Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Exodus 3:13-20
Matthew 11:28-30

Reflection:

“I love you. I care about you. I will be with you.” These are words all of us hunger to hear because they offer the heartfelt reassurance we need to get through life, and they are powerfully proclaimed in both of today’s readings.

In the first reading from Exodus, a clearly rattled Moses asks God to reveal his name and God answers: “I am who am…I AM sent me to you.” God’s response is not a philosophical riddle designed to baffle the Israelites, but a pledge of faithful love. In Hebrew, “I am who am” essentially means, “I will be with you, I will accompany you and never abandon you.” In ancient Israel, to know a person’s name was to know their innermost identity and spirit, it was to glimpse into their soul; thus, faithful love is who God is. Faithful love is not peripheral to God but is the very being of God.

Later in the reading, God says to Moses, “I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt.” It’s pretty astonishing, isn’t it? The God of the universe, the creator of all things, is not a distant, indifferent deity who is too far removed from our lives to care about us, but a God of faithful love who draws near to us, walks with us, and is so intimately close to us that the slightest details of our lives don’t go unnoticed by God. We matter to God. A God who says, “I am concerned about you,” is like the loving friend who offers us compassion, encouragement, and support whenever life is hard for us, whenever we feel overwhelmed, shaken, and uncertain, and especially whenever we are suffering.

Maybe that is why all of us love today’s gospel so much, this familiar but tremendously reassuring passage where Jesus says, “If you are troubled, if you are having a hard time, if you feel tired, burdened, and maybe even hopeless, come to me and I will help you, turn to me and let me refresh you.” Jesus is the care, concern, and compassion of God in the flesh. Jesus is God’s befriending love in person. Jesus is the incarnate confirmation of God’s everlasting faithful love. That, too, is something pretty astonishing that we should never forget.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor Emeritus of Theology & Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the Passionist Family of Holy Cross Province.

Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin

Scripture:

Exodus 1:8-14, 22
Matthew 10:34-11:1

Reflection:

The Enduring Shadow of Cruelty

When we look back at history, as far back as the oldest writings of the Old Testament, the patterns of human cruelty are stark and undeniable. From the ancient Egyptians’ subjugation of the Jewish people to the systematic genocide perpetrated by the Germans in the last century, the echoes of injustice reverberate. We see it in the brutal enslavement of Africans by 17th and 18th-century plantation owners in the Americas, and in the genocide inflicted upon indigenous peoples by settlers across the continent. Today is no exception. Tyrants and the people who support them unleash invasions and bombs, indiscriminately murdering innocent civilians.

A Call to Action: Choosing Compassion

Given this enduring legacy of cruelty, how can each of us contribute to nudging human behavior away from it, starting within our own families and communities? Is it truly so difficult to love both our neighbors and our enemies?

Every moment presents a choice. When we have a stressful thought or when someone causes us stress, what can we do to transform our thinking into positive thoughts and action? Or when we feel offended, don’t we have an opportunity to transform that offense into deeper understanding? We can choose compassion over contempt, and empathy over animosity. By making these conscious choices, we begin to dismantle the roots of cruelty, one interaction at a time.

.Jack Dermody is President of Share Our Gifts, Inc., a Passionist alumni organization dedicated to assisting those who live in poverty; he is also editor of CrossRoads, the Passionist Alumni Association’s newsletter.

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Colossians 1:15-20
Luke 10:25-37

Reflection:

The parable of the Good Samaritan is so familiar to most of us that it can sometimes be a challenge to find new insight within the story. Once again, we read that Jesus is “tested” by a scholar of the law attempting to catch him out. It feels like the same old scenario where Jesus’ words (and authority) are seen as a threat to those who hold a strict interpretation of the law. Jesus masterfully uses this parable—only found in Luke—to demonstrate who our neighbor is and what the law requires.

Not content with Jesus’ response, “Do this and you will live” further attempting to “justify himself,”  he asks, “And who is my neighbor?” This scholar seems to understand the neighbor as the people of Israel alone. The first part of Leviticus 19:18 begins with, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people” and continues, “but you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” perhaps giving insight to the scholar’s understanding. There is no justification for this scholar, rather Jesus’ interpretation expands and broadens the scope of the law. In this instance, his parable demonstrating a (hated) Samaritan as being the one who shows compassion is insulting to the scholar.

