Daily Scripture

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Scripture:

Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Matthew 16:13 -19

Reflection:

Today we celebrate two great men of the Church, Saints Peter and Paul. Two ordinary men, one a fisherman and the other a Pharisee and a tentmaker. Two ordinary men who recognized that God had called them to be something greater than they thought themselves to be. Two ordinary men who had courage to speak the truth that was spoken to them through Christ. They endured suffering through many hardships and trials for their words and actions and yet they kept on believing in the truth that dwelt in their hearts.

 “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church . . .” Mt 16:19

I have just returned from a trip to France, Spain, and Italy. The first stop was the city of Paris and the first landmark we visited was the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The cathedral was not open for visitors, but the outside was an architectural marvel. Standing in the place where the story of the people of Paris began was a great way to begin our travels. There would be other cathedrals and churches that my husband and I would visit along the way. Many had beautiful works of art depicting the life of Christ and the Saints in them, such as the cathedrals in Arles and Monaco, and the Papal Palace in Avignon. The last great cathedral on our trip was the Dumo in Milan. The third largest cathedral in Europe is the burial place of Saint Charles Borromeo who was the Archbishop of Milan from 1564 – 1584. There is also a simple but large wall monument to honor Saint Ambrose who was bishop of Milan from 374 – 397. In the Spirit of Saints Peter and Paul, they continued the mission of building the Church by leading the people into a deeper relationship with God. The beauty of these cathedrals, basilicas, and churches give praise to God as well as the people who come to pray and celebrate mass every day and on Sundays. If there were no great buildings the Church would still exist because the Church is more than brick and mortar, it is the People of God, Saints and sinners alike who continue what was begun over two thousand years ago.

All of us who are baptized in the Church are the Church. From the beginning it has always been about the people. The prayers of the Church are powerful, they may not always be answered the way we would like but they are still answered. Peter and Paul both put their faith and trust in the Church as they went about spreading the “Good News” They did not have an easy task with the many abuses they underwent as they preached, taught and baptized those who wanted to become disciples. On this feast we remember our two great saints who established the Church. Let us pray for our Church and world that God may send us the graces we need to proclaim the “Good News” and be the Church in our world today.

Linda Schork is a theology teacher at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

2 Kings 25:1-12
Matthew 8:1-4

Reflection:

In reflecting on our first reading from 2 Kings today, I felt as if I was watching the nightly news, reading the local paper, listening to the latest updates of life and death that surround us in our daily lives. The killing of Zedekiah and his sons, the pillaging and destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the persecution of its inhabitants made me very sad!  War continues to go on in the Ukraine, Gaza, Syria to name just a few places on a national level. Senseless shootings, negative rhetoric, poverty, homelessness and so many forms of abuse are daily occurrences for so many in our cities and neighborhoods.  It makes me very sad!

I am sure I am not the only one who is experiencing this deep sense of sadness and frustration!  How do we as faithful believers in a God of peace and justice work to overcome evil with goodness, hate with love, apathy with understanding and unbelief with faith?!  For me, I can only let this feeling of sadness consume me for a short time before I focus on how to combat the sadness with a sense of joy and hope.  Recently, we participated in the Poor Peoples Campaign, whose focus is to bring awareness to the greater community that poverty is the 4^th leading cause of death in our modern world.  It brought joy to my heart to be a part of this larger group of people of all ages, denominations and cultures who came together at our state Capital to share ways to combat this evil and bring about a lasting justice.  Sadness was replaced by hope in a small way that day!

Jesus gives us another example of how we can turn sadness into hope and joy as found in the gospel today.  We know Jesus spent his time here on earth preaching the good news, curing the sick, challenging the status quo, serving the helpless and downtrodden, to name just a few ways he sought to grow the kingdom of God here on earth! Jesus saw the leper who came to him asking to be cured as a person of faith who believed in the good news.  Lepers in Jesus’ time were seen as worthless trash, sinners of the worst kind and shunned by all.  Jesus was able to see beyond how society saw this person and recognized him for the inherently good person that he was.  How do we treat the lepers in our society?  This is a challenge for us who find ourselves in the midst of so much chaos and sadness.  How do we bring hope and joy out of the pervasive sadness that engulfs us at times?  If we are who we profess to be, people of the gospel, living the good news and calling others to do the same, then, aren’t we called to see the lepers of our time as Jesus saw the leper in the gospel passage today?!  There are many ways to do this if we remain open to the spirit guiding our way.  I was invited recently to join a ministry team who visit the women’s prison in our area.  We go once a month to pray and listen to our incarcerated sisters.  It is an eye-opening and humbling experience for me each time I go.  I am overwhelmed by the courage and hope of these women as they face daily what could be seen as hopelessness and despair.  It gives me joy to pray with them and listen to their highs and lows.  

