Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Romans 6:12-18
Luke 12:39-48

Reflection:

During one of my talks during the retreat weekend, I reflect on the fact that forgiveness is one of the hardest things we are called to do as Christians. Being humble may be another. After telling the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Sunday’s Gospel reading (Luke 18: 9-14), Jesus says, "I tell you, the latter [the tax collector] went home justified, not the former [the Pharisee]; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Even with a promise like that, it seems that we struggle mightily with humbling ourselves. Perhaps we struggle with humility simply because we just don’t like it!

But if we remember what our faith tells us about God, and about what Jesus did for our salvation, and how the Holy Spirit enables us to follow Jesus and do God’s will, it seems fairly obvious that humility is a most appropriate attitude to have. When we remember that it is by God’s grace that we can do the good that we do, what else can we be but humble?

A sense of humility helps us understand ourselves and our world. When we look at the beauty of creation and the vastness of the universe, we recognize that the universe did not come about by something we did. We also realize that creation is not something for us to conquer, but to respect, and to care for. While we are called to nurture the gift of creativity within us, and to help build up the kingdom, it is not as rulers or destroyers, but as servants. When we witness the miracle of life when a child is born, or when an elderly person continues to give of him or herself, we know that we are called to promote life and not death.

When we experience success, we recognize that the gifts that we use to achieve that success have not come from us, but are gifts from God, and so we are to share the fruits of our success with others. There are some who say that sharing our success with others causes them to be less motivated to achieve success themselves. But when we are humble enough to realize that all is gift, we see that we are to give in return.

When we experience failure, that is often the time when we can finally accept the help that we need. When we are able to confront our own sin, that is when we let God in, and find out that He can and will lift us up! Jesus died and rose again to free us from the power of sin! The Pharisee’s sin was not that he fasted and tithed. His sin was his refusal to see his sin while looking down on others. Addicts in recovery often talk about the time they hit "rock bottom," and surrendered to their Higher Power, Who enabled them to get clean and sober, and help others who were still suffering.

We need to remember that humility is not the same as humiliation, in the way we commonly understand that word. Being humble does not require that we accept injustice. We are called to bear our crosses when they come, but we are also called to help alleviate the suffering of others. As Sirach points out in our first reading (Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18), "Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed."

We also need to remember that humility is not the same as false modesty of lack of self-love. In our second reading from 2 Timothy (4:6-8, 16-18), St. Paul writes: "I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day…"  There are times when I feel that Paul is bragging as much as the Pharisee in the parable! But he is only speaking the truth. Throughout his letters we see his reliance on the mercy and grace of God, acknowledging his past sins. But like him, we cannot let false modesty or lack of self-love enter in, because we have things to do, such as proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ (not the Good News of Phil, by the way).

Humbling ourselves before God leads us to gratitude, generosity, and service. May we let God in, accept His love, and do His will.

 

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

Scripture:

Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21
Luke 12"35-38

Reflection:

"Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival." Luke 12:37

I’m always amazed that people can spend so much time and effort trying to figure out when the world is going to end; when Jesus will come back to usher us all into eternity. Especially since scripture tells us that "No one knows the day or the hour." In reality it doesn’t matter, because He could come today for any one of us! The question is not when He will come back, but are we ready?

What are some of the things we might need to do to be ready? The first most obvious question seems to be, are you right with God? Do you have any unconfessed sin that you are ashamed to confess? What is keeping you from drawing close to His Sacred Heart and letting Him love you back to wholeness? How about forgiveness? Is there someone you need to forgive but you don’t see how you could ever forgive them? Let Jesus help you so that He can forgive you! Sometimes the one we need to forgive is ourselves. Be kind to yourself and believe that God is ready and anxious to forgive you when you repent. "His mercy is new every morning."

Have you found God’s will for your life and pursued it? A very common question to kids is "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I remember telling our kids over and over, "You can do or be anything you want to be if you work hard enough." The truth is, we will be the happiest when we ask God what He wants us to do with our lives; when we find out what He created us to do. He has given each of us unique gifts so that He can use us to bless others. And in blessing others, we find true fulfillment and joy.

