Daily Scripture

Scripture:

1 John 2:12-17
Luke 2:36-40

Reflection:

Remember the song, "Do you hear what I hear?"  Recently I sang this song with a children’s choir at a Christmas pageant.  But I messed up a line.  Where I should have sung, "Let us give him silver and gold,"  I sang, "He will give us silver and gold."  Even with the words in front of me I messed up!

No, I don’t think Jesus came to give us money and make us materially rich.  But as I thought about it, those words are very true in another way.

I say God gives us gifts of bronze, silver and gold.

   1) Bronze makes me think of all the gifts of creation.  For instance, the earth and the oceans, mountain and valleys, sunsets and rainbows, bluebirds and butterflies, daffodils and roses, dogs and kittens, food and drink – and so much more.  God says, "Look at all the gifts of creation and see how much I love you."

    2) Sliver makes me think of the gift of human life.  God gives us life with bodies that can work and play, eyes to see beauty, ears to hear music, feet to dance, hands to reach out and help, brains to think and learn, emotions to feel, wills to choose, and hearts to love.

Besides, God gifts us with a rich variety of people, all shapes and sizes and colors, with an abundance of talents, and personalities. We especially give thanks for the gift of family and friends, teachers and public servants, and all who help us get through life.  God says, "Look at all the beautiful people in your life and see how much I love you."

     3) Finally God gives us the gold that is Jesus.  "God so loved the world that he sent his only Son."  Through Jesus coming to earth as a human, God the Father wanted to affirm the goodness of this earth and the dignity of human life.

So Jesus comes and gives us the gift of his words and example, the gift of faith and forgiveness, the gift of the Holy Eucharist and the sacraments, the gift of his death and resurrection, the gift of taking upon himself our suffering and giving it meaning, the gift of Mary for our mother and the gift of hope for eternal life.

     4) What is our response to the bronze, silver and gold that God gives us?

We respond to the bronze gift of creation by caring for the earth.  We respond to the silver gift of human life by caring for one another.  We respond to the gold gift of Jesus by welcoming him into our hearts and 

presenting ourselves with him to the Father.

Yes, he will bring us bronze, silver and gold.  Happy Birthday, Jesus, and thank you!

 

Feast of Saint John the Evangelist

Scripture:

1 John 1:1-4
John 20: 1a and 2-8

 

 

Reflection:

It’s not about the Baby

I suppose if any of us were assigned the task of designing the liturgical year, we would not likely choose the feasts of Stephen, John and Holy Innocents to immediately follow Christmas. The folks in the pews are full of good food, friends and family, caressed with the warmth of tradition and soothing ritual practice…and suddenly we’re jolted by the story of the proto-martyr, Stephen, or the "son of thunder" John, and by a vocabulary of "blasphemy, infuriated, outraged…"  Jesus tells his disciples, "You will be hated by all because of my name."

Yesterday, we were reminded that, "…they could not withstand the wisdom and spirit with which Stephen spoke." Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe calls this juxtaposition of experience the "endless fertility of God’s grace," viz., the intertwining of death and birth.

Clearly John’s Gospel is the most difficult to comprehend, with its mystical imagery and heady, sacramental theology at times. But it’s also filled with an intimacy and immediacy we don’t find in the synoptic Gospels.

These feasts are not only about Stephen, John, and other saints and martyrs; they’re about the birth of the Body of Christ, the Church… and how early Christendom struggled to piece all this together. This is the mystery of Incarnation. So, yesterday, while Stephen looks at God, Saul looks at Stephen. He sees a man who is against all he holds dear, who accuses his own people of being traitors, and attacks the Holy Temple! But Saul is also struggling against another perception of Stephen… His face is radiant like that of an angel. Saul has experienced the triumph of service over dominance, forgiveness over hatred, and he’s transformed. And in today’s Gospel, John the Beloved gazes into an empty tomb and BELIEVES. He, too, is transformed by Love.

I had a seminary professor who told us that the Feast of Christmas is "not about the Baby!"  The Nativity is also about the rich mystery of God in our world in the most intimate and immediate way. Happy Feast of John the Evangelist!

 

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.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Mother of God

Scripture:

Numbers 6:22-27
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21

 

 

Reflection:

Three days before Christmas I found a hymn to Mary that I had lost fifty years ago.  It calls us to reflect lovingly on the tremendous mystery of Mary, Virgin Mother of God.               

           The Bakerwoman

The Bakerwoman in her humble lodge
received a grain of wheat from God.
For nine whole months the grain she stored:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Make us the bread, Mary Mary.
Make us the bread — we need to be fed.

The Bakerwoman took the road which led
to Bethlehem the house of bread.
To knead the bread she labored through the night,
and brought it forth about midnight.
Bake us the bread, Mary, Mary.
Bake us the bread — we need to be fed.

She baked the bread for thirty years
by the fire of her love and the salt of her tears,
by the warmth of her heart so tender and bright,
and the bread was golden, brown and white.
Bring us the bread, Mary, Mary.
Bring us the bread — we need to be fed.

