Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
John 6:51-58

Reflection:

As leaders we have our "rituals and rites" so as to remain in touch with the Inner Life that directs us and keeps us buoyant.

In the Catholic Tradition we have two "rituals or rites" that stand out as reminders that Jesus Christ, the Son of God is present in our reality and, is able to direct us, if we so choose.

The first, and central rite of our faith, is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Oh, there is such a hunger for real, honest-to-goodness unity amidst great diversity in the city of Birmingham. We "feel" it in the school with a variety of faiths, (Christian, Islamic, or, none at all). We are slowly becoming more diverse with the welcoming of our Hispanic brothers and sisters here.

But the hunger comes from being deprived of a welcoming environment in so many parts of our city that surrounds the school. Many people do not understand the plights of their neighbors, nor really care. Each time we, as a school body gather around the altar at Holy Family Church across the street, graces, power and energy flow from that table which help us become more and more, "at-one" with each other.  Granted, our senses do not perceive what the bread and wine truly are, Christ’s Body and Blood, but this spiritual food nourishes us in ways of which we are not even aware. It is called mystery, known only through revelation from God, and revealed in God’s own time.

The second ritual is the Sign of the Cross, that is, blessing oneself with our right hand, first on the forehead ("In the Name of the Father"), then upon the heart, ("and of the Son,"), then the left shoulder, ("and of the Holy Spirit"), and, finally the right shoulder ("AMEN," "So be it"). Why make the sign of the cross? It is a reminder that God is always present. It renews our baptism as members of the Body of Christ. It grants us the power of God’s name, we are reminded of the new life that has been given to us through His Death and Resurrection. We remind ourselves that we serve, daily, with sacrifice, as we take up our cross. It commits our whole being, giving our mind (Father), heart (Son), and daily labors (Holy Spirit) to God. This is not to mention that we show our faith in God’s presence, publicly, when we make this sign of the cross. This is not magic. I am not sure what happens when our athletes hit grand slam home runs, or score the buzzer-beating last shot in basketball and then point to the sky (heaven? divine intervention?) and then make that sign of the cross. It is pure mystery, which means surrendering to the Will and activity of God.

We are hosting all of our new 9th graders in an Academic Bridge Program this week. It is so wonderful to see another generation of students be transformed within the Body of Christ, to be shaped and guided toward their purpose for being on this planet. Blessings from the Altar of Sacrifice and the Sign of the Cross.

(Segments of this blog, are taken from AIM Magazine, Vol. 46, No. 3)

 

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Scripture:

2 Chronicles 24:17-25
Matthew 6:24-34

Reflection:

Most of us, presumably, have occasion to visit an ophthalmologist or optician, if not frequently, at least occasionally.  Such visits are occasioned by some concern about our vision or eyesight.  We’re not seeing quite as well as we used to, or, at least, not as well as we would like.

This sensitivity to vision is an issue in our biblical readings today, accompanying the Eucharistic liturgy that is assigned.  It is sadly displayed in the saga of the Jewish king Joash.  He was just one in a long series of Jewish kings who left much to be desired.  So the story depicted here is, yet again, an account of his countenancing and likely fostering the apostasy of the Jews under his rulership, away from the worship of the true God (of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), and toward the "asherahs and the idols".  This was another dismal mistake on the part of the Jews, because it led to their punishment at the hands of an invading army of Arameans, who overran them and inflicted great losses on them.

The central issue here seems to be eyesight, or vision of what is happening.  At a younger age King Joash "did what was right in the Lord’s sight", thanks to the guidance he received from the priest Jehoiada.  But when Jehoiada died, things went downhill, with idol worship and even murder ensuing.  And this occurred despite prophets sent them to turn them back to the Lord.  And they suffered the consequences.  It was a matter of vision, of spiritual eyesight, made available to the king and his people by Jehoiada and these prophets, but not taken advantage of.  The Jews neglected the helps that were near at hand.

