Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Acts 8:26-40
John 6:44-51

Reflection:

It is one of those amazing Spring mornings when the sunlight glistening off the dew on the grass and the budding tree branches waving in the warm morning breeze that swells the heart and makes us want to cry out with joy for our creation.  “Let all the earth cry out to God with Joy”.  Psalm 66

1970.  Second week of boot camp. We were given a brief break in our intense training schedule to attend Sunday mass at the base chapel.   I sat in the pew glancing around at two hundred or so recruits, all of us in our newly buzzed haircuts and still new uniforms, looking like identical green pickle men.  Father Lieutenant Colonel Somebody finished reading the gospel and began his sermon with words that stuck with me all these years:  

 “‘There are no atheists in foxholes,’ so, I presume that’s why most of you are here.”   It was funny but so very true. Circumstances, either by choice or the draft, had driven us to seek the comfort of our faith in God’s love.   Jesus speaks about our being drawn by God to a belief in Him.  It is through God’s influences that we are able to grasp Truth, which is God.  

These influences can be as subtle as quiet moments of contemplation of the night sky, realizing that there must be something greater than ourselves; an uncreated Creator.  Or an influence might be a circumstance that beats us completely down, like the death of a loved one, a sudden serious illness, or perhaps just the accumulated challenges of daily life.  In these moments of reflection or dark times of pain and sorrow, we are drawn by God to instinctively seek to understand His plan and our place in it,  

Jesus tells us that no one can approach God the Father except through Him.  But we are drawn by God to seek our Redeemer.  Pride can make us believe not only that we don’t need God, but even cause doubt as to His existence.  Mankind has become so sophisticated and knowledgeable that we no longer need the “crutch” of religion, faith, or God.  

Despite the vain blindness caused by Intellectualism which shrouds from us our true place in Existence, we are drawn to Truth through all our circumstances called Life.  The longing to know and be reunited with our Creator is part of who we are as a species created in His image and likeness.   We humbly seek our Redeemer and through Him come to know Truth, which is God. 

Ray Alonzo is the father of three children, grandfather of two, and husband to Jan for over 45 years. He is a USN Vietnam Veteran, and a 1969 graduate of Mother of Good Counsel Passionist Prep Seminary. Ray currently serves on the Passionist Alumni Council.

Scripture:

Acts 8:1b-8
John 6:35-40

Reflection:

Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me. -John 6:37-38

“What you do speaks so loudly, that I can’t hear what you are telling me.” (my mom, via Ralph Waldo Emerson) or actions speak louder than words. I think what I miss most about those family and friends who are no longer here with me is what they did, especially the things they did that inspired and taught me about living. My sister Marianne taught me how to ride a horse and many other things. My dad taught me to get up with the sun each morning, thank God for the gift of a new day and then go to work. Roger taught me the importance of learning from my mistakes and changing my ways to get different results.

What could I do differently today to make our world a better place? Is there something I can do to have a minus electric bill next month; to live in a world of “we” rather than a world of “me”; to see my neighbor as more important than any particular material good; to make important decisions based upon consensus rather than edict; to build a bridge rather than a wall; to make life affordable for all people? 

God help me do something with the time you give me today. Help me see where I need to change. Thank you for all the great gifts of people, plants and animals you give me to share my day with and to show me your way.

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

Scripture:

Acts 7:51-8:1a
John 6:30-35

Reflection:

Decades ago, on cool May mornings with the smell of honeysuckle in the air, my grandmother and I walked a mile on a narrow rural road in Indiana to attend Mass at her parish. That small brick church still sits atop a steep hill circumscribed by the graves of generations of the faithful, including my immigrant ancestors, and now my grandmother.

At Mass we sat close. She carried a deep reverence for the space and the ritual. Her bread, the Eucharist, no doubt sustained her during illnesses, the Great Depression, two world wars, family crises, and her inner wrestling matches with the Devil.

The impressions left by these special moments in church with her has given me a deep reverence for the Mass. The food that nourishes our life with Christ is found, among other places, in the “source and summit” of our  faith: the Eucharistic celebration.

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us He is the bread that gives life to the world. Belief in Him is transformative, just like a nutritious, balance diet can transform a sick, malnourished body.

We live in difficult times. Giving in to the noises and demands of a media-saturated world swirling around us can make us feel inadequate, confused, off-centered, and starving for meaning. We easily can succumb to the belief that strength will save us, that performance will make us valuable, and that “the idol of individualism,” in the words of Capuchin Franciscan Roberto Pasolini, “must be worshiped.”

The Bread of Christ counters each of these myths. Jesus teaches that moments of passivity and defeat is where we find fulfillment. When we surrender our lives to Christ, we learn that great accomplishments, power, prestige, and autonomy will never fulfill our unrelenting, deep hunger for meaning.

