Daily Scripture

 

Memorial of Saint Vincent DePaul

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8
Luke 9:43b-45

 

 

Reflection:

Follow the Ways of Your Heart

At the end of St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians the author encourages the community with these words: "…Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good."  Those thoughts might astonish us, but they are similar to the opening of today’s first reading, "Rejoice, O young man, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart."

I don’t know about you, and those who coached you through your formative years, but my novice master never once instructed us to "test everything, keep what’s good," or "follow the ways of your heart!" Yet, Sacred Scripture is replete with these pithy statements, stirring God’s people into trusting the profundity of their own human experience.

Whether you are a parent, or a pastor, a principal or president, those in leadership roles soon realize that to love someone means to empower them. We would like to shield others from failure and suffering, but sooner or later those in our custody will have to "follow the ways of their hearts."

Jesus offers a series of metaphors for the Kingdom of God in Matthew’s later chapters, and my favorite is the parable of the ten bridesmaids (Mt 25:1-13). It, too, includes the admonition to trust your experience. If you recall, five of the bridesmaids were wise and five foolish. Because the foolish ones failed to bring any extra oil for their lamps, when the groom was late, their lamps had gone out. Initially we might think that the five "wise" virgins should not have been so stingy! But this isn’t a lesson on generosity, it’s a narrative about wisdom, and that wisdom only comes from the precious oil of human experience. We come to understand that there are some things we cannot borrow, we must get our own. We cannot live vicariously, because the Gospel is not about virtual reality!  To mature in our faith we must know the experience of failure in a job, or betrayal in a love-relationship. That is why Jesus tells his disciples in today’s Gospel that he must be handed over. Other people cannot insulate us from that pain. Like today’s saint, Vincent De Paul, who was renowned for his compassion, humility, and generosity and known as the "Great Apostle of Charity", we, too, must follow the ways of our hearts.

 

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. is the director of the Office of Mission Effectiveness.  He is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

 

Scripture:

Galatians 3:1-5
Luke 11:5-13

 

 

 

Reflection:

He Fills the Hungry with Good Things!

Yesterday we heard Luke’s presentation of the Our Father, the prayer given to us when we meet Jesus, since it is part of the Baptismal rite. Luke’s version of the Our Father is rather matter of fact, but he follows it with an endearing parable, today’s gospel.

When we pray asking for our daily bread, forgiveness and deliverance from temptation, we can think of ourselves knocking at a door of a friend’s house at some inconvenient time. Although friendship will not make our friend hop out of bed or make the welcome all that warm, still he or she will come through. This parable connects our approach to the petitions of the Our Father in a personal way.

In two other parables Luke brings home how personal Jesus makes the Father’s response to us. There is the short parable of two debtors being forgiven. The question posed is: who will love more, the one who had the large debt or the one who had the small debt? The story brings its meaning into our lives. Despite being debtors, we personally meet the Father’s love for us in compassion and forgiveness. Also, there is the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. Her perseverance wears down the judge and she wins. Do not each of us feel the sting of injustice at times? We need to persevere in not letting ourselves be diminished by it. In that perseverance we see our true selves. In God’s image we see ourselves as love by God despite evil.

Luke tells us to knock at the door. The Lord opens to us in our need and will never send anyone away empty. ‘He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty’ , not those who come knocking and are hungry(1:52). Into our empty hands the Lord will place a gift. Can we be sure that we will get something? Indeed. There are no tricks, no bad purpose. God does good like our parents, but Our Father will do good even beyond what we can count on from caring parents.

The Father will give us the Holy Spirit. This is something to look forward to as Luke’s Gospel and Acts continue. But as hearers of God’s Word we already posses this gift. So we can pray with praise, ‘Our Father in heaven, holy is your name’. May your kingdom come. Its fullness is with you now. May we who depend upon you for our daily bread, forgiveness and deliverance – gifts that bring us into personal dialogue with you – make your kingdom, this mystery of the presence of your love for us, present among all this day

 

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York.

 

Scripture:
Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
Luke 9:51-56

Reflection:
Many people go through so much pain and suffering that, like Job, they cry out, "Why was I born?"  Like Job they’ve had enough.  They are longing for death and for the peace they foresee will come after death.  They have no hope of things getting better.

Job didn’t know that things would get better for him, but eventually they did.  Job repented of all his complaining, "and the Lord restored the fortunes of Job." (Job 42:10)

Compare Job to our Sorrowful Mother.  She underwent excruciating pain on Calvary, watching her son suffer and die. The Thirteenth Station, the Pieta, reminds us of her great suffering.  Yet, unlike Job, Mary knew something.  Mary knew what St. Paul was to later proclaim, that "in everything God works for good with those who love him…" (Romans 8:28).  So Mary waited, and hoped, and hoped.  And Easter came!  "In everything God works for good…"

In our extremely tumultuous times, when it seems things can’t get much worse, we need a vision of hope. This hope was well stated by Mahatma Gandhi who said, "When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it–always."

