Daily Scripture

Memorial of the Guardian Angels

Scripture:

Job 19:21-27
Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Reflection:

What do we think of Angels in 2014?  Where do our notions of what Angels are and what they do come from?

While I was pondering of angels in preparing to write this reflection, I remembered how surprised a friend of mine was when taking a tour of Shakespeare’s Stratford-on-Avon, and the tour guide began to recite some of the many sayings which first saw the light in one of his plays.

To be, or not to be: that is the question.
For ever and a day.
Now is the winter of our discontent.
A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
Off with his head!
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.
But love is blind, and lovers cannot see.
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.
Et tu, Brute!
Beware the ides of March.
Out, damned spot! out, I say!
The game is up.

Even without our thinking consciously of it, the realm of literature sends us images and ideas that become part of our personal speech, if not beliefs.

So, quite naturally, I began to think of the many ways that Angels have been appropriated by motion picture producers to entitle films.  Here are some, in no order:

Charlie’s Angels; Angel on my Shoulder; The Blue Angel; The Trouble with Angels; Almost an Angel; Angels in the Outfield; City of Angels; Date with an Angel; and Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows. If we toss in some TV titles, we get another Charlie’s Angels, and Touched by an Angel, and simply Angel. 

Where do our ideas of Angels come from?  Are they only the fruit of media publicists and producers?

I am sure you can remember when you were young and your parents, perhaps your grandparents or a baby-sitter would lead you through night prayers, and you prayed to your Guardian Angel: Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here….

Today’s gospel has one of the texts that speaks directly of Angels, and how each member of the Body of Christ has one such advocate, who stands in the presence of our heavenly Father.

Although the passage read today seems to be speaking of little children and their Angels, in reality, only the first five verses speak of little children–paidion, and their "humility", i.e., their total dependence on their parents or family to survive in life-which becomes our total dependence on God for what sustains us for eternal life.  Then, taking into account the four verses omitted from today’s Gospel passage, Matthew has already changed the subject, and we are in a more sober and challenging lesson: how to avoid the eternal loss of God.  Matthew uses the expression "little ones"–micron, in verse 6 and in verse 10, not speaking of children anymore, but speaking of the disciples of Jesus.

Consequently, and it should be reassuring for us, we have not lost our Angel, Guardian or otherwise. Jesus speaks directly to the question, all of us are conversant with God in many ways, and one of those ways is by acknowledging the presence of our Angels before God. However, as messengers ("angel" equals "messenger"), they also challenge us to maintain our dialogue with God, whether in prayer, meditation, or scripture study.

There was a time when we invoked our Guardian Angels as we prepared to cross a busy, multi-lane street; or when we got into the family car to take a trip out of town.  Today we would do well to remember our Angels who gaze on the face of God, and tell us to do likewise.

 

Fr. Arthur Carrillo, C.P.  is the director of the Missions for Holy Cross Province.  He lives in Chicago, Illinois. 

Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux

Scripture:

Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Luke 9:57-62

Reflection:

Today is the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, ranked with St. Francis of Assisi as the most popular saint in history.   Therese led a quiet, cloistered life in the Carmel monastery of Lisieux, having entered the convent at the age of 15.  She was bright but never went to a university.  She barely traveled from her home, except for a brief pilgrimage to Rome where she boldly asked Pope Leo XIII permission to enter the Carmelites at such a young age (he told her to obey her superiors!).  Yet Therese has been declared the patron of missions and was named as a "Doctor of the Church" by Pope John Paul II! 

Although her life was lived in a small circle, Therese’s spirit enveloped the world.  She had a profound sense of God’s love for her and was filled with the awe of God’s majesty that embraced the universe. She desired with all her heart to be a missionary of God’s love to the world through her life of prayer and dedication.  Although surrounded by the sentimental piety of late 19^th century France, Therese was eminently practical and genuine.  Her famous "little way" emphasized that even the humble and ordinary tasks of life, done out of love, can be pleasing to God, a spirituality rooted in the gospel and the best of Catholic tradition.

The readings today were not selected specifically for the feast of St. Therese but their themes harmonize well with her spirituality.  The first reading is from one of the soliloquies of Job.  His friend Bildad has urged Job to ask God’s forgiveness since the calamities he is enduring must be a result of some evil done by Job.  The entire message of the book of Job is a rejection of this kind of theology.  Job knows that even the innocent suffer, a challenging mystery for faith.  In this passage from chapter 9, Job affirms his great respect for God’s majesty and power-the one who can "remove the mountains before they know it" and who "stretches out the heavens and treads upon the crests of the sea".  Yet this transcendent and all-powerful God is the very one that St. Therese knew also as a God of tender mercy and infinite love.

