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Daily Scripture

Upcoming Daily Scriptures

Daily Scripture, July 25, 2013

Scripture:
2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Matthew 20:20-28

Reflection:
"Embodied Spirituality" is a buzz word floating through many contemporary spiritual circles. It arose as a corrective response to the massive and crippling personal problems caused by the rejection of the body. An embodied spirituality highlights the Christian awareness that the human body is a locus of spiritual revelation and divinization. This spirituality is biblically grounded in the mystical experience unfolded by St. Paul in the first reading:

We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. (II Corinthians 4: 7-10)

An embodied spirituality regards the body as the home of the complete human being. Once we overcome the prevailing dualism between matter and spirit, the body can no longer be seen as the enemy. It is a treasured earthen vessel and a physical reality in which we live. The distinguished Jesuit theologian, Teilhard de Chardin, speaks of his conversion experience as the discovery that matter and spirit are two dimensions of one reality. Christian statements about the incarnation never allude to the "entrance" of Spirit into our bodies, but to Spirit "becoming" flesh. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God … And the Word became flesh" (John 1:1, 14).

An embodied spirituality considers the body to be a source of spiritual insight. Physical sensations and impulses can be misleading.  Yet they can also be genuine sources of spiritual insight. St. Paul’s statement that "the life of Jesus" can "be manifested in our body" suggests that the body is a legitimate and reliable source of spiritual insight in its own right. In other words, the meaning of life is not merely something known intellectually by the mind, but is an experience to be felt in the depths of our flesh.

 

Fr. Joe Mitchell, CP is the director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Daily Scripture, July 24, 2013

Scripture:

Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15
Matthew 13:1-9

Reflection:

"Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel grumbled." Exodus 16:2

There is a lot of grumbling in the Scriptures and God was not at all pleased with it.  "And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled"  Num 11:1   If one studied the things that upset God the most  in the Bible, complaining would have to be near the top of the list.  One of the main words for grumbling in Hebrew is lun.   The etymology of the word seems to mean to growl.  Complaining and murmuring in our life speaks of two major spiritual problems.  It is a discontent with God’s wise power and a questioning of His loving care for us.

In the first place when we grumble we question the wisdom of God’s plans for us. "Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert."  All through the Exodus the Jewish people wanted to go back to Egypt’s fleshpots!  When God leads us forward to the Promised Land we must change.  All growth demands a change in us, and usually change is painful.   Discontent stunts our spiritual growth. It is a profound failure to understand God’s Providence for us.   It is a form of resisting God’s wisdom prepared from the foundation of the world.

Secondly, when we grumble we doubt God’s care for us.  "But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!"  We attribute to God the most terrible motives!     We are like a small child refusing to take our medicine from a loving mother because it tastes bad.  In Mark’s Gospel when they are in the midst of a terrible storm at sea they cry out: "it does not matter to you that we are perishing!" 4:38 is there anything more hurtful we can say to God who gave His Beloved Son on the cross to us?

To murmur in dissatisfaction at God’s guidance of our lives is a terrible insult to God’s incredible love for us in Jesus.  I love St Augustine’s quote when as an ailing old man he was asked how he was doing.  He answered.  I can’t walk, I can’t stand, and I can’t even sit without pain. "Yet even so, since it is the Lord’s good pleasure, what should I say but that I am well."

 

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

Daily Scripture, July 23, 2013

Scripture:

Exodus 14:21-15:1
Matthew 12:46-50

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus is speaking to the crowds when someone tells Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you." And Jesus replies, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers? And then Jesus points to His disciples and says, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."

When I reflect on this passage, I often wonder, what did Mary think of Jesus’ response? Scripture scholars are quick to point out that Jesus’ reply was not meant to be an insult to His mother or His family. Rather, Jesus seeks to expand our notion of who belongs to our family.

It’s important to have strong family ties. We want to have good relationships with our blood relatives, and it is difficult for us when that doesn’t happen for various reasons. At the same time, we are called to go beyond blood relations when it comes to sharing the love of God in Jesus Christ. We’re called to go beyond the boundaries of family or ethnic/cultural group or even nation when it comes to love. Jesus loves us without consideration of our origins or circumstances! He loves us without condition. But He challenges us that if we want to enter into a deep relationship with Him then we need to be willing to do God’s will in our lives. If we want to consider ourselves His sisters and brothers, then we need to do what He did, and surrender to His Father’s will.

May we seek God’s will in everything we say or do, in every way that we relate to others, and be part of Jesus’ family!

 

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

Daily Scripture, July 22, 2013

Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene

Scripture:

Exodus 14:5-18
John 20:1-2, 11-18

Reflection:

"The Lord Himself will fight for you. You have only to keep still." Exodus 14:14

Isn’t it hard to keep still?

It’s so much easier to pick up our arms and rush into battle. When we are faced with a problem, our minds usually take off immediately trying to figure out the best way to solve the problem, or to protect ourselves and fight the fight. We often feel compelled to act. . . we want to do something, or at least say something, rather than wait on God. Many of us have been taught that we must take care of ourselves, so it’s much harder to quiet our minds and seek the Lord’s wisdom before acting.

