Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Genesis 21:5, 8-20a
Matthew 8:28-34

Reflection:

The first reading today is from the 21^st chapter of Genesis, the curious story of Hagar and Ishmael.  As described earlier in Genesis 16, Hagar was an Egyptian slave woman who became the second wife of Abraham when his first wife, Sarah, proved to be infertile. In fact, Sarah gave Hagar, who served as her handmaiden, to Abraham once she realized that she herself might not be able to bear a child to continue Abraham’s offspring. (Later in Genesis, Sarah, even though elderly, will bear her own son Isaac after the three mysterious visitors come to the tent of Abraham and Sarah at Mamre—see Genesis 19).  When Hagar realizes she is pregnant her attitude to her former mistress changes and she views Sarah with contempt.  Sarah is angered by Hagar’s attitude and complains to her husband Abraham, who gives her free hand with Hagar.  Sarah drives her pregnant rival out in the desert where Hagar eventually languishes with grief and thirst.  An angel of God appears to comfort her and advises her to return the Abraham’s camp, despite Sarah’s cruelty.  There she gives birth to a son, Ishmael.  But the anger and revenge of Sarah are not satisfied.  When she discovers the boy Ishmael playing with her son Isaac, Sarah again banishes Hagar and her son to the desert.  Even though he is distressed about it, Abraham supports Sarah’s action, giving his second wife some bread and a skin of water and sending her and her young son away.

When Hagar and her son are at the point of dying from thirst, the story reaches its climax.  God hears the cries of the young boy and sends a messenger to rescue the child and his mother.  “Don’t be afraid,” the angel tells Hagar, “God has heard the boy’s cry in this plight of his.  Arise, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand; for I will make of him a great nation.”  At that moment, Hagar sees a well full of water—she and her son are saved!

What are we to make of this strange biblical story?  One thing is clear, Abraham and Sarah, our revered ancestors in faith, were flawed characters—capable of cruelty and intrigue.  Still God stays with them despite their failures—a sign of God’s compassion and understanding that is a hallmark of the Bible from the stories of the patriarchs to the accounts of Jesus’ own disciples who were also weak and capable of abject failure.

The fate of Hagar and Ishmael also illustrates God’s compassion and care for those on the margin, a motif also echoed in today’s Psalm response, “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.”  While Abraham and Sarah seem indifferent to the fate of the mother and her child they have abandoned, that is not the case with God.  God hears the boy’s cries and sends a messenger to comfort and rescue them, leading them to life-giving waters.  Later traditions would identify the “great nation” that God promises would come from Ishmael as the Arab and nomadic peoples.

Pope Francis has challenged the world not to succumb to the “globalization of indifference” and urged us to be aware of the people who suffer on the “existential peripheries”—the poor, the migrants, those despised and abandoned.  That is a message deeply rooted in the Bible as this story of our ancestors proclaimed in today’s Eucharist makes clear.

 

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

 

Scripture:

Genesis 19:15-29
Matthew 8:23-27

Reflection:

Storms.  In recent times the Catholic Church has had its share of storms. Financial scandals, pedophilia cases, clergy shortage, low church attendance, controversy over Roman Missal III, the Muslim challenge in the Middle East, etc., etc. When the ship of the Church is tossed about by storms, we are made ever more conscious of our dependence on the Lord.

But what happens when the Church causes the storm?!  The new encyclical, Laudato Si, has certainly caused a storm.  The issue of the care of the Earth is put forth by Pope Francis as a life and death issue challenging every person living on the planet.

It is urgent that we look at the status quo and see that much of what we are doing is wrong.  And much of what we are not doing needs to be initiated.

One example:  It has been estimated that 30 billion dollars are needed to feed the world’s most hungry people, over 860 million people, for a year (FAO Director General Jacques Diouf, 2008).  The U.S. Defense Budget runs over 900 billion a year. (www.pogo.org)  That means we could feed the world’s starving with the money the military spends in just eleven days.

War begets war. And nothing pollutes like war.  It pollutes the planet.  It pollutes minds and hearts.  It destroys lives.  So we plea, “Lord save us, we are lost.” I believe the Lord is speaking through the pope and telling us that we need to conserve the planet and all who live on it.  We need renewed, creative and bold efforts for justice and peace. With faith in Jesus, we can take the winds and sea of violence to task.  Imagine the calm…and the joy!

 

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.   http://www.alanphillipcp.com/.

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Scripture:

Acts 12:1-11
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Matthew 16:13-19

Reflection:

Here in Kentucky, engineers are building a bridge across the Ohio River from Louisville to Indiana.  As a first step workers had to place pylons deep in the rock below the river.  The foundation for the bridge was built on rock.

Today as we celebrate the feast of Saints Peter and Paul the scripture readings remind us of the importance of building on rock!  “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”  Peter and Paul were clearly “rocks” of faith and preached with strength and single-mindedness.  Today I’m thinking about other current rocks of faith.