Theologian Karl Barth has said that we should hold our Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other, read both, and interpret the newspaper through the Bible. In light of recent events, I cannot help but associate the man who fell into the hands of robbers and lies beaten and half dead with many situations of suffering. Six months ago, we had the devastating fires in California. Living in the Eaton fire area, we know so many who are still displaced, beaten down by all the tasks of rebuilding their lives. The obstacles are enormous, and the recent immigration raids have only added to the fear and economic hardships of an already suffering community. Additionally, the unspeakable horrors of the floods in Texas, claiming too many lives, amplifies the suffering.  Those beaten and broken—our neighbors—need many “good Samaritans.”  

Evoking the prophet Isaiah’s words, “You will indeed look but not perceive, for this people’s heart has grown dull” (Is. 6:10), the priest and the Levite looked and kept going restrained by strict purity and societal laws. Yet, Jesus tells us above all to see and act to care for our wounded. Love of God and love of neighbor is our lens—always. St. Paul tells us in Colossians that he is the firstborn of all creation, the image of the invisible God, from whom everything flows. Made in his image and likeness, we press on in hope. While current events can be overwhelming, we are an Easter people, and alleluia must ultimately be our song.

Deuteronomy offers us the hopeful assurance that when we turn to the Lord, our God, with all our heart and soul, we will succeed in carrying out the work of building the kingdom one act at a time. Theologian Dolores Williams writes that God makes a way out of no way. Refreshed and nourished by this truth, our hearts will never grow dull.

May we live out the words that our psalm instructs, turn to the Lord in our need, and we will live. Amen

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.

Scripture:

Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26a
Matthew 10:24-33

Reflection:

Sparrows are small birds found in most parts of the world.  They have a typical length of 6.3 inches and weigh a mere .85 to 1.39 ounces.  Sparrows are native to Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and a large part of Asia.  Sparrows’ intentional or accidental introduction to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make them the most widely populated wild bird in the world.  Jesus relates today’s gospel message in the context of the Father’s attention to sparrows: “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?  Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.”.

Jesus admonishes his Apostles in today’s gospel reading not to allow their egos to swell in the context of their ministry.  No disciple is above his teacher and no slave is above his master.  It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher and for the slave to become like his master.  This seems to imply that in the context of the love of God, no one in our society is greater than any other.  Like the sparrow, none of us can fall to the ground without the Father’s knowledge.  Jesus tells us that we are each worth more than many sparrows.

So, I ask myself in whatever circumstance I find myself, how often do I compare myself to others in my family, my Parish, my community, my workplace, etc.  When the Father looks across the entire network of people that I know and associate with, all members of his same creation, does he ever consider me better than anyone else that I know?  I know the answer to that question.  Unfortunately, all too often, my psyche tries to tell me otherwise.  We realize intuitively that God loves every person on the planet with infinite love, which means that love has no bounds.  We are all loved with that infinite love as if we were the only person that he created.  That’s why not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without God’s knowledge. 

This is not to suggest that God condones sinfulness in any one of his creatures.  In fact he advises us to turn away from the house in which the master is called Beelzebul, since, if we cannot turn away, we are inherently destined to be thrown into Gehenna.  However, even in the context of our sinful lives, God continues to love us with an infinite love.  He cannot help himself.  He is our creator, and we are members of his loving creation.  At the end of our earthly journey, if we fail to achieve heavenly glory, it is not because God did not love us for every moment of our life with such infinite love.  “Even all the hairs of your head are counted”. 

Jesus gives us strong advice about how to stay in the Father’s good graces.  “Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.  But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before by heavenly Father.  In either case, it is not for lack of God’s infinite love that we might be thrown into Gehenna.  It will obviously be because of our own sinfulness, turning away from that infinite love that will seal our fate. 

Dear Lord God, teach me to love others more than I love myself.  Let me come to realize that we are each and everyone like common and equal sparrows in your loving creation and therefore deserving of equal and abundant love. 

May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts!

Bill Berger has had a lifelong relationship with the Passionist Family.  Bill and his wife, Linda, are currently leaders of the Community of Passionist Partners (CPPs) in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30
Matthew 10:16-23

Reflection:

“Hineni,” “Here I am,” Jacob responded to God who called him.

The Hebrew word “hineni” is packed with mystical, life-changing meaning. It means complete readiness and availability to respond to a call, however unclear or uncertain the situation.

Hineni conveys being fully present, spiritually engaged, ready to embark on a significant mission.

