Daily Scripture

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.

 

Memorial of Saint Andrew Tae-gŏn
and Companions

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49
Luke 8:4-15

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew Tae-gŏn and Companions.  For many of us St. Andrew is a "new" saint, canonized by Pope Paul II.  Though new to the liturgical calendar, St. Andrew and his companions are fellow Christians that we need to know because they are powerful witnesses to living the Gospel in real life.

St. Andrew is tied closely to the foundation of Christianity in Korea.  He wasn’t the first Korean Christian by a long shot.  By the time he was born in 1821, Christianity had been growing in Korea for about fifty years.  It is believed that Christianity had been brought into Korea by some Christian Japanese soldiers in the latter part of the 18^th century.   The Christian Japanese soldiers baptized the first Korean Christians and the Christian community began to grow quickly.  By the time the first foreign priest arrived in Korea in 1836 there was already a substantial Christian community flourishing there.  It’s the only known Catholic Christian community that first developed completely from the witness and work of lay Christians.

The rulers in Korea were not at all pleased to have this foreign religion thriving in their country.  At first they just discouraged it but soon enough outlawed this practice and began to actively persecute anyone who took it up.  As Christians were arrested, tortured and put to death the Church quickly moved underground

St. Andrew’s parents, members of the Korean nobility, were an important part of that early community and secretly remained faithful to their life with Christ.  Andrew was baptized at fifteen and soon expressed his desire to become a priest.  He traveled to Macau to attend the seminary and was ordained in 1845.  He was the first Korean to become a priest and returned home shortly after his ordination to help organize the Church and bring the sacraments to the faithful.  He ministered in Korea only a year before he was arrested and put to death.

There were intense persecutions of Christians in Korea in 1839, 1846, 1866 and 1867 and 103 Christians were martyred for their faith.  We celebrate these heroic martyrs on this day.

May their faith and courage inspire us to live our lives faithful to the Gospel and have the strength to be fearless witness for Christ in our everyday lives.

 

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

 

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 7:36-50

Reflection:

Sometimes we need stories to see not just some truth or wisdom, but to see into our very souls.

Stories have a powerful force in life – they are one of the most ancient ways of expressing and handing on meaning and knowledge to others. They have a kind of transfixing power too – as most parents will testify – the power of those simple words "Once upon a time"  generally quietens the child (or as adults the child within us) and can transform a child from restlessness or resistance to a state of receptive listening and a surrender to fantasy.

As humanity has evolved we’ve certainly moved from fire side gatherings of the clan to listen to the elders tell us of the past, to printed stories that one could read to one’s self, to illustrated books and their successors – ‘motion pictures’. Now a new generation is entertained by reading or listening on devices like  Nintendo and eBooks, but the dynamic remains the same – we are made to listen.

We all need stories – even as adults our nights out to see a film or those at home to watch a DVD or an online streamed film are times we slip back into a child like state of where judgment is suspended, listening is enhanced and for just a moment we willingly re-enter a world of fantasy.  

Perhaps that’s the genius of a story – it sneaks under our guard and bypasses our normal sense of judgement and suspicion while travelling straight to the heart and to our emotions.

In the world of Jesus, story was a powerful teaching and preaching medium. He himself is well known for his story telling capacity and today we witness this teaching style of Jesus once more at work to reveal a truth and attempt to influence a heart.

So Jesus tells Simon a story, that unbeknownst to him, is actually one to illustrate his own lack of grace and manners. Simon readily identifies the correct path one should take whist it is disguised as the life experience of another, but in the real world he has failed to see his own inadequacies as a host.

But there is another lesson for Simon if he chooses to listen more deeply. Where Jesus has seen into the heart of the woman and recognised love at work, Simon has only looked upon the externals and seen a sinner. Where Jesus sees only love, Simon only sees a bad reputation. Where Jesus admits a person to a more intimate and loving dependence upon him Simon stays distant and critical.

This is the change called for in Simon. He is invited to move towards a stance that is closer to that of Jesus.

For us, the listeners today to this gospel story, we can take great comfort in the sure knowledge that  this is how Jesus looks upon us – he sees within to the levels of intention and desire not to the outer trappings and history of any failure or limitation of ours.

While we are faithful and we try our best, we know we are not always worthy, but if we love we can all confidently wait in hope and longing for Jesus to say to us also "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

 

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

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
Luke 7:31-35

Reflection:

The Greatest of These is Love.

Love is a choice. We make thousands of choices a day but most important decision we will make all day is the one to love.

As St. Paul says in his letter, "If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing." 

Love is the greatest of all things and is the force with which the world turns. 

However, the type of "love" that we see most often today is not the kind of love into which Christ calls us.  This type of love is an even exchange, 50/50. You should only love someone who can give you something in return. This kind of love leaves no room for human brokenness. The minute we falter, we become open to the fear that we will no longer be accepted. 

The love we are being called to in Christ is a selfless and inclusive love – a love that knows no bounds and is not "self-seeking". St. Paul gives us a list of the characteristics of love that we should strive to emulate. These are not just instructions for a married couple, but for all of humanity. This list shows a variety of ways we can exemplify this love: being kind, patient, and selfless; this kind of love never fails. 

Yes, we are human and our love is not perfect. That does not mean we should give up hope. We are called though to shine forth a facet of Christ’s light and love. To strive for the unconditional love that we are given every moment. In that intention is where we exemplify that love. Our greatest example of this kind love is Christ crucified where He poured out Himself for us. All things lead back to Christ, especially our love for one another. 

"There is no human love that is not broken somewhere. When our broken love is the only love we can have, we are easily thrown into despair, but when we can live our broken love as a partial reflection of God’s perfect, unconditional love, we can forgive one another our limitations and enjoy together the love we have to offer." – Henri Nouwen’s Bread for the Journey

 

Kim Valdez is a Pastoral Associate at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

 

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31a
Luke 7:11-17

Reflection:

Today’s first reading strikes me as a celebration of who we are to the Church like no other.

Each of us can probably think back to times in our lives when we felt unimportant or unneeded; perhaps our insecurities brought our self-worth into question and we wanted to simply fade away into the background and let others step in for us.

But today’s reading is a clarion call to each of us to treasure our participation and importance in the Church, in the living body of Christ, no matter what our gift is. We are enthusiastically invited to "drink of one Spirit" even while sharing our unique talents–from the gift of prophecy to an ability to teach to a talent for administration.

The incredible human body that God gives us is rich in its diverse abilities and functions. From a single cell to the complexity of our brain, nothing is wasted; no part is useless; every particle of our being has value to the whole. The living Body of Christ, into which we have been baptized, is similarly rich and diverse and complex-an amazing sum of its many parts that includes you and me.

Today we celebrate St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian, both powerful men of the early Church. Their contributions to the body of Christ are different than ours will be, of course, but St. Cyprian echoes the words of today’s reading: "God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one is the faith, and one is the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body."

Perhaps today we can remember how blessed we are to be so uniquely important to the Church while also experiencing the beautiful unity that is the Body of Christ.

 

Nancy Nickel is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.