

I say, “embrace” very deliberately.  This gospel passage is remarkable for its physicality.  The verbs emphasize that this is no dream, neither is it the “spiritualization” of a belief in the resurrection of Christ.  Mary Magdalen, weeping, bending over to peek into the tomb; two angels, sitting, where the Body of Jesus had been.  They said….She said, They have taken my Lord, I don’t know where they laid him.  She turned, and saw Jesus….Whom are you looking for?…Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him….Jesus said, Stop holding on to me, I have not yet ascended to the Father….go to my brothers and tell them….Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

This bit of the Gospel is rightly cited as an example of the preference given to women in the proclamation of the Gospel message.  It is also an example of how powerful the love of Mary was for her “teacher”.  In spite of the ignominious death of Jesus only three days earlier, Mary is the one who retraces the steps of the burial party back to the tomb, to “peek into the tomb”, and to engage those she finds there in the quest for his body.  Once she recognizes Jesus, she clings to his body.

The message is clear; on the first day of the week following the crucifixion of Jesus, he is present among them; he seeks them out, he comforts and consoles them.  His presence is so powerful, that it gives courage and conviction to the small core of his followers who will be visited by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and it will continue to exist in the body of his followers who become the household, the eklesia of Jesus’ presence in the world.  It is a real presence, a tangible presence, a caring presence.

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

Scriptures:

Acts 2:14, 22-33
Matthew 28:8-15

Reflection:

Try to imagine what it must have been like to see the empty tomb of Jesus. The women in today’s gospel story must have realized that some strange and wonderful thing had happened—the gospel says they were “fearful yet overjoyed.” They must have sensed that now both they and their world were different. Gazing into that tomb, Mary and Mary Magdalene felt the first rush of Easter life. When they fled the tomb they were not the women they were when they arrived. They were Easter creatures, women of Easter life.

What is striking is how quickly they flee the tomb. Once they see that it is empty, it is impossible to stay there. Easter is God’s way of saying that the tomb is not the place for us. Easter means we are to be set free from all the tombs of our lives, whether they are tombs of sorrow and grief, tombs of anxiety and fear, tombs of injustice and diminishment, or tombs of feeling unloved and forgotten. Indeed, the resounding message of Easter is that the God who fashioned us from love and first gave us life wants us to know fullness of life.

And yet, some will not only refuse to hear this gospel message, but will also try to snuff it out. Like the chief priests and elders in the gospel story, they will try to persuade us that Easter is not real and there is no reason for its joy. They may even try to shut us up in other tombs. But the power is not with them, it is with the risen Lord. For people who take this wonderful truth to heart, there is no turning back to the tomb.

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.

Easter Sunday

Scripture:

Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Colossians 3:1-4
or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8
John 19:1-9 or Matthew 28:1-10

Reflection:

Mary Magdalene is the first disciple to preach the good news of the Resurrection.  She hastens to the disciples and tells Peter and John, the beloved disciple that “We don’t know where they put him.”  Mary Magdalene uses the plural form “We” which marks here she has a leadership role among Jesus disciples.  The Gospel of John is the only Gospel that mentions in verse 11 that Mary Magdalene “wept.”

Matthew tells us that Mary went to the tomb “toward dawn.”  Mark says it happened “when the sun has risen.”  Luke tells us it happened “at early dawn.”  And John tells us this happened “when it was still dark.”  For John Jesus is the Light of the World, who came to dispel the “Darkness.”

The first words that Jesus uses after the Resurrection are “Who are you looking for?”  The same words that he directed to John the Baptists’ disciples when they expressed their interest in his ministry. The presence of Jesus transforms the grief of Mary Magdalene, Peter and John into joy.  John believes because he believes in the words of Jesus.  Peter believes as he enters the empty tomb.

For John,  Jesus’ glorification took place on the Cross and is completed when He returns to the Father! The only evidence the disciple have of this is when they reached the tomb, and saw that it was empty, except for the scattered burial clothes that were in the tomb along with the burial cloth used to enshroud the head cloth used to hold Jesus’ head and is neatly folded in place.      The folded clothes are evidence that the tomb was not robbed, but that Jesus himself freed Him from death.

Jesus kept his word to the disciples that their sorrow would be converted into joy.  Jesus promised his disciples that after his Resurrection they would enjoy  the same relationship that he enjoys with his Father.  This promise has been extended to all Easter Christians which enables us to celebrate Jesus life when we free ourselves from the world of fears, failures, false and broken gods.

Easter Christians celebrates the Risen life of Christ with signs of the Resurrection. Wrongs are righted, Trust is restored, Families are reconciled, Sin is confessed, Addictions are tamed, Harvests are gathered, Victims are liberated, Strangers are welcomed, Losses are accepted, Jobs are finished, and Prayers are answered.

