Daily Scripture

Scripture:
Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3
Matthew 5:17-19

Reflection:
Consider the mystery of Yodh, the 10^th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  It is the one to which Jesus refers when he declares "…not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the Law until all things have taken place."

The "smallest letter" is Yodh.  And "the smallest part of a letter" is the tiny decorative spur at the top of the Yodh.

Jesus spoke those words right after delivering his Beatitudes during his Sermon on the Mount.  Whom did he proclaim the truly blessed?

Blessed are the poor in spirit; they who mourn; the meek; they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; the pure of heart; the peacemakers; the persecuted.

But this is crazy.  This isn’t what the world views as blessed.  What about the wealthy, the powerful, the mighty.  Jesus turns those values upside down, to the astonishment of the crowd.

Therein lies the mystery of Yodh – and the mystery of discipleship.

Yodh, the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, hangs suspended in midair.  After Jacob wrestled through the night with the Angel of God, the enigmatic visitor from heaven changed his name from Ya’akov to Yisrael.  And all that remains of his former name for all eternity is the tiny Yodh.  God chose Israel as his special people, not because they are great or mighty, but because they are the smallest of all the nations – just like Yodh.

So small, so insignificant is Yodh, and yet so special.  The rabbis tell us that God gave to Yodh alone the honor of being the first letter of the Divine Name, YHWH.

Reflect on the mystery of tiny Yodh and the words of Jesus become clear. Not the smallest letter or even its decorative spur will ever disappear from the "God Breathed" Word until all is fulfilled. In fact when heaven and earth are replaced by a new heaven and earth, the Word of the Lord will have accomplished its purpose and will be fulfilled in every detail even to the very letter.

And the God who makes this promise is the same God who will never forget the poor, the hungry and the persecuted.  On the contrary, they hold a special place in the Kingdom.  Why?  Because God delights in using the small, the weak, the insignificant to demonstrate his glory and power.  The Law and the Prophets – all Scripture – find their perfect fulfillment in Jesus.  And we, the weak, the broken and the struggling, stretching to embrace the seemingly unattainable Beatitudes, we too will find our perfect fulfillment in Jesus – just like Yodh.

 

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Pentecost Sunday

Scripture:

Acts 2:1-11
1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
John 20:19-23

Reflection:

Happy Birthday, Church!  Today is Pentecost — the day we celebrate the beginnings of our Church.  It is a day for us to honor the presence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church.  In the last few years, it has not been uncommon to hear people involved in our Churches bemoaning the diminishing numbers of people who practice their Faith.  And frequently we may feel discouraged and worried about the lack of fervor in ministries, devotions and service.  But look back to that first Pentecost of the Church.  The faithful followers who had been with Jesus throughout his public life were huddled together in the upper room, fearful and unsure of what to do next.   Ronald Rolheiser in his book, Sacred Fire, paints a vivid depiction of that upper room.  Rolheiser tells us that we should look at our churches and church meeting places today as the upper room.   And just as the Apostles gathered in the upper room, this is where we should gather together, continuing to be true, to show up, even though doubts may fill us and we may tremble with fear about the emptying of churches. 

So let’s keep in mind that our Church was started by a small group of people gathered together, huddled fearfully together in the upper room.  With a faith that had been shaken, they gathered and waited. "…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…"  It was only when the Spirit came upon them, that they were filled with fire to go out and share the Good News! 

Empty pews may sadden us, people walking away from the church may diminish us, families divided over religion certainly will hurt us, and our first reaction will probably be, "How can we fix this?"  However on this day, let us remember that it is not up to us to pick and choose when and how the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church.  This is part of Jesus’ promise to remain in us and we in him.  Rather it is our part to be open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.  Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with the fire of Your love!

 

Mary Lou Butler is a long-time friend and partner in ministry to the Passionists in California.

 

Scripture:

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
John 21:20-25

Reflection:
"When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.’" Jn 21: 21

Wouldn’t we all have less stress in our lives if we followed the advice that Jesus gave Peter today? If he were sending an email, he probably would have written, "MYOB!" (Mind your own business!) How often do we concern ourselves with things that are none of our business? Or how often do we offer advice before we’ve been asked for it?

I think our concern often comes from a sincere heart – we want everyone to be happy; or we want to solve someone’s problem; or we think that we know what’s best in a given situation. I know when our first son got married I wanted to "help" them set up house and when the first baby came, I wanted to "help" them as new parents. Meaning, I tried to tell them how I thought they should do things (because I wanted to share the "right" way). I even tried to show them a "better" way to change the baby’s diaper!