The reading from the Gospel of Luke underscores another dimension of Therese’s sanctity.  As Jesus and his disciples were on their journey to Jerusalem, several would-be disciples come forward.  One seems unaware that because of his mission the itinerant Jesus "has nowhere to rest his head."  Jesus summons another man to "follow me" but this would-be disciple wants first to bury his father-certainly a solemn obligation in Judaism but Jesus makes the point that no priority can come before the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.  Yet another candidate for discipleship declares he will follow Jesus but must first say farewell to his family.  Jesus again places commitment to the gospel above every other commitment, no matter how compelling.  "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

St. Therese embodied the profound commitment to following Jesus revealed in today’s Gospel.  The beauty of her life and teaching is that she showed how fidelity in everyday things done out of love can lead us to the Kingdom of God.  St. Therese, Little Flower, pray for us.

 

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

 

Scripture:

Ezekiel 18:25-28
Philippians 2:1-11
Matthew 21:28-32

Reflection:

We are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Philippians today that the model for a good Christian life should look like this:

          Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
                    Rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
                    Each looking out not for his own interests,
                    But also for those of others.

So, what is the path that Jesus calls us to trod with these words?!

It is easy to put money in the basket for the monthly St. Vincent de Paul collection, or bring food for the food pantry.  How much better would it be to challenge ourselves to take our good deeds one step further, maybe even two or three? We are all aware of the many needs all around the world. We cannot be expected to solve all the problems or make the world a better place overnight.

But, what about the needs of those closer to home?  In our families, parishes and communities?  Can we not ignore the unkempt appearance of the homeless person sitting on our church steps or outside of the grocery store, and instead offer them a chance to enjoy a home-cooked meal?!  How about sponsoring that family of five who cannot afford the parish school tuition cost thus enabling them to have a chance to get a good education?!

The holidays are coming and with that comes a plethora of opportunities to help others less fortunate than ourselves.  There is no shortage of help during this time for the needy. But what happens to those same needs when they come in January or May or July?  People don’t schedule to be homeless, sick, unemployed, etc. on a certain month or day!

Paul also reminds us that we must:

          Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.

We are not called to be Jesus, but we are called to be Christ- like in how we relate to our brothers and sisters who are having a rough time.  It’s amazing the difference we can make in changing our own attitude.  So often we settle for the easiest path, one that will be less messy or take the least amount of time.

If we are really serious about being a follower of Jesus, then it is time to throw away our agendas, conquer our fears and put those  ‘too busy’ attitudes aside.  Time to walk the walk instead of just talk the talk!  It has been said that all the promises in the world count for nothing if action does not follow.

We are challenged this day to put on Christ, to serve rather than being served.  Are you up for the challenge?!

 

Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
Luke 9:7-9

Reflection:

Today we join our Jewish brethren in celebrating Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year! Also known as the Yom Teruah or the Feast of Trumpets, it is believed to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of humanity’s role in God‘s world. What a wonderful way to celebrate our beginnings!

Today’s gospel text forms the meat of the sandwich formed by the sending out of the Twelve (9:1-6) and their return (9:10-17). In this instance, the twelve are sent on mission, the return is interrupted by the question of Herod and the event of the sending out of his disciples is continued and completed by their joyful return. Jesus shares his mission with the twelve and there is success! Their success is the result of their personal experience with Jesus – nothing more, nothing less. As news of their success reach Herod’s ears, he is perplexed! He wants to meet their leader – Jesus. Who is this guy? He is curious…he wants to know…he wants to meet Jesus. And eventually when he meets Jesus, he would scoff and have a cynical laugh.

"The story of Jesus Christ is the most powerful in history and has directly or indirectly influenced every noble aspect of modern civilization." says Matthew Kelly, in his popular book, ‘Rediscover Catholicism’.  "But amid the hustle and bustle of our daily lives", he continues "it is easy to become distracted and distance ourselves from this story." He speaks of people who come by and continue to remind us of this story of Jesus. "Some of these men and women are the saints who have become household names; others are just ordinary people: parents and grandparents, nurses and schoolteachers, financial advisers and entrepreneurs."

A lot of people out there are curious, perplexed, confused and in despair. They want to know and experience Jesus. May our lives proclaim the story of Jesus! May it bring fresh beginnings in the lives of people!

 

Fr. Bruno D’Souza, CP, is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

 

 

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.