I was relating to my two young grandchildren about this prison ministry recently and they were dumbfounded and confused about why I would visit bad people in prison!  It was one of those teachable moments we have every once in awhile with our young ones!  I explained that oftentimes people are in prison because they have done something bad, but that doesn’t make them a bad person.  Furthermore, they are worthy of our prayers and mercy and presence.  I like to think that this is something we all need to remember when the sadness of the world overwhelms us.  Mother Teresa said, “We aren’t called to do big things, just little things with great love.”  Amen.

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

Scripture:

2 Kings 22:8-13, 23:1-3
Matthew 7:15-20

Reflection:

Today’s gospel selection from Matthew (7:15-20) could not be more timely for us living in the United States and having to endure the caustic rhetoric that comes with what now seems to be forever political campaigns. Indeed, tomorrow the two major party presidential candidates will be together on a stage in Atlanta. Could this scripture reading provide a helpful context for that event?

Jesus said to his disciples:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.

Our commitment to living a faith-filled life is not a private affair. We live in community. We live and work within a society full of differences that matter far less than what unites us as the beloved of God. The differences should delight us, revealing the marvelous facets of God’s love. We should engage in public discourse and the political process to help each other and grow into our better selves.

When I was teaching high school boys, we wanted them to enthusiastically cheer on our teams. But we had to help them learn that we weren’t going to make ourselves better by belittling the other team or school. We can be fiercely proud without disparaging the opponent. We are better than that. We can disagree without being disagreeable. We can argue and still be friends. By the fruits, you will know them. Look for the fruit.

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and was the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

2 Kings 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36
Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Reflection:

“Blessed Be the Name of the Lord”

Years ago, when one of my sisters-in-law celebrated her fiftieth birthday, she told me that a “good day” was when she awakened in the morning… and nothing hurt!  As we age, the limitations of physical mobility, painful joints, and memory loss can seem challenging to our peaceful, spiritual lives.

Sacred Scripture tells us that aging is a normal part of the life cycle, but among the most distressing aspects of growing old—especially in cultures like ours that set a high value on “living for the moment,” youthful vitality and appearance, and rugged individualism — is our need to depend on others.

In recent years, several Catholics have helped us immensely by narrating their experience, teaching us how to live well, but also how to die well. I think of Chicago’s Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, whose book, The Gift of Peace, empowers us with his vulnerability and honesty. And more recently, Boston College Theologian, Richard Gaillardetz’s book, While I Breathe, I Hope, explores the fears and doubts, joys and sufferings, and the graces and blessings Rick encountered along his final journey with pancreatic cancer.

Like any experience of suffering and the Cross, embracing the limitations of growing old might lead us to either of two options: anger and resentment, or a peaceful acceptance. Jesuit Cardinal Avery Dulles said it well as he faced a recurrence of polio, leaving him unable to speak, yet his mind unaffected. “As I become increasingly paralyzed, I can identify with the many paralyzed and mute persons in the Gospels. If the Lord now calls me to a period of weakness, I know well that his power can be made perfect in infirmity. ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord!’”

After comforting countless people as an emergency room chaplain for forty years at Lutheran General Hospital, Passionist Fr. Frank Keenan continued his ministry of compassion at St. Benedict’s Nursing Home — always with a smile —after suffering a debilitating stroke.

Fr. Jack Conley, CP, is the local superior of St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois.

Nativity of St. John the Baptist

Scripture:

Isaiah 49:1-6
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80

Reflection:

“John is his name.” Today, we remember the birth of St John the Baptist.  Admittedly, the Scriptures present him as rather threatening, but his name in Hebrew means Yahweh (God) is gracious!  The word gracious in Hebrew is ḥānan which means kindness with compassion!  In fact God is Self described in Exodus 34:4 “a merciful racham(compassionate) and very generous (ḥānan)!   The phrase rhymes in Hebrew, racham and ḥānan 

 John the Baptist had to be forceful in waking up his generation to the incredible act of love and kindness from the Father!  John’s mission was to prepare the people for the greatest event ever to happen in the cosmos “the Word was made Flesh”!   “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.” JN 3:16

Another St John wrote passionately: “¹¹He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. ¹²But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God^” John 1:11

The greatest tragedy of our lives is not to receive and appreciate this enormous gift of Jesus from our Father in Heaven.   So many parents today who by not practicing their faith do irreparable hurt and loss to their children.   I can think of no other child abuse that is worse than this!  We must prayerfully and intensely encourage young parents to be faithful in example and instruction to their children.  I never saw my parents miss Mass on Sunday except for illness.  