Meaning is found in experiencing the grace, whether in the Eucharist or in other encounters with Christ, to transform our limitations into opportunities for connecting with others in loving, forgiving relationships. This leads us to be as bold as Stephen in speaking truth to people who, as Stephen found out, might be “infuriated” and “grind their teeth” at us.

Fr. Roberto says, “The cross is the only possible direction of our lives. When pain, fatigue, loneliness, or fear lay us bare, we are all tempted to shut down, to stiffen up, to feign self-sufficiency. During these moments the truest love becomes possible, when one does not impose oneself, but allows oneself to be helped . . . We need to abandon all pride, but also the illusion that we can save ourselves with our own strength.”

These are bold, counter-cultural words. Speaking them aloud and letting ourselves be transformed by them will lead to unknown ends.

We need the Bread of Christ to fuel us for the disappointments and temptations of daily living. Praying over His words, attending to our community liturgies, living humbly, spending time with the crucified of today . . . the elderly, sick, poor, mentally ill, addicted, frightened, dishearten, confused, wayward, arrogant, and shallow . . . is where we find Christ, our Bread of Life, as much as my grandmother and I found Him in that little country church so many years ago.

Jim Wayne is a member of St Agnes Catholic Community in Louisville, Kentucky, a Passionist parish. He served in the Kentucky House of Representatives for 28 years, is the author of the award winning novel, The Unfinished Man, and is a clinical social worker.

Scripture:

Acts 6:8-15
John 6:22-29

Reflection:

Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people.   –Acts 6:8

Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.   -John 6:26

In both of our readings today, signs and wonders are mentioned. In the reading from Acts, Steven is brought before the Sanhedrin, and even though, “his face was like the face of an angel,” they were infuriated by his teachings. No matter that he had done and was continuing to do great wonders and signs, he didn’t fit into their way of seeing the world. They had no way to fit him into their hierarchical religious system and consequently he was martyred. They were unable to accept the wonders and signs as coming from God as they set themselves up as the gatekeepers of all that was holy.

In the reading from John’s gospel we have a scene right after the feeding of 5000 from just a few loaves and fishes. But once again the wonders and signs are missed. The crowd follows Jesus in hopes of another handout, not because they recognize the words of God flowing from him.

But I sometimes wonder if we’re not much different today. It’s easy for us to look to God to make drastic changes in our lives or world. We often pray with great specificity of how we want God to accomplish the signs and wonders in our lives. And if they don’t occur the way we wish we accuse God of being distant or not listening.

But what if the great signs and wonders all around us every day. Do you remember when we arise in the morning from our first breath we have the opportunity to breathe God into our lives. Do our hearts filled with true gratitude when we pray before a meal? Do we listen for the words of God not only from the pulpit but from the loving people in our lives?

This Easter season, my prayer for myself and for all of us is that we slow down and recognize the signs and wonders that fill our lives. And pray in great gratitude to our Lord for these gifts.

Talib Huff is a retired teacher and a member of the retreat team at Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center in Citrus Heights, California. You may contact him at [email protected].

Scripture:

Acts 5:27-32,40-41
Revelation 5:11-14
John 21:1-19

Reflection:

“…Feed My Lambs…My Sheep.”

We continue to celebrate the heart of our faith, this great season of Easter – and today’s Scriptures highlight the person of St. Peter as he interacts with Jesus and later seeks to witness the person of Jesus risen from the dead to his contemporaries.

No doubt, Peter comes across as a likeable guy, very human.  As a disciple, he was both eager to follow Jesus, but also weak in following through; his words and deeds did not always match!

St. John’s gospel selection begins with Peter and some other disciples going fishing after Jesus had been murdered on the Cross.  The disciples were emotionally charged, and so they escaped by going fishing, to perhaps console one another.  Jesus shows up on the shore and in a teasing manner calls out to them, “…children, have you caught anything to eat?”  Jesus then tells them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat; reluctantly, they do so, and they are surprised with a big catch:  153 large / keeper fish!  John recognizes Jesus on the shore, shouts out that it’s Jesus – and Peter jumps into the water to swim toward Jesus.  Jesus then invites the group to have a breakfast of some fish and bread that He has prepared.  What a special feast!

Then Jesus directly addresses Peter:  “…do you love me?”  The request is repeated three times, and each time Peter responds “Yes!”  Jesus invites Peter to “feed my lambs, feed my sheep”:  really, to shepherd the infant Church!  Today we know that Peter and the others did fulfill the mission Jesus gave them:  they filled Jerusalem with the Good News of Jesus despite the opposition, the Church grew, and we today live as 21^st Century disciples in other parts of the world.

The Risen Jesus asks us to love Him and to help share the Good News of His love for our world.  We’ve been fed by the Holy Eucharist, nourished by the Scriptures and other Sacraments, and encouraged by the example of fellow disciples.  Like the early disciples, we have our strengths and our weaknesses, and we’re encouraged to keep trying our best as we live our personal vocations to credibly live our faith as Easter People.