After thirty years the bread was done.
It was taken to town by her only son;
the soft white bread to be given free
to the hungry people of Galilee.
Give us the bread, Mary, Mary.
Give us the bread — we need to be fed.

For thirty coins the bread was sold,
and a thousand teeth so cold, so cold,
tore it to pieces on a Friday noon
when the sun turned black and red the moon.
Break us the bread, Mary, Mary.
Break us the bread — we need to be fed.

And when she saw the bread so white,
the living bread she had made at night,
devoured as wolves might devour a sheep,
the bakerwoman began to weep.
Weep for the bread, Mary Mary.
Weep for the bread — we need to be fed.

But the bakerwoman’s only son
appeared to his friends when three days had run
on the road that to Emmaus led,
and they knew him in the breaking of bread.
Lift up your head, Mary, Mary.
Lift up your head, for now we’ve been fed!

    Lift up your head, Mary, Mary!
    Lift up your head, for now we’ve been fed!

           Translated from French by Fr. Hubert Richards.

 

Br. Peter A. Fitzpatrick, CFX, a Xaverian Brother, is a Passionist Associate at Ryken House, across the creek from the Passionist Monastery, in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus,
Mary and Joseph

Scripture:

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Colossians 3:12-21
Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

 

 

Reflection:

The Feast of the Holy Family evokes comforting images of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in our minds, and warm feelings in our hearts.  I am reminded of the "holy cards" from my youth depicting Jesus as divine yet human child, Mary as nurturing mother and Joseph as faithful husband and father of the family. 

The readings today from Sirach offer us guidelines for each role in the family.  St. Paul describes the way we should treat each other as family and community members.  Matthew narrates the earliest portion of the journey the Holy Family would travel to get to their home in Nazareth.  Today’s readings give us the "complete package" for reflections on the Holy Family.  When I reflect on this comforting and warm description of the Holy Family in the context of the signs of our times, I find myself a bit more challenged.

It seems that everyone, including our own Church leaders, politicians, and even the head of the Duck Dynasty family are also reflecting on the topic of family.  More specifically, these folks are debating and discussing who should be excluded and who should be included in the definition of a real family.  However when I look around at the people who join me in community on a Sunday morning to thank and praise God together, I see many families who don’t fit the prescribed roles or descriptions in today’s readings, yet they still seem to be happy, close and "holy" families. Maybe St. Paul’s verse from Colossians is at the heart of what makes a family holy.

"And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.  And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.  And be thankful."

Love, present in the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and present in the many diverse families in our communities, is the bond of perfection.  Today I reflect and am thankful for this bond of perfection and for its many beautiful manifestations in our times.  May we all work to discover God’s inclusive love, in the many diverse yet "Holy Families" in our own communities!

Happy Feast Day to our Passionist Family at Holy Family Parish in Birmingham!

 

Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family who volunteers at the Passionist Assisted Living Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:
1 John 2:18-21
John 1: 1-18   

Reflection:
"In the beginning was the Word…and the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…"

It’s the last day of the year and the eve of a new one.  For many of us, this means it’s a time of reflection…a time to look back and a time to look forward…

Our Gospel today is about BEGINNINGS.  God is good at beginnings, especially the gift of new beginnings…

I realized recently that I like beginnings…sometimes I like beginnings better than I like endings. Oh sure, I like the end of a hockey game better than the beginning. And I like the ends of movies and the ends of good mystery novels. But when it comes to years on the calendar, I like beginnings better than endings. I appreciate the fact that it’s new, like a blank canvas, holding much possibility for me.

Words are important…Words have power.  Words help us express our feelings and emotions, our hopes and our dreams.  Words enable us to communicate ideas and thoughts.  Words can unite us with others or separate us from one another…Words are significant.

In the beginning, God "SPOKE" and the world was created… The WORD became flesh and made His dwelling among us… Somehow, before the beginning of time, this Christ child existed, not as a human being, but as God himself, as what we call the WORD. 

This Christ had something to do with the creation of every single thing that we have in our lives…and also, He had something to do with the creation of YOU and of ME. 

This WORD, has graced us with many gifts & blessings:  The gift of power...God’s power…the gift of light…a light that shines in the darkness, but will never be overcome by the darkness, and the gift of grace, that voice that calls us to change and gives us the power to pull it off….and all gifts & blessings that we receive everyday of our lives…

Words are important…Actions are also important…

As we cross the bridge into 2014, let us walk humbly with our God, trusting that He will help us to:  Make memories. Renew friendships. Mend broken relationships, and Be at peace with the world…HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!!!

 

Deacon Brian Clements is a retired member of the retreat team at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59
Matthew 10:17-22

Reflection:

On the day after Christmas many of us might be feeling a bit disappointed.  We didn’t get what we asked or hoped for.  Disappointment comes from dreams and hopes unfulfilled. 

When I was ten years old, my grandparents gave me a very nice and probably expensive peddle car for Christmas. I was deeply disappointed.  You see, not only was I was too tall to even get into it at all-itself a source of delight for my brothers-but I was simply too old for this toy.  I did not get what I wanted, which was a new baseball glove.  My sister got one, though, which really underscored my disappointment.

