Daily Scripture

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. 

Scripture:

Genesis 12:1-9
Matthew 7:1-5

 

Reflection:

In today’s first reading we are told of one of those “critical” moments in human history.  Abram, a good and mature man who had for a long time lived comfortably among his kinfolk, accumulated many possessions, established a large household with wife, nephew, and numerous servants, was asked by God to move his whole family “to a land that I will show you.”  God promised that if Abram did this, God would make Abram’s name great, bless him and make of his family a great nation.

Abram did as God asked.  And, that is a wonder.  After all, Abram was already a highly respected member in his community.  He had already achieved great human success.  He was comfortable and secure and was, no doubt, looking forward to living out his life in the safe environment he had created.  And, of course, he had no children, was past mid-life and his wife, Sarah, was past her child-bearing years.  Yet, he set forth at God’s promise, not knowing where he was going or how long the trip would take…or how it would be possible for him and Sarah to have a child.  And that was just the beginning of the adventure.  No wonder Abraham is called our “father in faith!”

I’m not 75 yet as Abram was, but I am well past 65!  I can’t help but wonder whether I would have the courage to respond to such a call from God.  Could I let go of my comfortable and familiar world to respond to God’s call?

Yet, isn’t it true that each of us, no matter what our age, is invited by God to travel to a place far different from where we are?  In today’s Gospel, Christ tells us not to judge others so harshly.  In the Gospels over the past week we’ve been called to go the extra mile, to offer the other cheek, to hand over our cloak as well when asked for our tunic, to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.  Clearly, Jesus is constantly inviting us into a place far away from our usual world.  Yet, so often we are afraid to leave our familiar attitudes and travel to the land Jesus shows us.

Abram risked all and won all.  God was faithful to him and fulfilled His every promise.  God will do the same for us.  Let’s pray for the courage to follow Jesus wherever He leads us.

 

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director the Development Office for Holy Cross Province  and is stationed at Immaculate Conception Community  in Chicago.

 

Father’s Day

Scripture:

Job 38:1, 8-11
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Mark 4: 35-41

Reflection:

Fathers Day honors the man in the family bearing resemblance to God the Father, ”from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named”. (Eph 3.15)  This places dads in good company.  Why?  Because they do many good things for the rest of us, three of which are presented us today in our bible readings.

Dads are the outdoorsmen of the family, while moms are the indoors keepers of the family—more or less.  Dads are into lawncare, tree trimming, gutter-cleaners, building maintenance, garage and basement supervisors, snow removal—we get the idea.  How do we come upon all these good ideas for dads get all these ideas?  Perhaps from Job, of whom we hear today as he presents his own understanding of God as Father, engaged in more or less similar kinds of activities, like setting boundaries for the sea, deploying clouds as frills (decorations) around the seas edges, and darkness suggesting the depths beneath, keeping it land-locked so as to prevent it invading areas where it doesn’t belong.  This is God the Father’s job-description in His version of being a maintenance man: keeping things running smoothly and in good order.

Like His human counterparts, God the Father wants His (human) family to be off to a good start.  This is St. Paul’s take on God the Father today.  He leaves His imprint on the human family He has gotten underway, sending us Someone in His own image and likeness: Jesus.  Every father takes pride in the family He leads, seeing traces of his own image in the children swelling the family ranks.  His name (and ours, if faithful Christians) is as good as gold in certifying the trustworthiness of family transactions: accounts, purchases, taxes.  He is the designated family spokesperson, who are distinctive by the rules, customs and practices of the house (God has done this too with His ten commandments).  The family reflects the father’s value system, and this becomes evident everywhere: in the neighborhood, the school and parish, in recreational venues and workplaces.  Jesus recognized this in predicting: “By this shall all men know you are my followers, by your love for one another.”  As St. Paul says, family members operate on a different level, their own unique traits and characteristics: whoever is in Christ is a new creation: old ways of identifying the family may have to pass away, and be replaced by new things that do it better.  The father is the major influence in setting the family tone, just like God the Father and the Christian family.