This same hope was also expressed by J.R.R. Tolkein when he said, "All we do know, and that to a large extent by direct experience, is that evil labors with vast power and perpetual success – in vain: preparing always the soil for unexpected good to sprout in."

At times we may tempted to throw up our hands and say, "Enough.  Take me, Lord."  At that moment the Lord may reply, "It was for this that you were born.  I need you to be a beacon of hope for my people.  Let my light shine through you.  My power will prevail."  

 

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

 

 

Scripture:

Proverbs 30:5-9
Luke 9:1-6

 

 

 

Reflection:

Biggest Mistake of My Life

If I asked what the biggest mistake of your life was, doubtless all of us would have quite a story.   If we asked Holy Scripture the same question we would get a clear answer.   It would be not to welcome the Son of God into our life.  In today’s Gospel we hear: "And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." Luke 9:5  In other words if people reject Christ you don’t even want their dust on you because of the immense tragedy that will befall them and even where they live!

 

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

 

Scripture:

Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13
Luke 8:19-21

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus’ family comes to see Him, but the crowd around Jesus is so big they can’t get to Him. So Jesus is told that they are waiting for Him outside. Jesus’ response is not to stop everything to see them. Rather, He says something that probably caused the people there to wonder: "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it."

I can’t see Jesus as dismissing His blood relatives. But at the same time, He is saying that His love goes beyond blood relations. And perhaps He is telling us what it means to be in a relationship with Him. Perhaps another way to say this is to imagine Jesus saying to us, "Those who want to have an intimate relationship with me must really listen to what I say, and live their lives accordingly. You must be willing to act on the words I give you. You must be willing to love each other."

Like Jesus, we are to look beyond members of our family, or members of our church or group, or members of our country, and see our sisters and brothers everywhere. And seeing them thus is to lead us to action. As we hear in our first reading from Proverbs: "He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will himself also call and not be heard."

We need grace to see as Jesus sees, but we are not lacking in grace! For the One who looks on us with an incomprehensible love will give us what we need to "hear the word of God and act on it."

 

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 55:6-9
Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a
Matthew 20:1-16a

Reflection:

Last week I attended a meeting related to an initiative sponsored by the Brightmoor Pastors’ Alliance called "Present! In Brightmoor!" It’s an effort to increase school attendance in the neighborhood. The meeting was held with people from Southwest Solutions, which is also interested in helping schools. We had a great nationally known speaker, and the meeting was very good. It was held at the UAW local in Dearborn. Along the corridor were pictures of the UAW, mostly chronicling the struggles, which included some violence, to unionize Ford Motor Company. Last year, Michigan became a right-to-work state amid a lot of controversy, but Detroit is still probably considered a union town.

I write all this not to launch a debate about labor unions, but to note that if we read the parable that Jesus tells in Sunday’s Gospel reading (Matthew 20:1-16a) on a surface level, it might seem anti-labor. In the parable, a landowner hires workers for his vineyard at several times during the day, beginning at dawn, and ending more or less at dusk. The ones who were hired last got paid first, and received a whole day’s wages. When the ones who were hired first got the same pay they were upset with the landowner for not giving them more. After all, they worked all day, and the last group only worked an hour or so. The owner’s response might seem a bit harsh, or at least insensitive: "My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?" And then Jesus says, "Thus the last will be first, and the first will be last." Technically, the landowner is not cheating the first group, but to our ears, it still sounds unfair.

It would be unfair, I think, if Jesus was only talking about the labor practices of a landowner and people trying to earn a living. But Jesus is not talking about those things. He is talking about the "kingdom of heaven." If we think about the kingdom, we realize that there is no way we can earn our way in. Yes, we are called to work for the kingdom. Yes, we are called to serve God and others. Yes, we are called to follow Jesus. But I don’t see living out our vocation as Christian disciples as the way to get a spot in heaven. We do the work we do, and serve the people we serve, and follow Jesus, out of response to the love God has for us in Christ Jesus, not in order to earn it. This doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing. If I love God, I will serve Him, hoping to be with Him forever. If I love Him, but have no interest in serving Him or loving my neighbor (which is pretty much the same thing), then I might have to look at how much I really love Him and what I have really chosen in my life.

If we see the kingdom as being with God forever, would there really be different levels of eternal happiness? If I’m in the presence of a loving God for all eternity, would I really care if someone came after me or before me? I would just be happy to make it and join in their joy that they made it. Only human beings would try to come up with ways to lord it over others, even in heaven!