The same kind of situation is proposed today by Jesus in His exhortation to depend on God.  Jesus notes how so often we fret about the necessities of life, like food, drink or clothing.  The gist of His response to such concerns centers on vision again: what do we see?  Have we observed the birds of the air, how they make little provision for a food supply, yet do not succumb to starvation.  Or what about the flowers of the field: have we noticed how they bloom and blossom into beautiful colors despite a short life span?  Yet God sees to it that they survive to beautify our lives.

Again, it’s a matter of observation, of vision.  Can we not take note of the various life forms around ourselves: how they thrive and prosper without undergoing loss or injury as they do so?  We need to improve our eyesight.  St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the young Jesuit scholastic whose memorial we recall today, was gifted with this power of observation.   He noted the relatively new and thriving Jesuit community, and decided that he wanted to cast his lot with them.  He saw that the wealth and social status available to him from his wealthy family and his proximity to regal surroundings was not what he wanted for the remainder of his life.  Rather, the Jesuits offered him a vision of a life that he judged far superior to what he was currently enjoying.  It was a question of seeing with the improved eyesight available to him from his faith.  Faith enhanced his vision.  It was the lack of such faith that doomed the kingship of Joash.  May God help us see and appreciate, as did St. Aloysius.

 

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

Scripture:

2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20
Matthew 6:19-23

Reflection:

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not store up for yourselves treaasures on earth, where moth and decay destroys, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroy, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Sometimes I’m jealous of my daughter Julie’s vocation. I know, "the grass is always greener", but when I consider her vow of poverty, it’s very attractive to me. Material possessions don’t get in the way for her. She isn’t storing up any earthly treasures, only heavenly ones! I look around my house, and it’s hard to even know where to begin to simplify. So many special books, kids toys, knick-knacks (Hummels and the like), quilt tops from great-grandma’s, movies, sporting equipment, and the list goes on and on. I thought my kids would want some of this stuff, but now I don’t think that’s the case.

Not only do we own a bunch of stuff, but we have to take care of it! Getting close to 60, it’s only right that I should want to start getting rid of things. Besides being emotionally attached to some of it, I want to sell it at a decent price, but with today’s market, that’s probably not going to happen. Jim hasn’t had a paycheck for two months, so it’s tempting to look at this as an opportunity to make a little money and help out. But considering the time and effort it will take to sell it, I find myself praying about simply giving it all away.

Maybe the quilt tops could go to the church group that makes quilts for the bazaar each year or to a historical society; maybe the books could go to different schools for their libraries; and maybe some of the toys could go to a homeless shelter? Please pray with me that I figure out what the Lord wants me to do and then do it! I love the idea I heard somewhere of "holding all things loosely." Lord, help me hold on to the most important things – my faith and relationships – and be willing to let go of the rest, knowing that You will "provide for all of our needs according to your riches in glory." (Philippians 4:19)

 

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, Oregon and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. Janice also leads women’s retreats. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.jcarleton.com/ or email her at mailto:janice@frcedric/org

 

 

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 7:6-11
1 John 4:7-16
Matthew 11:25-30

 

 

Reflection:

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee.

In a wonderful book entitled, Broken Covenant, author Robert Bellah parallels the pilgrims’ crossing of the Atlantic Ocean with Israel’s crossing the Red Sea. America, like Canaan, was not uninhabited when our ancestors first arrived on these shores. Like the Canaanites (Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, et al.), native American Indians were rich in their myths and elaborate rituals. Bellah further draws the parallel of ancient Israel and America by saying that both "imperialists" felt that they were God’s "Chosen People," but America will never really be healed until it is acknowledged that our nation was formed on the brutal annihilation of two other cultures, the Native American and the African American.

These are harsh words, but are not our readings for this Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus also exacting?