And then there’s the fear factor insinuating itself into everyone’s life.  And fathers are made to offset such fears.  This is how Jesus His Son, His own image and likeness, saw it in proceeding in today’s gospel by going to sleep in the boat struggling to hold its own against a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus’ trust in His Father’s oversight and loving care and presence was more than equal to the storm’s fury threatening His band of followers.  And dads carry on that same protective concern against taunts, bullying, put-downs for the clothes children wear, or the kind of food eaten or the entertainment enjoyed.  Dads also offset the dangers of a flat tire, or a broken scooter or malfunctioning skates, or a threatening pit bull: all potential threats needing someone to take charge and calm fears down.  And that’s the father of the family.  With God the Father’s care always close at hand, the father of the family has an image at hand to be the take-charge guy, assuring that all is well.

The sense of fatherhood provides the security of management and control, of identity, of protective care.   It embodies a pathway for coming to know God as Father.  And it identifies a major help in appreciating the man of the house as someone standing in for the comforting and protective assurance that help is always nearby, especially when we remember to pray: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN…

 

Fr. Sebastian MacDonald, C.P., is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. 

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Matthew 6:24-34

 

Reflection:

“Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life. . . Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life’s span?. . .Do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself.”
Matthew 6:25, 27, 34

I am forever grateful that God taught me I could stop worrying with His help. He also showed me that when I did worry, I wasn’t trusting Him. I kept thinking, but I can’t help it. . . it’s just the way I am! Worrisome thoughts definitely come into our minds all by themselves. But then it’s up to us to notice that we’ve started to worry and make a decision to change our thoughts. We can learn to replace our worry with praise and with thoughts of God’s providence. The first step is to be aware of our thoughts so that we can turn to God for help.

I remember when our second son Jerry was in high school and was having bad headaches. I took him to have an MRI and as we waited for the test I started to worry about what this might mean – maybe he had a brain tumor, maybe there was nothing the doctors could do for him, etc. But then I chuckled and thought, NO! God is here with us, God has a wonderful plan for Jerry’s life. No matter what happens, He will be with us and see us through. He is an “ever-present help in time of trouble.” As soon as I changed my thinking, God’s peace enveloped me and I stopped worrying. He loves us, and He will always be with us. We can face anything when we face it with God! (Jerry was fine by the way, and his headaches eventually went away.) We don’t ignore our worries, or pretend they don’t exist, rather we take them to the Lord and give them to Him

I love this quote by Corrie ten Boom: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.” Not only is worry fruitless, but it can also be harmful both physically and spiritually. It has been shown to cause numerous health problems including ulcers, migraines, depression, sleep disturbance, and heart problems, because of the stress it puts on the body. There are simply no benefits to be gained by worrying. Join me and let God help you give it up now!

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently wrote her first book: God Speaks to Ordinary People – Like You and Me. Visit Janice’s website at www.janicecarleton.com or email her at [email protected].

 

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30
Matthew 6:19-23

 

Reflection:

“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Matthew 6:21

The Word of God for today’s Mass invites us to take a long look at our true self. St. Paul invites us to do this when he “boasts” about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. And Jesus invites us to do this by asking us to take a deeper look into how we live, when he asks us the question: what do we value? He concludes by saying that our values will tell us where our heart is.

I learned about boasting in grade school. By the time I got to seventh grade, there were cliques that followed the social makeup of the city. There were the athletes who boasted about their accomplishments in sports. There were the nice-looking girls who were the popular ones of the school. There were the sons and daughters of the important people of the community, the children of the mayor, the doctors and business community. There were the smart ones, who “aced” every exam and were the “teacher’s pets.”

There was a lot of boasting going around when we were just “hanging out.” No one had to teach us how to boast. We also learned the competitive art of boasting: my accomplishment is better than your accomplishment. It was then that I discovered that life was never going to be simple. If you were going to get ahead in this world, you needed to learn how to boast.

The reason why the following of Jesus is counter cultural is because it is. David Brooks, a well-known columnist, wrote a book entitled, “The Road to Character.” In it, he talks about the men and women who have left their mark on civilization, and how they mastered the tendency to boast and thus discover where their heart was. They learned to value what was truly of value.