Look at St. Paul in our second reading from Philippians (1:20c-24, 27a). He writes, "For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit." Paul can hardly wait to be with Christ. There’s no mention of being first or last. He wants to enter the kingdom, but he chooses to do God’s will.          

May we be willing to work for the sake of the kingdom, and be ready when God calls us home.

 

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

 

Scripture:
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 8:1-3

Reflection:
Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities . . . Luke 8:1 – 2a

This week, we have been treated with some of the more memorable passages from the New Testament. Paul’s first letter to the newly formed faith community of the city of Corinth is a masterpiece of praise and gratitude, scolding and reprimands, instructions of what tears down community and what builds it up. He gives opinions and he gives doctrine. It is a timeless message written by someone whose heart is wounded by the wrong-doing of a people, the divisions that this has caused and whom he loves deeply and without condition.

The Gospels for this week are taken from the evangelist, St. Luke. They show a Jesus who is compassionate and caring, steadfast in his mission, lecturing when he needs to and forgiving when appropriate. The portrait of Jesus that St. Luke is painting for us is one that will help us understand the Jesus who will hang on the Cross, forgive his torturers, welcome the repentant thief and gently offer his spirit to his Loving Father as he dies.

Today’s Scriptures help us to deepen our insights into the person of Jesus, his mission while he was with us and a new formulation of what constitutes Good News for us now, as expressed by Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Jesus was an itinerant preacher. He proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of God. He had followers which included women who supported his mission. All of his followers were flawed. We know that the Apostles fought among themselves, one sold him out, another denied him, all doubted him and none understood his mission and message. The Apostles became great leaders, yes, even martyrs. The women were ordinary people who had had their problems and challenges. Yet, they overcame them when they encountered the forgiving Jesus. Their gratitude for this transformation led to their generosity.

In the first reading, Paul helps us understand that the Good News that Jesus preached is not just the Kingdom of God, but now also the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If we do not believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, then everything else we do, our faith, our sacraments and our life in community, is useless.

We are invited to sit with these insights that are imbedded in the Scriptures for today’s Mass. May we too be transformed and may we too be generous with God’s gifts!

 

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

 

Scripture:

Proverbs 3 : 27 – 34                       
Luke 8 : 16 – 18

Reflection

"This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine !
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine !"

 

There are times when we hear the scriptures proclaimed at our Eucharistic celebrations when we are overwhelmed with the profound theological insights  being revealed.  If we had the time, we might spend all day or even days reading commentaries and discussions by various theologians about the wonders of God being revealed to and for us. 

Today is not one of those days.  Today’s readings are profound in another way.  Proverbs and St. Luke ask us to keep our feet firmly planted in the realities of our lives and the wonder of our relationships with God and especially with one another.  These readings are profound in the sense that they provide guidance for the everyday living  we must do.  They are as down to earth as preparing lunch or weeding the garden.  Proverbs invites us to some common sense maxims for dealing with one another.  Who cannot identify with the encouragement to do good for another to whom we owe a favor when we are able to do it ?   Beyond that, Proverbs advises us not to put off doing the good thing when we actually have the means and  the time to do it now.  What is it the poet says : "Carpe diem", i.e. "Seize the day !!!"    Avoid starting fights with people with whom we have no quarrel.  Admire those who recognize and do good in life for these are the blessed of God.  Proverbs sounds simplistic but if we reflect on our humanity for a moment, we might discover a sneaky tendency to toss our pent up emotions onto someone completely innocent or we might find ourselves graving what seems to be the spoils of those who prosper even in the face of harmful choices and purposeful  hurt of others.  Proverbs addresses us today right where we live in the midst of everyday rough and tumble life.

St. Luke offers us continuing everyday direction.  Use the light of our life for what it was intended.  Let our light shine so that all will be seen.  Perhaps Jesus is addressing his followers with a profound yet simple dimension of life.  Pursue good deeds .  Pursue constructive and affirming relationships in life.  Pursue the mindset of the Lord Jesus as our own mindset.   When we do, we are taking the light of Christ that is within us from the moment of our baptism and placing it on the lamp stand so that all may see how wonderful is the way of life of the disciple of Jesus.  When the choices for goodness predominate in our lives and enlightens the world around us, then more of that goodness comes into being while choices toward darkness diminish the possibility of more.  Jesus is asking us to live as daughters and sons of the Light.

Both Proverbs and St. Luke’s gospel come from a different time, a different culture with different languages, customs, economies and mindsets.  Yet today’s scriptures offer profound advice that is timeless and every bit as down to earth and real for our lives today.   Live well with one another, choose to do good, and let your light shine before others giving the glory to God. 

 

Fr. Richard Burke, CP, is a member of St. Paul of the Cross Province and also serves on the Provincial Council of Holy Cross Province.  He lives at St. Ann’s Monastery in Scranton, Pennsylvania.