Fortunately for me, after a few bungled attempts and I’m sure some hurt feelings, the Holy Spirit gave me some good advice: "Don’t offer your opinion or help unless it’s asked for." It was really hard at first, (and I may still forget sometimes) but for the most part I’m living by the rule: zip my lips unless I’m asked. This advice is good for many situations… even evangelizing! (Or maybe especially evangelizing.)

We’ve all know the bible thumpers who try to cram Jesus down your throat, and it really doesn’t make you want to become a Christian. Scripture tells us: "Should anyone ask you the reason for this hope of yours, be ever ready to reply, but speak gently and respectfully." 1 Peter 3: 15-16

The secret is to wait until you are asked, then share away! Just be sure to ask the spirit to guide your words so that you will truly encourage and upbuild the person asking. In the meantime, we would be wise to follow the second part of Jesus’ advice to Peter, "You follow me."

 

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently wrote her first book: God Speaks to Ordinary People – Like You and Me. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].

Scripture:

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
John 17:20-26

Reflection:

"…so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me…"

Many of the teachings of Jesus, while sometimes challenging to follow (Love my neighbor? You mean that guy that just cut me off in rush hour traffic?), seem to make good sense. Caring for each other, holding God above all else in our lives, these are pretty reasonable requests of anyone choosing to follow a religious path in life. But this gospel… this is one of those, "Wait, what did he just say?!" gospels. 

It starts right at the beginning: "I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word." So right there, Jesus is praying specifically for you. For me. For any and all who read these words. Pause and consider the implications of this. The Son of God is asking his Father something for us. You have to pretty much figure that it’s going to be granted. 

And what is Jesus asking for us? "That they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us." I may be mistaken, but it sounds like He is asking that we have the same relationship with Him and the Father as They have with each other. And that we find that relationship in our relationships with each other. If this is true, who or what is keeping me from that relationship? God seems to want it.

Finally, there’s that line, "That they may be brought to perfection as one." Now, I don’t know about you, but after almost 60 years on this earth, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I am pretty far from being perfect. But when I looked up the original Greek that is translated as ‘brought to perfection,’ I found that it can also be rendered as ‘made whole,’ or ‘brought to completion.’ So another way to hear this is that without the relationship Jesus asks for us, we are incomplete. 

My prayer for today is that I get out of my own way and accept the relationship Jesus asks for me. That I find in that relationship a wholeness and completion with all those I meet today. May it be so.

 

Talib Huff is a volunteer and presenter at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

Acts 25:13b-21
John 21:15-19

Reflection:

I had to bring my car in for a recall. A few days after that, I received a survey from the dealership. Most of the questions were rather objective (Was the service person courteous; was the repair done correctly; etc.). At the end of the questionnaire were a few subjective questions (Do you love your Ford car?). I marked "Does Not Apply". It seemed those final questions were looking for someone the Ford Company could put in a commercial!

Jesus asked a question of Peter: "Do you love me?" We are familiar with this encounter. We know that the Gospels use three different Greek words for ‘love’. There is eros, which is a passionate, sensual love; philos, which indicates a deep friendship and affection; and agape, which carries the sense of a deeper love that goes beyond merely fascination. Agape is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest form of love in the bible and is the word the early Church used to describe God’s love.

In the exchange Jesus asked Peter twice if Peter loved (agape) him. Peter responded that he did love (philos) Jesus. In the third question Jesus asked if Peter loved (philos) him, and Peter said that he loved (philos) Jesus. We are listening to a Peter who has put aside his bravado. Peter learned the hard way what it means to love Jesus Christ. He had enthusiastically stated his unfailing love to Jesus more than once. His self-confident words proved to be nothing but empty words when facing a hostile state of affairs.

Peter could not offer Jesus agape, but he could offer philos. That was good enough for Jesus and so Jesus changed his word for love in the third exchange. If this is the level of love Peter could offer, that is what Jesus asked for. Jesus encounters us where we are and how we are.

Successful or a failure. Outgoing or shy. Acting from the heart or from the head. Relying on facts or going with hunches. Spontaneous or planning ahead. Extrovert, intuitive, feeling or perceptive. We each have our way of loving God. The Spirit did not wait for the eleven apostles to figure everything out; the Spirit didn’t wait until they all became one personality. The Spirit descended upon them, as they were… eleven unique people with their distinctive personalities.

The Holy Spirit comes into our lives no matter our degree of holiness. The Spirit is with us whether we are accomplished in the Christian way, not too faithful in following the Christian way or we are wondering what is the Christian way. Open the door and let the Spirit enter. The Spirit knows better than we do how to enter and where to enter. "Only God’s Spirit gives new life. The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever it wants" (John 3:8). The Spirit blows where it wants and will blow some fresh air into our lives.

 

Fr. Don Webber, C.P., is Provincial Superior of Holy Cross Province and resides in Chicago, Illinois.