It was not because you are the largest of all nations
that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you,
for you are really the smallest of all nations. (Deut.7)

…although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones. (Matt. 11)

Today’s feast is about God’s love for all people. Maybe to grow in holiness means I am less self-centered and more God-centered. Do you remember geography class when you were a child? The world map depicted the United States in the center of the page, and the former Soviet Union split on the edges! Or the bumper stickers we continue to display: God Bless America!  "Me first" is low-level religion, and today’s adult believer is edging toward a more collaborative tenor of networking with others.

Pope Francis repeatedly reminds us of God’s preferential option for the poor – for the little ones – as Jesus says. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee.

 

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:

1 Kings 21:17-29
Matthew 5:43-48

Reflection:

The whole Sermon on the Mount leads up to the most radical command of Jesus: "love your enemies".  Love Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Osama bin Laden, the attackers of 9/11, the Taliban?  Is Jesus crazy?  How loving is God toward King Ahab when Elijah pronounces God’s judgment that dogs will lick the blood of his wife and children in streets of Samaria? What kind of love is Jesus talking about?

While we have one word for love, the Greek language has four: love for family members, love and attraction for someone of the opposite sex, love of friendship, and finally unconquerable benevolence and good will. It is the latter kind of love that Jesus requires of us for the Greek word Matthew uses is agape to convey Jesus’ meaning.

The first three kind of love are very well known and experienced by us. The reality of these loves is relational. We give and receive. We embrace and enjoy the other person’s presence. We love and are loved in return. There is a warm feeling and joy that pervade our whole being when we are with the other. This is the love of the heart. Jesus notes that tax collectors and pagans are capable of the first three kinds of love.

What does agape call us to? It calls us to an unconditional regard and respect for every human being and to desire nothing for the other person except his or her highest good. In practical terms Jesus put it this way: "pray for those who persecute you". Implied in this stance is to refrain from bitterness in our hearts no matter how someone has treated us, insulted us, injured us or grieved us. Agape requires a great act of the will. We cannot do this unless Jesus and his Spirit help us.

Finally if we allow Jesus to live in us and inform our lives we have a chance to be perfect. The root meaning of the Greek word is to be fulfilled or completed. We say today: "Be all that you can be."  It is the "heavenly Father" that calls us and enables us to reach the purpose or end for which we were created.

While this reflection seems abstract if we look at our everyday lives we feel how radical it is to take the agape stance in all our actions.

 

Fr. Mike Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

1 Kings 21:1-16
Matthew 5:38-42

Reflection:

Jesus challenges us in the Gospel to "turn the other cheek."  He even challenges us with, "Love your enemies."  

 

It is so disappointing to hear Naboth’s wife, Jezebel, set up her husband to be killed by Ahab.  Standing or sitting with a heart filled with anger while reading or listening to this incident would be quite a natural reaction.

It is sad to say that we are finding more and more concern for what we today call "bullying."  How sad to hear or read about kids being picked on, beaten up, and made fun of.  And all of this to give the people who do the bullying a sense of power. 

Sense of power?  Isn’t it rather a false sense of power?  The idea is to pick on the weaker to end up looking great in one area of one’s life.  It becomes a cover up for areas that the bully dare not let anybody see.

Love your enemy…the bully?  That would allow him/her to remove the mask that covers up that area of their life that they cannot or will not deal with.  But that acceptance has to come from within the heart and mind of the bully.  Oh, for a friend that will love him/her.

Listen to St.Paul: "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous, but does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act selfishly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hope all things, endures all things; love never fails." (I Cor 13: 4-12)

Honesty and justice has to be present to deal with untruths and injustice.  That may have to come sometimes from the law in the form of incarceration.  That would be hell on earth as a person now will be watched and prevented from injuring another.  Tough stuff to help a tough individual come to the truth.  But there is hope, there is a way.

You and I need to pray for our enemies.  It can free us to see the whole individual and realize that there are black areas of our lives that we will not allow anybody to see.  Black areas can be caused early in our lives and never be dealt with.  Many black areas have never had an opportunity to be shared for fear of being taunted and ridiculed.