All through Advent we pray, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."  We sing, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come."  And yet we continue to hear of great poverty, the scourge of war, the fear of violence, and the loss of a child.  The promise of Christmas, the hope of the Child Jesus born among us seems dashed.

I suppose that if our dreams and hopes did not run so deep, our disappointment would not be so poignant. We don’t live yet in a world at peace.  We still are rocked by senseless deaths.  We hope and dream for something more for ourselves, our families and our world.

There are two cultural tales of Christmas that compete with one another.  One is the story of Santa Claus bringing us what we asked for-or not.  The other is the story of a Child born in poverty in a way out of the way place.  In the first story, Christmas Day comes and goes.  In the second, Christmas is a life-long journey of living out in our own lives the hopes and dreams the Child Jesus delivers to us.  If there is any disappointment, it’s probably realizing that I am not living out the hopes and dreams that Jesus gives to me as a gift.

 

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

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Scripture:
Isaiah 7:10-14
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-24

Reflection:
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel." Isaiah 7:14

I’m so glad that Mary said "Yes" to the Lord and brought Jesus into the world for us. But don’t each of us also need to bring Jesus to the world? "As the Father sent me, so I send you…"

Advent is a great time for us to consider how we are doing in this area. How can I bring Jesus to others? Jesus showed us by example that loving others will change the world. Isn’t that what Pope Francis is calling us to do? When we love people, we open a path for them to experience God’s love. We don’t have to save them, we don’t have to theologize them, we just need to be kind and generous and loving.

If we spend time with the Lord and soak up His Presence, we become more and more like Him. As we surrender our day and invite him to guide us, He will lead us to those who need our love. It doesn’t have to be complicated. We all know how a smile or a hug can change your day. Maybe there are people at your church who are lonely and you can drop by for a short visit. Even just noticing someone who is alone and taking a moment to chat with them after mass can make a big difference. Obviously the opportunities are endless.

We went Christmas caroling at a retirement home yesterday, wanting to share the joy of the season. We were ushered into the lock-down unit for those with memory problems, where visitors are scarce. and as we sang to these people, I received much more than I gave. One woman in particular blessed me so much. She was delighted by the music and was clapping her hands and laughing and her face was filled with joy. I realized as she smiled at me … I didn’t bring Jesus to her… she brought Jesus to me.

We can all be Christ-bearers. All of us.

 

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].

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Scripture:

Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Luke 1:39-45

Reflection:

Signs play a major role in God’s dealings with us.  Biblical history makes this abundantly clear, as the unfolding of the Christmas story that we are about to recall will remind us the next few days.  Were it not for the angels acting as signs attracting the attention of the shepherds out in the fields with their flocks, the shepherds would not have known of the birth of the infant nearby.  And it was the sign of a  star in the sky that caught the attention of the wise men in the east,  leading them to the place where the child lay, so that they could offer Him gifts.  And earlier on it was Joseph’s dream acting as a sign leading Joseph to take Mary as his wife, despite his initial misgivings.  Before it was all over, Joseph would become adept at interpreting dreams as signs of God’s interventions in his life.

Signs have been major players in God’s dealings with us, across the centuries.  They appear in the biblical readings we hear today.  When the prophet Zephaniah addresses the people of Jerusalem assuring them of their safety, urging them to be joyful because their enemies have been repulsed, he emerges as a sign from God alerting them to God’s action on their behalf.  And Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, offers her hospitality upon her arrival, and sings a song of joy as she greets her pregnant kinfolk by understanding the sign of Mary’s pregnancy as a visit from her Lord.  Elizabeth realized this was no ordinary pregnancy by interpreting a sign within her own pregnancy.

Signs play an important role in God’s dealings with us.  He finds them helpful in communicating with us, and they facilitate our association with God, provided we are able to interpret or decode His signs.   Biblical history is full of signs, calling, as they do, for interplay between God the signer and us the interpreters.  Jesus frequently encountered those seeking a sign from Him that would convince them of His Messianic claims: "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet." (Mt. 12.39)  "Others, to test Him, asked him for a sign from heaven." (Lk. 11:16)

We use signs among ourselves, which also require interpretation in order to be understood.  Sometimes we refer to such signs as codes, especially when they are intended for only a restricted group of people.   During WWII American military forces utilized Native American languages, in both major theaters of war.  A group of 24 Navajos handled telephone communications, using voice codes in their native tongue, between the Air Command in the Solomon Islands and various airfields in the region, and these codes proved difficult to decode and understand.  Enemy forces had to find a way of decoding a strange language.  And when God uses signs in our regard, we too need to decode the message, and this happens only by faith.

We still honor signs in God’s dealings with us, such as the sacraments.  We have regard sacraments as "signs" of grace instituted by Christ and committed to the church.  Sacramental signs are in continuity with those so frequently mentioned in the scriptures.  Like so many signs, they too have to be decoded in order to be appreciated, and it is only faith that enables us to do this, just as it was faith that enabled Elizabeth to interpret the import of Mary’s pregnancy.  Before this shortest day of the calendar year draws to a close, let us seek the fullness of faith to interpret the events of life in continuity with the whole history of God’s interventions in human life.

 

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