Our Scripture readings for today Mass helps us to take a serious look at our inner self. We are invited to learn the difference between boasting and our true self. We can love ourselves only because God first loved us. We love the other, the friend and the enemy, because God loves them as well. No matter how important we are, or how intelligent we are, or how well-off we are, we will someday come to realize that it is God who gives us our worth.

No one ever boasts about their failures, as St. Paul did. We want to make things seem better than they are. We want to “spin” a difficult situation into a better one. We want to lessen our responsibility in making bad decisions. St. Paul invites us to look at our failures in order to see the hand of God in our weakness.

When Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be,” he is helping us to reflect on how we live our life. Where do we spend our time? Where do we spend our money? Who is important to us? What do we value? As we answer these questions, we will discover where our heart is.

June is known as the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Where do you think Jesus’ Heart is? Who did Jesus treasure in his life? Do we boast that we are disciples of Jesus Crucified?

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

 

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Immaculate Conception Community in Chicago, Illinois. 

 

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 11:1-11
Matthew 6:7-15

 

Reflection:

Perhaps one of the more radical teachings of Jesus is that prayer is not so much a matter of words – indeed the Father knows what we most need before we ever speak. God’s knowledge of us is all embracing and has at heart our wellbeing.

Yet we know too from Christian tradition and experience that God does not impose things on us. Certainly what we most need is constantly offered to us by God, but God respects our freedom and we need to bring our assent to all that is offered in order to embrace the graces God freely gives.

So in the vision of Jesus prayer is much more about relationship than anything else,  and in order to pray one has only to bring oneself humbly and trustingly into the presence of our Father.

The first words addressing God as ‘our Father’ bring us immediately into relationship. We ‘declare’ our very essence and being – that we are of God and belong to God, and in imitation of Jesus we name God as Father to us. Perhaps from time to time we should just stop there – and rest in the echo of this act of naming our relationship; for in this very act of ‘naming’ the relationship becomes real for us in the same moment. And like so many relationships there are times of ‘togetherness’ where no word is needed; we can often just rest in each other’s company and words don’t necessarily add anything to the intimacy of the moment.

But it is also true that there are times when relationships call for words. That is, if we never dare to say and share something of our inner heart and inner world, then we do not allow the relationship to advance and grow. So words, but words from the heart, do have their place.

So too when we pray, and today’s gospel suggests what we might say. Jesus offers a model for prayer – now famously known as the Lord’s Prayer.

But what if this ‘model prayer’ not only suggests to us the words and phrases we might constantly use to express our dependence and relationship as daughters and sons of God the Father, but also suggest to us the fundamental dimensions and directions for all our praying.

If we use words in our prayers, then the Lord’s Prayer alerts us to the way in which we could pray and the things we could pray about.

Firstly the prayer orients us to give praise to God and to express our longing that God’s desire for us to live our lives to the full in loving relationship with our neighbour would ‘reign’ on earth. That is that God’s kingdom might come and might influence our living in ways that come to life amongst us.

We are invited to pray also that we might listen to God’s word to us and act upon it – that God’s will be done.

Further we are invited to express our needs, especially for that nourishment that required each day. Not just the nourishment of food and or other necessities of life, but for the nourishment that reaches into our very souls to sustain us – true relationships with those we love and who love us.

We are invited to prayer for forgiveness, that powerful energy that keeps relationships together and heals those that seem irreparably damaged by selfishness or sin. Forgiveness can never be underestimated as a force in human life, it is capable of healing and restoring and is the ‘oil’ of life and relationships. To pray for forgiveness is to recognise we can never rise up above ourselves without first God’s own forgiveness of our selfishness or self-centredness nor can we have sustaining relationships if we do not extend that same forgiveness into the lives of others around it (and in turn receive it from them).

So perhaps the Lord’s Prayer orients us not only to our fundamental relationship, that of being child of God, but it also suggests to us some essential dimensions for our Christian prayer. It’s words prompt us to align ourselves with God’s will for our world, they allow us to ask for all we need to nourish us each day and they not only express our need for forgiveness, but commit us to be agents of reconciliation in all our relationships.

 

Father Denis Travers, C.P., is a member of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.  He currently serves on the General Council and is stationed in Rome.