Pope Francis is preaching with strength about the poor, marginalized and the environment.  Malala Yousafzai is an activist for female education and describes herself as an “ordinary girl” while displaying courage, conviction and a willingness to die for women in our world.  The people of Charleston are forgiving the slaughter of innocents at Mother Emmanuel A.M.E. Church, witnessing to the power and strength of forgiveness in the face of evil.  These folks, and Peter and Paul, have a few things in common as “rocks of faith.”

They are inclusive.  They invite everyone to have a seat at the table of justice.

They believe in compassion.  Compassion is the strength at the heart of their convictions.

None of them need a gun, a drone, or a battle flag to accomplish their mission.

So today I reflect on the foundations.  Where do I, where do we as members of the Passionist family, look to place our foundation?  What do we have in common with Peter, Paul, Francis, Malala, the people of Charleston and Jesus?

 

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

Scripture:

Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Mark 5:21-43

Reflection:

As I prepare to write this reflection, our world has once again been rocked with a senseless act of violence.  Nine people were shot and killed a few days ago at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC.  A 21 year old young man, obviously misguided, entered the church proper, sat with his intended victims for almost an hour, and then proceeded to open fire and kill innocent people attending a bible study. The residents of Charleston and indeed the nation are once again asking the question, ‘Why”?  President Obama joins other leaders across the country in expressing sympathy for the victims and outrage at the never-ending violence.

In the meantime we hope and pray for all who mourn and grieve for their loved ones who have died and hope they find comfort in their faith and trust in a God who takes care of us all.  It is this same faith that we hear about in the scriptures today.  The faith of the young woman who suffered for 12 years gave her the courage to ask for healing.  The father of the young girl who lay dying was also a person of deep faith who trusted Jesus to heal his daughter.

We all know people of faith, great and small alike.  We ourselves rely on this gift to see us through the many trials and challenges of life.  It is faith that gives us the courage to try and right the wrongs and to challenge unfair systems. Jesus walked in faith as he ministered to the woman with the hemorrhage and the young girl who lay dying.  This was going against the norms of society, against the law of the land.  In associating with those who were ritually impure, he took the risk of becoming impure himself.  He was a man of faith who trusted in a God who broke down barriers instead of building them up.

Sometimes we are called to step out in faith, against injustice, racism, sexism, and all the other ‘isms’ that take away other peoples’ dignity and self-worth.  Faith gives us the ability to see the glass half full when others see it half empty or bone dry.  Leading a faith-filled life has helped me to enjoy the wonder and awe of God’s blessings and share that spirit with all those I have the opportunity to minister with.  Faith buoys me up on the rainy days and wraps me in a bear hug of sunshine and happiness when blue skies surround my world and that of those I love and care about.  It’s a precious gift that I thank God over and over again for.

May we all give thanks for this gift of faith and always be willing to share it with others.

God bless the people of Charleston and all places where violence runs rampant.

 

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

Scripture:

Genesis 17:1, 9-10, 15-22
Matthew 8:1-4

 

Reflection:

There’s a whole lot of name changing going on in the Bible.  It happens often enough that it ought to get us asking why and what it means.

I don’t really recall when I was no longer being called “Bobby.”  Some family and friends can still get away with it, but not many.  No one has ever called me “Rob,” perhaps to distinguish me from Uncle Rob after whom I was named.  And I suspect that we have all felt hurt when called by a name other than the one we prefer or, worse, the wrong name altogether.  Even choosing to change names or not when getting married raises lots of issues.

In the Bible, Abram becomes Abraham and Sarai becomes Sarah.  Jacob is given the new name Israel.  Saul is now Paul, and Simon receives a new name, Peter, meaning “rock.”  The tradition of taking a new name continues in the selection of a confirmation name, though no one would know—or care—that mine is Paul.  And Benedictine monks still receive a new name when they profess their vows.

We take on a new identity and new mission when we take on or are given a new name.  It marks a moment of rebirth.  One friend informed me that he would now be called Lucas.  It didn’t last, but I guess he needed to express a new era of his life with a new name.  In the sacrament of baptism, the minister asks first, “What name have you given this child?”  The minister does not ask because he can’t read the baptismal form.  Giving a child his or her name is a significant moment that marks a new beginning of life with Christ.

The scripture readings for today herald a new covenant: God replied, “Nevertheless, your wife [newly renamed] Sarah is to bear you a son, and you shall call him Isaac [here named by God, not by Abraham, recently renamed himself].  I will maintain my covenant with him as an everlasting pact, to be his God and the God of his descendants after him.”

God calls us each by name, and in calling us by name God reminds us of the mission we have been given: to receive the unconditional love of God, and to share this love with those to whom we are called to serve…and whom we call by name.