Even if you’re older, it’s never too late to seek God’s will for your life. When we pray and open our hearts to God’s ideas, He can lead us to serve Him in ways we had never imagined. I read a story of a family who started a fair-trade business importing coffee from South America. They got the whole family involved and it has grown into a full-time ministry as they work to help the farmers receive a fair wage for their work.

Is there anything you would regret not doing if you died suddenly? And finally, is there someone who needs to know that you love them or someone you need to be reconciled with? Don’t wait another minute – make that phone call, write that letter, forgive yourself and others. Today may be your last day on this earth – make it your best!

 

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:

Romans 4:20-25
Luke 12:13-21

Reflection:

The search for power has been an ongoing effort down through the centuries.  Military arsenals have often been instruments in this effort, but there are also other avenues to power.  Money, of course, comes to mind, and prestige associated with recognized authority.  In recent times the perception of the kind of power that is sought after has become more technical and scientific, with access to oil, for instance, as a primary goal of power-seekers in the contemporary world.  And, with the diminishment of oil reserves, alternate generators of similar power are emerging in the form of wind-driven resources, surf-energized alternatives, atomic fueled capabilities, etc., along with more traditional coal reserves and dam reservoirs familiar to us along our rivers.

Our biblical readings address power issues in today’s Eucharistic liturgy.  St. Paul’s reflections on the faith we share with the outstanding ancestors in our religious tradition, such as Abraham, remind us of this.  For Paul acknowledges the empowerment factor in Abraham’s adherence to God’s promise to him.  Paul designates this as Abraham’s  faith that what God "…had promised he was fully able to do".  We note the phrase: "he was fully able to do"-a power motif.  What’s especially significant about this is that this empowerment "was not for him alone" but "it was also for us".  In other words, we have here a power source that is not afflicted with the problems of all the above examples of power: gradual diminishment and eventual unreliability.  And what is it?  According to Paul, Abraham was "empowered by faith", which was ultimately traceable to the ultimate power source: Jesus rising from the dead (v. 24).  So faith puts us in the enviable position of linkage to a power source that is ongoing.

Unfortunately, the rich man described in Luke’s gospel today presents a person who also had a certain amount of power at his disposal, land that "…produced a bountiful harvest", but, as the examples above, it was a power source that was unreliable.  Though, for a time, he enjoyed the advantage his land afforded him, saying to himself: "…you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!", leading him to build new barns to store this produce,  yet again, a power shortage was at hand to undo this advantage: "…this night your life will be demanded of you." 

And so it is with all of us.  We may not think of ourselves as power hungry, but each of us searches for someone or something to resource us in our passage through life.  There is nothing wrong with this.  But, from God’s vantage point, He gave us this drive to find a power source , with a very definite arrangement in mind: Himself.  It’s not the search for power that is reprehensible, but the search for it in the wrong places, that ultimately failing to provide what they seem to promise.  The only trustworthy and reliable power source in our lives is what Abraham found to be verified in his life: faith in Him.  Not only is faith a source of power, supplied by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, but it is also an inexhaustible power-point, unlike any other resource on which we might rely. 

This has been declared The Year of Faith.  Let us explore the ways leading to the refurbishing of faith so that we can be empowered "…in what matters to God."

 

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

 

Feast of St. Paul of the Cross,
Founder of the Passionists

Scripture:

Exodus 17: 8-13
2 Timothy 3: 14 – 4: 2
Luke 18: 1-8

 

Reflection:

Have you ever been weary?  Most of us have at one time or another.  I vividly remember a period of about three years during which our family lost both parents, a sibling, and two beloved aunts.  Most of us felt battered by the steady losses of people who were important in our lives.  I suspect most families go through times like these, and times that are even more difficult.  Times of Illness, failures in relationships or employment, disappointment in or betrayal by friends, personal losses and longtime struggles with personal sinfulness can truly wear us out. 