 

 

Scripture:

Acts 20:28-38
John 17:11-19

 

 

Reflection:

More than "Good-Bye"

As summertime unfolds for those of us in the northern hemisphere, many of us will embark upon summer vacation trips of various lengths, perhaps visiting some relatives.  Some of us will move our home to a new residence; others will be on the "receiving end" of such comings and goings.  In each, there is a hello…and a good-bye.  Today’s Scriptures invite us:  What feelings do we convey in our good-byes?

Our two scripture readings relay some famous "good-byes":  the Acts of the Apostles has the apostle Paul saying good-bye to the Church at Ephesus which he had served for years.  He exhorts the leaders to be faithful shepherds, humbly serving the needs of the congregation:  "…keep watch…be vigilant…remember…"   In John’s Gospel selection, Jesus lets us in on his final prayer for his disciples, asking God to protect them from the evils of the world and to keep them united and joyful, praying that they be consecrated to the truth of God’s Word.  Truly, both readings challenge us and our human good byes.

Our good-byes can convey all sorts of feelings:  comfort, reassurance, encouragement, challenge, advice, forgiveness, love.  No doubt Jesus and the apostle Paul had those same feelings flowing from their hearts as they "moved on" in fulfilling God’s will in their lives.  Jesus’ good-bye prayer for his disciples reveals his distinct love for us all, and becomes a framework for the love relationships in our lives.

As we say our good-byes to the beauty of this recent Easter Season and look forward to the gift of the Holy Spirit this Pentecost, may we hear Jesus’ words addressed to us as 21^st century disciples:  "…may they share my joy completely…keep them from the Evil One…consecrate them in truth…."  Jesus’ love for each of us continues, and we are challenged to accept and witness and spread that love in our daily lives.  In a very real sense, our "good-byes" are transformed by Jesus into messages of joy and welcome.

To which we say:  Amen!  Alleluia!

 

Fr. John Schork, C.P. is the local leader of the Passionist community in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Scripture:

Acts 20:17-27
John 17:1-11a

Reflection:

"Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ." John 17:3

 

We can get a glimpse of heaven while we’re still here on earth, by knowing the Lord! When we come into relationship with Jesus, we learn about Him, and the Father who sent Him, and the Holy Spirit who indwells each of us. As we come to know the Trinity, we long for heaven, and to be with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

It’s so amazing to me that the God of the universe wants to walk with us every day! He wants us to share our lives with Him – the good times as well as our struggles and sorrows. He is for us, He is with us, He can be our biggest support and encourager if we will let Him.

I don’t know about you, but it’s very easy for me to get caught up in the things I think I have to do each day, and it’s easy to do that without including the Lord. But more and more, I’m trying to be aware of God’s presence with me as I go from task to task, stopping for a moment to notice Him, to thank Him and to enjoy His love.

When we let God’s peace reign in our hearts by being open to Him and by walking closely with Him, life is so much more fun and we can have stability when things get confusing or difficult. When we remember the glorious future that awaits us as believers, our days are colored with hope and that hope can spill out into the lives of those around us. Let God’s light shine through you by spending time with Him each day.

 

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently wrote her first book: God Speaks to Ordinary People – Like You and Me. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].

Scripture:

Acts 19: 1-8
John 16:29-33

Reflection:

In today’s readings we are treated to a truly dramatic scene in the growth of the Church under the power of God’s Holy Spirit.  In the first reading, we catch a glimpse of the dynamic power of the Spirit as it energizes the missionary outreach of the first Christian communities. 

It is a bit like reading the final chapter of the novel, to see how things are going to turn out.  Then, in the Gospel reading, we return to the dramatic ups and downs that brought about the powerful ending.

The reading from the Gospel of John shows us Jesus instructing the apostles at the last supper, shortly before he begins the saving sacrifice of his Passion. 

He speaks of their abandoning him, and of being scattered from one another.

They, like ourselves, are carried away by our dreams and ideals.  We lose sight of the other side of the coin of our mortality.  We also know moments of discouragement and outright failure.  But Jesus never closes the door to us, he never leaves us to sorrow about our self-deceptions.

Into this very short excerpt from John’s Gospel, Jesus speaks a word to the apostles that means healing and hope.  He tells them that they will have peace in Him.  (Jn 16:33).  It is a word that is becoming more and more a part of the pontificate of Pope Francis.  Following the Pope’s recent trip to the Holy Land, he surprised all by inviting the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to "his home" to pray for and talk about peace.  "I offer my home in the Vatican as a place for this encounter of prayer."

The more we can remember that it is the Spirit of God working in and through us, the more we will be a people of peace, a Church of peace, and citizens of peace.  Our homes will be, with Pope Francis, a Bet Shalom.

 

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