When you are falsely accused don’t you try to explain that you didn’t do it? I was recently told that I had done something during mass that I didn’t do. I immediately said, but I didn’t do that! When I shared the incident with my husband, he was able to show me how the other person could have misunderstood my actions and I was able to let it go. I am so quick to defend myself, rather than being still, taking it to the Lord in prayer and letting Him defend me if necessary.

The best way to wage any battle is to pray first. If we take the time to seek God; to sit in His presence and focus on who He is, we put some distance between ourselves and the problem. We open our hearts to God’s peace, and in that peace, we are better able to hear His still small voice. He can help us see the situation from His perspective and can then show us if we need to do anything.

So before you rush to defend yourself, take this scripture to heart and take some time to "be still". You can start with this reflection a priest shared one day:

"Be still and know that I am God."

"Be still and know that I am."

"Be still and know."

"Be still."

"Be."

There is another scripture somewhere that says "The battle belongs to the Lord". May we always stop and pray first when facing problems and when necessary, let the Lord defend 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 www.janicecarleton.com or email her at [email protected].

 

Daily Scripture, July 21, 2013

Scripture:

Genesis 18:1-10a
Colossians 1:24-28
Luke 10:38-42

Reflection:

Today we hear instances of hospitality in our scriptural presentations.  Abraham entertains three gentlemen passing by his tent door, and Martha/Mary provide care and attention to their guest, Jesus.  Hospitality is a familiar practice for most of us.  We appreciate the attention it receives in the day’s biblical readings.

A promising facet of these hospitality passages, possibly overlooked, is the way revelation is embedded in these stories.  The Genesis account initially mentions ‘God’ (the Lord) as the visitor, only to quickly re-phrase the description of the travelers as "three men".  Already we suspect something is going on here.  While we may marvel at the casual way these visitors while away the better part of a day waiting for Sarah and Abraham to serve up a meal, we note that one of them, at least, promises to return (in about a year, apparently a frequent flyer) when Sarah will have a child.  Now this is a revelation.  But, as a revelation, is it information coming down from above, or is it an uncovering of something going on here below, among us?

And Luke’s account of Jesus’ visit to the home of Martha and Mary is also brought to our attention today.  Again, this event centers around a meal, though, unlike the Genesis story above, it seems to be mainly the concern of just one sister (Martha) rather than of the other (Mary).  And Martha seems to come out on the short end of the stick here.  Perhaps.  But she plays a part in elaborating the revelation underway here ("the need of only one thing"): what really matters is the significance of the time and attention paid to Jesus, or any guest, suggesting a possibly improved protocol for dealing with guests: serve sandwiches so as to have more time to host and enjoy your guests.  Again, revelation appears here as uncovering the significance of what we are about.

Paul too, as we hear his message to the Colossian church today, suggests that revelation is often embedded in what is going on in our lives, as much as it is a message from above.  Does he not use his own experience of " my sufferings for your sake" as  revealing "what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ"?  Paul proceeds to expose the implications of what is happening in his own body, as the locus of revelation unfolding right among us, rather than from elsewhere.  He further makes the intriguing remark about "the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past" to suggest that the church in Colossae is to play its part in the unfolding panorama of this mystery enveloping the Gentiles, that "Christ [is] in you, the hope for glory."  Revelation is a process in which we all participate.

This was surely good news to the Colossians who otherwise might have been overly concerned for Paul, given his own role in this process, look the worse for wear as a consequence.  And it should be good news for us, as we realize that we too are active participants in the revelation process, not just passive recipients of it.  Whether it’s by the hospitality we provide or the sufferings we undergo, we have assurance that we play a role in revealing God’s designs and program for this world of ours.  And we note the obvious gospel focus on Mary as a key player in the revelation that by sitting beside the Lord at his feet and listening to him speak, we help reveal that attention to Jesus in prayer is central to God’s emergence among us.

 

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

Daily Scripture, July 20, 2013

Scripture:

Exodus 12: 37-42
Matthew 12: 14-21

Reflection:

Has any historical event so important been described in such an understated way?  In today’s first reading from Exodus we read the rather bland statement, "The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth…."  Admittedly, you begin to get an indication of the scale of the historical moment as the text goes on, "about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the little ones."  But even so, it’s a pretty laid back description of one of the great liberation events in history!  After 430 years in Egypt, the last 50 or so in slavery, the Jewish people are finally being set free.

No doubt, as they began the journey, they were filled with excitement and hope, happy to shake the dust of Egypt from their sandals.  Had they realized how long the journey would take, some 40 years, they probably would have never had the heart to begin.  Trials and tribulations, suffering and loss, fear and violence were an integral part of the journey.  Yet, at the urging of Moses and their other religious leaders, they persisted.  And, they gradually came to understand how deeply God loved them, how faithfully God travelled with them, how attentive and responsive God was to their needs.  By the time they entered the Promised Land, they no longer thought of themselves as the slaves of Egypt, but as the "chosen people of God."  Now that’s a true transformation.