The Scripture readings for today encourage us to turn to God with confidence when we find ourselves weary with life.  The reading from Exodus reminds us that whenever we’re engaged in battle of any kind God will support us if only we keep our hearts turned toward Him.  In the Gospel, Jesus uses the story of the unjust judge and the persevering widow to assure us that God, who is Our Father, will be even more faithful to us in our desire for God’s help with our personal struggles.  Jesus tells us not to lose heart but to keep praying through our weariness.  And, St Paul, in his letter to Timothy, encourages him and the community in Ephesus to remain faithful to what they have learned and believed; not to lose heart but to persevere in their witness to the truth of the Gospel.

Clearly, weariness is an experience that all true disciples of Jesus must deal with.  In our Scriptures today we are encouraged by every reading to trust that God will be with us in our struggles and will lead us through them to the fullness of life with God.

 

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

 

Feast of St. Luke 

Scripture:

2 Timothy 4:10-17b
Luke 10:1-9

 

 

Reflection:

Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me …Luke is the only one with me. At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. 2 Tm 4:10-17b

By way of reflection for this feast of St. Luke I would like to send a letter to Luke. 

"Dear Luke, please accept my most sincere thanks for taking all the time to write your gospel.  I know that you and Matthew were peeking over each other’s shoulders, especially Mark’s. 

"I guess what really strikes me this year as I reflect on you is the mention that St. Paul makes of you in his letter to Timothy.  What makes it more interesting is that Paul is going through some lonely times.  He has been abandonned by so many at a time of great need.  And there you are…’Luke is the only one with me.’  I think we both know how important the presence of a person is when we are in trouble, either self- inflicted or other-inflicted.  I wonder, though, if that could have ended up putting a lot of pressure on you to support him. 

"Oh, I know that Paul wrote: ‘…but the Lord stood by me and gave me strength…’   It’s right that Paul does indicate this source of presence and strength which comes from the Lord.  I know a lot of people who will affirm God’s presence when things have gotten dark and lonely.  They really mean it.  But there is that other presence…of a wife, a husband, a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister, a grandma, a grandpa, an aunt, an uncle, a cousin, a classmate, a close friend, a fellow worker, a fellow parishioner, a Priest, a Sister, a Brother, a Deacon, a caring  stranger….gosh, where does the list end?  There they sit in front of us telling us that we are not alone.  And the neat thing is that we can also do the same for a hurting person…‘I’m here, you are not alone.’.

"I think, Luke, that is what I wanted to thank you for!  You must have received a lot of kudos for taking all the time to gather, interview, sift and write your gospel.  It’s one thing to hand someone a copy of the gospel which is so rich, affirming, hopeful, comforting, exhilarating and faith-filled and suggest that the person read it.  But what is striking me about you and Paul is that you hung in there with him.  You were there.  You didn’t abandon him.  He could read that so clearly.  Not in a rolled up papyrus containing bits and pieces of what would become your ‘good news’.  No.  You were a living book of love and friendship that could be read loud and clear.

"Luke, my brother, would you pray for all of us still here on earth?"  

 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. is a member of St. Paul of the Cross Community in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Romans 3:21-30
Luke 11:47-54

Reflection:

Wondrous deeds have been done by the Lord to us and in front of us. What else will it take for us to be strong in our faith and open ourselves up to a spiritual transformation?

In the readings for today, we hear that all people have been justified in faith by the grace and mercy of God. Equally. We are all sinners but have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. Who are we to judge one another? In the end we will be judged on the basis of faith. Today, our faith is countercultural, drawing us away from our faith rather than towards God. Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm! Isaiah 7:9.  We come from a culture of convenience; we can get anything we want at any time of the day. Life, which includes our faith, should be as easy and happy as possible. If we start to view the trends of today as truth, what will come of us? If we dread, fear, or hate, what is inconvenient how we will ever become closer to God? We cannot expect something so glorious to be easily attainable, but have faith through the sufferings we incur along the way. It is through these sufferings that we are able to experience true peace and the love of God here on earth.

"Do not be disturbed by the passing trials you are going through, since you must know that similar trials will come often. Our divine Savior visits those servants who are dear to him and purifies them with trails to develop their fidelity" – St. Paul of the Cross. 