Love your enemies.  The truth will set them free, if they are willing.  May the truth begin with me.

 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. lives at St. Paul of the Cross Community, Detroit, Michigan.

The Most Holy Trinity

Scripture:

Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
John 3:16-18

Reflection:

Where I live, Detroit, there is major construction work being done on Interstate 96, just west of St. Paul’s. It was decided that the interstate would be completely closed on the stretch that they were working on so that the job would be completed more quickly. There is work not only on the road itself, but on the bridges that cross over the highway. To look at the work is pretty amazing. This came to me as I was reflecting on our second reading for today, Trinity Sunday. That reading is from 2 Corinthians, and St. Paul writes, "Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you."

Usually, "mend your ways" is an exhortation to reform our lives and turn away from the bad things that we do. But thinking about the road work, and the rest of the Scripture passage led me to understand those words in a different way. After St. Paul exhorts the community to mend their ways, he also writes, "encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace…" When we look at the state of politics in our country, or the seemingly endless conflicts around the world, encouraging and agreeing with each other seems totally out of reach. It seems to me, then, that we are called to "mend" the ways of communication with each other. Through social media, we have ways to keep in contact with people all over the world, and yet, we have trouble listening to each other when it comes to some of the important issues of our day. It seems rather easy to judge and condemn and dismiss those who disagree. There doesn’t even seem to be a desire to agree, much less come to some consensus.

Is it possible to mend the ways we communicate with each other? As St. Paul writes, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. We can mend our ways if we follow the ways of the Trinity. Our doctrine of the Trinity states that we believe that God is Three Persons in One God. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We can somehow distinguish the Three Persons, but they are inseparable from each other. I always like to think of God as a Supreme Being of Relationship and Love. God has always communicated to us in love. Even when we read the Old Testament and it seems to us that God is punitive and harsh, there is always love behind everything that God does. He may let us suffer the consequences of our actions, but He always provides a way for us to come back to Him.

God chose to love outside of Himself. God chose to love us into being. And when we strayed from that love (God has never stopped loving us!), prophets and judges were sent to us to put us back on the right track, until the time when the Father sent the Son into the world by the Holy Spirit. In our Gospel reading from John, we have that oh-so-familiar verse: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." And the next verse says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him." God has also revealed His love in the Holy Spirit, who is our Comforter and guide. The Holy Spirit may urge us and even push us, but the Spirit does not force us.

The ways of the Trinity are not condemnation and domination. How has God revealed God’s self to us except by a total gift of self? How has God communicated to us except by love and sacrifice? When we refuse to listen, or seek to condemn, whether we are at home or work or school, or on the bigger stages of politics and world affairs, there is no giving, there is no love, but only a desire to subjugate others to our will.

As our country celebrates the gift of our fathers on Father’s Day, may we follow the ways of the Trinity. May we share love and make peace. And may "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit" be with all of us today.

 

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Matthew 5:33-37

Reflection

"Let your ‘Yes’ mean "Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’." Jesus demands of his disciples a radical honesty and straightforwardness. He is taking the wiggle room away from us. We like to shade things to make ourselves look better or to soften the hard truth. We often call these white lies. Throughout the "Sermon on the Mount" Matthew has collected the teachings of Jesus that call his followers to a higher standard of living and relating to one another than is customary. These four verses have that perspective. In recalling this teaching of Jesus Matthew says that the Christian community should expect that every member is true to his or her word. Often friends will seal a decision or a business deal with a simple handshake. Matthew implies that should be the norm. Our word is our bond.  What we commit ourselves to we accomplish. Is this asking too much? Maybe it is if we do not take into account the grace of God. This leads us to the Apostle Paul.

So we have the key to the higher norms of action and relating to one another that is laid out for us in the Sermon on the Mount. It is the Spirit of Christ within us that makes it possible to do the impossible. 

   

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.