Married couples have the power to have children.  What a beautiful opportunity!  I think many today can easily rationalize about not having more children!  What an awesome thing to do!  To give life with God to a human being that is destined to live forever!   Wow!

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

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading for Sunday (Mark 4:35-41), Jesus is with His disciples in a boat. A “violent squall” comes up, and the waves are crashing over the boat, filling it up. While this is going on, Jesus is asleep. The disciples, afraid for their lives, come to wake Jesus up, saying, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Then Jesus says to the wind and the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then everything is calm. But Jesus is not done. He says to the disciples, “Why are you terrified? Do you not have faith?”

There are times when we can feel the same as the disciples felt. We may be going through a crisis, or we may feel overwhelmed by what is going on in our world, and God doesn’t seem to be found. God hasn’t seen fit to intervene. And in our lament, we may ask, “God, don’t you care about what’s happening?”

I believe, as so many saints in the past have believed, that God does care, even though we may not feel anything. For me, the miracle Jesus was trying to do was not so much calming the storm, but calming the fears of His disciples. I can imagine Him saying, “Why are you terrified? Don’t you know I am with you? Do you not have faith in me?”

Can we put our trust in Jesus, even when storms are raging, and chaos seems to reign? It is seldom easy to have that kind of trust. But we are called to trust in the love of God in Jesus Christ. And in the midst of storms and chaos, we are called to share that love with others.

In our second reading (2 Corinthians 5:14-17), St. Paul writes: “The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all.” Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P., has shared with me that the word “impels” in this case means something like being in the grips of; being caught up in, something. Maybe another way to put it is, “The love of Christ consumes us.”

If we can let the love of Christ overtake us, we can let go of fear, and not only fear, but despair and bitterness and prejudice and, on the other end of the spectrum, so to speak, greed and apathy and indifference. There are implications from this in regard to how we treat others. St. Paul writes, “Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh.” For me, that means we regard no one according to appearances or prejudice or conventional wisdom. Following the ways of the world, we are tempted to either see others as enemies, or as things to be exploited for our benefit. Jesus calls us to something different. He calls us to see others as he sees them: as beloved of God.

May we let the love of Jesus for us calm our fears and impel us to love and serve each other and the world.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

“Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” -Matthew 6:34

Most of us live anxious lives. We seem to thrive on anxiety. We worry about the past, the things we have said to others and how we treated others. We worry about the present. We worry if we are doing the right thing, or if we are offending someone we love, or whether we are coming across too strong or too weak, too upfront or too timid, or any countless number of things that we have to deal with each day of our life. Most of all, we tend to worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow has so many possibilities, so many promises, and so many expectations. We worry because we are afraid that we will make the wrong choices or we will be humiliated before our friends and neighbors. In the United States, some studies show that anxiety is the number one stressor in our lives!

When Jesus is telling us not to worry about our life, or what we are to eat or drink or what we are to wear, he realizes that we are going to have a tremendous difficulty following his advice. But he also gives us the cause for our anxiety and the path to live a life free of all these worries that we so easily take on day after day. We can live a life of faith that relies on God and God’s Providence or we can pretend that we are in charge of life and all of its overwhelming demands that come our way.

Because God has gifted us with the freedom to make choices, we sometimes jump to the conclusion that this is an absolute gift. We sometimes do not recognize that this gift of making choices is to be used within the context of our own lives and human limitations. When God made us responsible for our own lives, God made us responsible for our own decisions and actions, for the choices to grow in the grace of God. God did not put us in charge of the Universe and of other human beings. When we over-reach our sense of power and control, we soon find ourselves in situations that cause us anxiety and worry. So, from the very beginning, we have a choice. We can choose God and God’s Providence or we can choose our pretense that we are in charge of God, the World and everything that happens in the World.

Today’s Gospel also helps us recognize that the greatest remedy to anxiety is faith in God and God’s Providence. This does not mean that we are to abandon the gift of the freedom to choose what is right and to do what is good. This freedom to choose is what will lead us to Everlasting Life, with the Grace of God. So, what does God require of us? The prophet Micah (6:8) sums up in this way: “You have been told what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

When all things are said and done, there is no reason for us to be anxious about tomorrow!

Fr. Clemente Barron, C.P., is the local superior of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California.