Who knows what will happen today, or tomorrow?  For St. Peter, it meant further opportunities and challenges as a disciple, ultimately resulting in his martyrdom.  Our Church today faces a time of critical discernment as the Holy Spirit guides the Conclave of Cardinals to elect a new Pope.  Ourselves, we move forward as Easter People, blessed in many ways and challenged to be credible messengers of hope for our needy, broken world.  Together, in word and deed, let’s proclaim our “Amen!”, in the spirit of a heartfelt Easter “Alleluia!”

Fr. John Schork, C.P. serves as the Province Vocation Director and also as Local Superior of the Passionist Community of Holy Name in Houston, Texas.  

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:1-8
John 14:6-14

Reflection:

One of the simplest yet profound summaries of Jesus—summarising his being, mission, and relationship to us—is his statement, “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

To this, we might also add those words that shine light on the mystery of Trinitarian life and express – within the limit of words – our own relationship both with and within God. “No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip might speak for all of us in his seeking to know ‘more’ of this mystery, but is left to contemplate the truth at its most mysterious depth. “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”

Faith does seek understanding, but it can stand in the company of the unknown, too.

As we grow in life, not just in terms of years and experience, but also in one’s depth of faith, what is not understood doesn’t hold such power over us, and so often certainty diminishes whilst the unknown increases. For any follower of the Way, but perhaps more so for older disciples, gentle uncertainty becomes a fond companion – life goes on, we grow calmer in the face of change and mystery, and our witness ironically can become more powerful in the absence of rational explanation.

Such is the life of the disciples who ‘know’ Jesus.

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

Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Scripture:

Acts 5:34-42
John 6: 1-15

Reflection:

Although St. Athanasius lived in the fourth century, he experienced persecution much like the earliest disciples. In today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see the Apostles facing possible death, and through the intervention of Gamaliel, they escape with only a flogging.

St. Athanasius, like the Apostles, was misunderstood and persecuted because he preached the Incarnation. He emphasized that Jesus Christ is both fully divine and fully human, a concept that was defended against various heresies that denied either His full divinity or His full humanity. In fact, St. John Henry Newman describes Athanasius as a “principal instrument, after the Apostles, by which the sacred truths of Christianity have been conveyed and secured to the world”.

As bishop of Alexandria in North Africa, St. Athanasius stood up to the Arian heresy, which taught that Jesus was not fully divine. Roman emperors and some of his fellow bishops with Arian views called Bishop Athanasius a troublemaker. He was isolated and threatened; and banished from his people in Alexandria five times. He spent seventeen of the forty-six years of his episcopate in exile.

St. Athanasius risked his life and his reputation to continue to preach the truth of Jesus’ Incarnation because he believed it so deeply. He challenges us to do the same: to really believe that God loves our world, demonstrated by Jesus the Eternal Word entering our world in human form and sharing our planetary reality, loving us and everything else. We see that love in today’s Gospel, where Jesus feeds thousands of stranded and hungry people.

Following the example of Jesus and St. Athanasius, how do we love our world in the 21^st century?

We cherish life on our planet: the species of animals and plants that have evolved over millennia; as well as the diverse cultures, which are the result of human genius to survive and thrive in various places around the world.

And so, we pray for courage to respond:

—when ecosystems are destroyed and indigenous people are removed from their lands,     
—when people struggle to hold on to their cultural ways after they are displaced by climate change, war, or persecution,
—when we fail to see the face of Jesus in someone of a different ethnicity, nationality, or religion.
In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

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 Detroit, Michigan. Patty is currently a member of the Laudato Si’ Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.

Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker

Scripture:

Genesis 1:26b-2:3
Matthew 13:54-58

Reflection:

Where did he get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son?

Jesus’ neighbors were puzzled and upset that this man from their town, who grew up there, spoke with such authority and wisdom in their synagogue. To them, he was just a carpenter’s son, not a student at some rabbinical school.

Joseph the carpenter took his responsibility seriously, along with Mary, to raise Jesus. Joseph never speaks in the Gospels, but we learn so much from his actions. When God needed him, when Mary needed him, when the young Jesus needed him, Joseph was present. He was the family’s guardian, protector and provider.

Back then, sons usually followed in their father’s trade, so Joseph would become Jesus’ teacher, too. We assume Jesus learned a trade because in the same synagogue scene in Mark’s Gospel (6:3), the Nazarenes call Jesus the carpenter. Joseph taught Jesus wood working and stone masonry, and they likely traveled the region together for work.

St. Joseph the Worker teaches us the same lessons he taught the young Jesus. Work is dignified and an intrinsic good. No matter the trade or role, the worker must always be respected and valued. Through the development of our talents and abilities we strengthen our families and communities. When we work, we share in God’s creativity of bring God’s kingdom here on earth.

Today, on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker and the day dedicated to workers, let us pray for all workers, so that no one might be without work and all might be paid a just wage. May they benefit from the dignity of work and the beauty of rest.   –Pope Francis

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.