 

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and is the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16
Matthew 7:15-29

Reflection:

A woman was enthusiastically telling some friends about the value of a first-aid class she had just completed. “Why only yesterday,” she said, “I was driving down the street when I heard this awful crash. I jammed on the brakes, ran back and found a car wrapped around a telephone pole. When I got to the injured driver, I saw a horrible sight. My knees went limp, and I didn’t know what to do. But all at one I remembered something from my first-aid training. Immediately I bent down and put my head between my knees, and it worked! I didn’t faint!”

Jesus said to his disciple: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of heaven…”

While the Sermon on the Mount begins with Jesus calling his disciples to him and sitting down like a Rabbi to begin to teach them (5:1-2), it ends with Jesus addressing the crowds as a prophet (7:29) . The last part of the Sermon, which forms our text for today, is about action rather than words. It’s not just any kind of action, rather a prophetic one.

If the foundation of our lives is strong, then what we build on it will also be strong. If we have a strong sense of values and know what our priorities are in life, we can continue to be focused on what we have to do. The examples of the one who built his/her house on rock and the one who built his/her house on sand reiterate this point. We have a strong foundation in Jesus. The Sacraments empower us to be prophets in our own times. We are called to live the ‘Eucharist outside the Eucharist’. Each day provides us with ample opportunities the world to put the ‘Word’ into ‘Action’.

Sister Nirmala, former Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity and the successor of Blessed Mother Teresa, passed away on Tuesday, June 23, 2015. Born Nirmala Joshi to a Brahmin family, she joined the Missionaries of Charity after converting from Hinduism at the age of 17. She was impressed by Mother Teresa’s work among the poor and the needy. Her life was a great example in response to Jesus’ invitation to ‘act’.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.”

 

Fr. Bruno D’Souza, CP, is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

 

The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Scripture:

Isaiah 49:1-6
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-6

Reflection:

“John is his Name” Feast of John the Baptist The name John comes from two Hebrew words.  Hanna means free gift, or unmerited generosity and the name for God, Yahweh.   John was a gift to us from God’s kindness.   My mother when distracted use to call me my brother’s name.  I knew I was in no immediate danger.  But when she called me by my full Christian name Robert John I knew she was dangerously focused on me.  John the Baptist is a wonderful gift God gives us.   But so is each one of us.   Our middle name should be John, God’s gift.

We are all very gifted.  I am sure we will never appreciate how blessed we are.  Two aspects are very important to consider.   Our gifts are not the same.  Our gifts are not just for ourselves.  There is an occupational hazard to underestimate gifts in ourselves or others.  We indeed appreciate the special talents that people have, but their gifts in no way diminish those different blessings in others.

There is a story of four passengers on an airplane.  There was a famous surgeon, a brilliant professor, an aged priest, and a college student.   The plane had engine trouble and was going to crash.  Unfortunately there was only 3 parachutes for four people so an animated discussion began as to who gets the parachutes.   The famous surgeon said since he saved so many lives he ought to have one and took one and jumped out of the plunging plane.  The brilliant professor said it would be a tragedy if the world was deprived of his intelligence and take a pack jumped out of the plane.   The aged priest said he believed in the next life and was old.  He told the young man to take the last parachute as his whole life before him.   The young man replied that there were still two parachutes left.  How can that be? The priest said.  Well, answered the college student, the most brilliant man the world grabbed my backpack and jumped!

The lesson is simple.  We need of gifts of others if we hope to live successful lives!  No matter how insignificant your gift might seem, it is important to appreciate it and not too arrogant to seek the gifts of others.

By the same token we must understand our own gifts, not just to be admired, but to be a gift to others!  Is your middle name John?

 

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

Scripture:

Genesis 13:2, 5-18
Matthew 7:6, 12-14

 

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus continues His Sermon on the Mount. He says the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you.” He speaks to them about how difficult it can be to follow the proper path “that leads to life,” by using the image of the “narrow gate” and the “constricted” road. Before this, however, He interprets Proverbs 23:9: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.”

One could say, that tragically, these words came true in Charleston, SC, last week. People at Emmanuel AME Church welcomed a young man to their Bible study, and an hour later, nine people were killed. The country once again has been forced to look at violence and the issue of race relations.

The tragedy has touched the hearts of many people. Whatever the motivation, it was another senseless act of violence. What has moved many people, however, has been the words spoken to the man accused of the crime by the families of those lost in the violence. While the families spoke haltingly and movingly about their grief, they also lived out their faith by speaking words of forgiveness!

We could say, “Why waste your words of forgiveness on such an animal as the one who perpetrated this crime? Did you not hear what Jesus said about casting pearls before swine?”  It may be true that their words have no effect on the young man. But I hope they can have some effect on the rest of us! In a society where faith is increasingly seen as irrelevant and forgiveness as mere idiocy, these loved ones of the victims have cast “pearls” before us. Can we recognize them for what they are? Can we reach out to each other and seek to build up the kingdom? May we not let these “pearls” slip through our fingers and continue on as we have done before! May we follow the example of our sisters and brothers at Emmanuel and show the world that it is better to go through the “narrow gate!”

 

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P. is on staff at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.