God graces us with His presence in our daily lives in order to transform us by His love and mercy into what He has planned for us. God places on our hearts his Word and Will for our lives. When we open ourselves up to this possibility and begin to live in faith, we realize that it is the only possibility and wish to be transformed. Why would we want to do anything else? We should be increasing in faith, good deeds and love. We have free will and can make the active choice to open our lives to the will of God, or to turn down the wide and easy path. In what way will you choose to seek His will today?

"I seek nothing else, I long for nothing else…save in all things to be transformed by love in the divine will…" – St. Paul of the Cross

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

Scripture:

Romans 2:1-11
Luke 11:42-46

Reflection:

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, the second-century Roman Emperor and Stoic Philosopher wrote on his Meditations: "Look beneath the surface; let not the several qualities of a thing nor its worth escape thee."  Such a philosophical statement expands the theological meaning of today’s scripture readings, which advise us against the superficiality of a self-righteous attitude that could make us "hold [God’s] priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead [us] to repentance."  We are indeed advised against a hypocritical behavior that could compromise our life-giving relationship with God and the church by simply judging "those who engage in such things and yet do them [ourselves]," just as the Pharisees and the scholars of the law did it and thus subjected themselves to the inescapable woes of Jesus.   

The Pharisees and the scholars of the law had indeed overlooked the priceless meaning and purpose of the law and the prophets, which Jesus did not abolish but fulfilled by affirming them in their God-given meaning and purpose of kindness, forbearance, patience, and above all mercy and forgiveness.  It was for all these graces that God gave us the Law and the Prophets, so that they could lead us to repentance and conversion and thus help us find our redemption and salvation in Our Lord Jesus Christ.  No wonder Jesus admonishes the Pharisees and the scholars of the law, as he tells them that they should have paid special "attention to judgment and to love for God" without overlooking their paying of "tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb."  For the former decree and duty of the law is far more important than the latter, because "only in God is my soul at rest; from him comes my salvation," as the Psalmist proclaims.

Today’s scripture readings therefore invite us to focus, not on our sins and their lethal spiritual effects, but on the life-giving grace and love of God, who shows us mercy and forgives us every time we return to him with a contrite, humble heart that allows us to treasure his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience above all things.  This is the promise of hope and salvation that God has given us in Christ Jesus, in whose Holy Spirit rests our soul and finds its peace.   In such a spirit of trust and confidence in God’s mercy, let us bear one another’s shortcomings and hardships with fraternal love and patience, because a judgmental or indifferent attitude would only subject us to the unavoidable woes that Jesus proclaims to his adversaries.  Thus, let us pray for one another, so that we become recipients of Jesus’ evangelical beatitudes and graces, as we strive to love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves.

 

Fr. Alfredo Ocampo, C.P. gives retreats and parish missions.  He is stationed at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Feast of St. Teresa of Avila

Scripture:

Romans 1: 16-25
Luke 11: 37-41

Reflection:

The Apostle Paul is very proud and confident of the Gospel. Obviously he is writing his Letter to the Romans before any of the written gospels of Mark, Mathew, or Luke. The "good news" or gospel he is referring to is the proclamation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. This message, when accepted by faith, is the "power of God for salvation".  It was offered to the Jews first, and now to the Greeks. Here Paul sets the theme for his letter.  For this good news Paul would expend his energies and ultimately give up his life.

The power of this good news has shaped Christian life for two thousand years. It has been embodied in the inspired word of God (Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation) and in the sacred mysteries (water, oil, bread and wine, ritual actions and words). It lives in the hearts of the members of the Church, the Body of Christ, united in communion by the Holy Spirit. It has a Universal Teacher, the successor of Peter, and local teachers, the successors of the Apostles. It also has a long history of saints and sinners.

Paul wrote that he was never ashamed of the Gospel, but 2000 years of history has sometimes made us ashamed of the Church. All of us are forgiven sinners. May we pray for one another and listen to Pope Francis’s call to renew the Church in our day.   

 

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