What is most important in this part of the Gospel is what happens after.  Jesus chases down the disciples on the way to Emmaus.  He breaks bread convinces them they must go back to Jerusalem and keep the dream alive.  Then He goes to the Upper Room where the disciples are locked up against the outside world.  Jesus appears to them and says to them.  “You abandoned me. You betrayed me. You denied me. You deserted me. You lied about me.” It doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t matter.   What matter is our friendship, the relationship we share with one another.  The friendship we share with Jesus, and Father, and the Holy Spirit.  That’s what matters.  If we are in a marriage, we must forgive, if we are in a family, we must forgive, if we are in a community, we must forgive, if we are in a Church that is divided we must forgive,  if we are in a parish, that is divided, we must forgive and love one another

The darkness of Winter is gone away and a new day of Spring is standing on its tip toes, ready to be born.  Happy Easter.  God Bless Us All.

Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is the formation director and local superior at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord

Scripture:

Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
John 18:1-19:42

Reflection:

Today, Good Friday, we all stand together in community at the foot of the Cross.  We are not here to analyze or think; we are here to feel and experience the love only a crucified Jesus can bring us in the midst of suffering and death.  We are here to live the intimacy of a relationship founded in the simple, sure truth only a crucified Jesus can bestow in our world.

We are here with the “good thief”, the man crucified with Jesus who was embraced with the words of Jesus assuring him of a place in paradise.  We are here as people who have sinned and yet now, next to a crucified Jesus are assured of how much we are loved by God.  The arms of Jesus embrace each of us with love.

We are here with Mary, the mother of Jesus.  We are present as Jesus entrusts Mary and John with the loving care of each other.  Jesus asks us to care for each other in community at the foot of the Cross.  The arms of Jesus are extended as He entrusts us to include everyone in our community with love.

We are here with the centurion who recognizes the presence of God in the ultimate act of love, the death of Jesus.  We are present as Jesus extends love to a world longing for the embrace of God.

We are here at the foot of the Cross, joined by the good thief, Mary the mother of Jesus and a Roman centurion.  We are all, along with every person in our troubled world, indeed with all creation, joined in a loving embrace with each other and God at the foot of the Cross, with Jesus our life and our joy!

 

Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family who volunteers at the Passionist Assisted Living Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15

Reflection:

Our readings today bless us with a beautiful symphony of insights calling us to deeper reflection and awareness as we enter these sacred days of the Easter Triduum. Our Gospel proclaimed begins the book of Glory as the author of John presents Jesus in charge—fully aware—and ready to enter his hour—his glory and our own salvation.

Imagine for a moment, simply being in that room, hear the droplets of water being poured into the bowl, sense the bewilderment of the disciples as they wonder. Can you feel the silence and the anticipation, the questioning eyes moving from person to person? This was no ordinary meal; there was a new dynamic building around this unusual action of Jesus.

“As I have done for you, so you should also do” invites us to service of one another. If we ponder the posture of receiving, especially in light of the exchange between Peter and Jesus; wouldn’t most of us have the same reaction? “No, no, not me, Lord. I am not worthy and cannot accept your washing my feet. You are the Master, it cannot be so…” Washing the feet of another is an intimate act—a vulnerable act—maybe we shy away from it because it might just be too intimate. Feet are messy and many of us are self-conscious wanting to keep them covered, out of sight. Is there also a part of us which we keep hidden and do not feel ready to bring to the light for Jesus to wash clean? This is the night for liberation from all our messy places! So, like the Israelites who ate their meal alert and ready to run for freedom, we too have this opportunity. Every one of us; no one is exempt!

We come first to be nourished at the table of the Lord; our call to service is an expression of that love offered to us from Jesus who brings it from our Father. One Body, One Lord, Many Parts, All One. Can we live into this reality? Can we accept Jesus invitation and allow him to clean us all over?

Yes, there is the deeper invitation from Jesus—the bridegroom of our soul. We are called to take that deeper plunge in faith; to lean into the LOVE offered to us. To turn and notice this LOVE. This LOVE is not a feel-good experience it is a love…”to the end.” Total and complete; bearing all things.

I have always had a sense of gratitude that the community in Corinth didn’t understand how to come together to celebrate Eucharist. Imagine if they had understood it all, we would never have known what Paul knew about Jesus breaking and sharing bread and wine. Even the Israelites didn’t understand what was about to happen to them. They ran for freedom and got discouraged along the way. So, when we struggle to “get it right”, rest assured we are in good company!

May the Passion of Jesus Christ be Always in Our Hearts!

Jean Bowler is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the Office of Mission Effectiveness Board of Holy Cross Province.