Abraham responded “Hineni” when God called him before he was told to take Isaac up to a mount and bind him, demonstrating absolute obedience and readiness.

Moses responded “Hineni” at the burning bush, signifying his willingness to embrace a challenging leadership role despite his lack of confidence and doubts.

Isaiah responded “Hineni,” ‘Here I am, send me!’ In response to God’s call, embodying the spirit of readiness and commitment.

Jacob, too, in today’s first reading, answered “Hineni,” “Here I am,” when God called him by night, that dark moment of uncertainty, that moment when complete trust in God is demanded.

“Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation,” God promised Jacob

And at the beginning of chapter 10 in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus calls and names his 12 apostles. They implicitly replied “Hineni,” not knowing the full extent of the cost they would pay for their response.

Although “Hineni” may not be explicitly declared, it is unmistakably implied by the 12 who accepted their chosen mission as followers of Jesus.

Jesus sent them out with the commandment:” Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans. Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt 10:9).

These chosen men were not yet ready to take on the world. They were to limit their mission to Galilee, perhaps because this region was the most open to the Good News of Jesus.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells his apostles he is “sending them out like sheep in the midst of wolves.”

Even as he sends them out, Jesus tells his apostles to brace themselves for the same persecution and pain he himself suffered.

Just as Jesus was preparing his apostles for their certain persecution, so too was Matthew bracing his community to prepare for hardship, rejection, and persecution.

“…when they deliver you up,” Jesus continues, “don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.”

The apostles were not to formulate their defense in advance, because the Spirit will speak through them.Matthew’s community was to do likewise.

And so are we, the Church, to stand ready within a consumer-driven, subjective, and scientistic world that rejects, mocks, or worse, is indifferent to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Will we accept the challenge? “Hineni” is the response of sacred and undiluted presence, a response in which the self-sheds all reservations. It is pure unguarded affirmation, even before all the facts are known.

“Hineni” means we are to trust that the Holy Spirit will scaffold us with the fortitude necessary to persevere, in spite of our Mosaic doubts, or Abrahamic uncertainties, so that we can declare as affirmatively as Isaiah did: “Here I am. Send me.”

Deacon Manuel Valencia retired from active retreat ministry at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California, after 23 years. He continues to provide spiritual counseling there and delivers a monthly homily at the retreat chapel.

Scripture:

Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5
Matthew 10:7-15

Reflection:

When I was 3 months old, I weighed the same as when I was born. Although they eventually received a diagnosis and effective treatment, my parents were so afraid they would lose me that I became more precious in their eyes. When we were teens, my older brother and sister were rebels who caused no end of trouble. I didn’t want the consequences my siblings’ misbehaviors caused, so I became the one who, in my parents’ words and to their relief, “never gave them a grey hair.”  When I was widowed at 25, my parents’ concern knew no bounds and there was nothing they would not do to help.

The unfortunate result of all this special attention was that many of my nine siblings were jealous, convinced that I was Mom and Dad’s “favorite.” Jealousy is a destructive emotion that divides family members, friends, community members, and nations. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt because of their jealousy, and modern-day wars are fought because of it. We all want to be #1, the best, the favorite, the top of the heap. Anyone who gets in our way, has what we desire, or doesn’t give us what we want is a threat that we must work against.

Most people claim they don’t feel much jealousy. Despite its presence, we perceive it as being “bad” and so we allow it to hide, meaning it often acts insidiously. It only becomes apparent when we dig deeper and ask hard, honest questions.

I have to admit that I can feel jealous when a speaker gets a higher rating or a bigger audience than me. I can feel jealous of people who travel extensively for leisure, or who are obviously financially secure. I can even feel jealous of someone I perceive as being farther in their spiritual journey, more easily able to quiet their mind in meditative prayer, wiser, and (at least in my eyes) more in touch with God. But, none of this jealousy accomplishes a thing.

So my prayer this week is first to ask the Spirit to show me the ways that jealousy is active in my life, wherever and whenever it exists. Then I pray to be given the grace, humility, and courage to turn any jealousy into delight for the other person and heartfelt prayers for their peace and happiness. That really turns it around!  

Our relationships and our hearts will all be better off if we can recognize, let go of, and reverse jealousy. Are you willing to do so?

Amy Florian is an author and consultant in suburban Chicago who travels the country teaching about spirituality, grief, and healing. She has partnered with the Passionists in various ways for many years. Visit Amy’s website: http://www.corgenius.com/.