Many of us can recognize ourselves in this great story.  It’s a long journey to a deep understanding of God’s great love for us.  And, it’s a great challenge to grow into a deep conviction that God is walking with us throughout all the experiences of our lives.  Yet, that’s what this story is about.  May you recognize your journey as the path into the embrace of our loving Father.

 

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director of the Development Office for Holy Cross Province and is stationed at Immaculate Conception Community in Chicago.

Daily Scripture, July 19, 2013

Scripture:

Exodus 11:10-12:14
Matthew 12:1-8

Reflection:

"For the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath." Matthew 12:8

The readings for today’s Mass draw us into two very dramatic moments, the first, in the life of Israelites as they wait for The Day of Deliverance from Slavery in Egypt and the second, Jesus’ disciples being delivered from the slavery of human laws which show no mercy. Both of these dramatic moments have life-long consequences. As we continue reading and reflecting on the following passages after the readings for today’s Mass, we discover just how central they are to our understanding of a God who liberates us despite all odds and a God whose mercy gives us a new chance on life.

Those of us who are very familiar with the Exodus account know what happens next. The Pharaoh finally relents and lets Moses lead the tribes of Israel out of Egypt. The next day, Pharaoh changes his mind and sends his armies after them. God shows him and us that human violence, human power and human greed are no match for God’s sense of Justice and Righteousness. And for us who follow and love this God of ours, there is a sense of comfort knowing that God’s Justice will ultimately prevail over the evils that are caused by a humanity that values power, control, greed and privilege at the expense of other human beings.

The Exodus story is about us, the struggle that we have within us to free ourselves from the demons that try to make us and our comforts the center of our lives rather than embracing the truth that we are all God’s children regardless of when and where we were born. We are all equal and each has the same dignity before God. We share a human tendency to keep what we have now, not to let go of what we have now and not have faith in a future that we know nothing about. I know that I do.

But the Exodus is about letting God lead us out of that human sense of security into a future that promises a new way of life. What a challenge it is for me to let go of my human wisdom and let God lead me into the Promised Land!

The Gospel invites us to see our God, the God of Exodus, in the Person of Jesus. This particular passage of Jesus defending the right of the disciples to eat when hungry and pluck grain on the Sabbath is followed by Jesus curing a man who is worshipping in the Synagogue who has a withered hand. In both of these accounts it is the human law that prevents goodness and mercy to prevail. Jesus would have none of that!

In these readings, we are invited to follow the Spirit of God and of Jesus as we make our way in life. In both of these readings, it is the people who have the responsibility of leadership that find it difficult to do justice and to practice mercy. God and Jesus make a stand against injustice. These readings invite me to look at the way I treat others. I may discover that I do sometimes enslave others with my thoughtless ways. They invite me to look with kindness and mercy upon those who are so disadvantaged in life that they will never have a decent way of life. We all are, after all, God’s children.

We thank God that we follow a God who desires mercy, not sacrifice! Jesus is, after all, the Lord of the Sabbath!

 

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is stationed in San Antonio, Texas. 

Daily Scripture, July 18, 2013

Scripture:
Exodus 3:13-20
Matthew 11:28-30

Reflection:
My mother’s birthday would have been this week.  When I realized the date of this reflection, I hoped there would be some meaningful synergy between the Scripture reading and my recollection of my mother. And in a strange sort of way, there is.

My mother, perhaps like so many of your mothers, grew up in the Depression. She was half Irish, her father could barely find work, and so she spent much of her youth and adulthood deconstructing, inwardly and outwardly, the prevailing attitude that she was somehow second class. How did she do it?

She worked. She and my father attained middle-class stature. She dug in to the 9-5 world and claimed her right to be there.  She re-invented herself away from her Irish heritage. She and my father didn’t achieve the American dream in any grandiose way, but in their own modest way, they embraced and embodied its values. I love my mother for her toughness, her work ethic, her survival instinct.

But then we come to today’s readings and the centerpiece of our American cultural identity folds inward. God doesn’t ask us to pull ourselves up by our "spiritual bootstraps" and make something better of our meager lives. He asks us to surrender; to come like a child before Him, unassuming and fragile in our own humanity.  He offers us the chance to rest, to breathe, to be unburdened. We don’t need to try to get ahead. We just need to be.

Then as now, it seems to me that the yoke which truly crushes us is the burden of the distance between ourself and God–a God of pure being, pure love, pure authenticity–"I am who am."  I’m reminded of how many of my own burdens are self-imposed and needlessly borne. I think of how hard my parents worked, and I truly love them for their efforts, but I also can’t forget how fleeting are the trappings and promised successes of our culture, our society, our world.

My parents are now at rest, freed from all the pressures and "rules and regulations" that the world imposed. And I trust that they, in the gentlest possible way, are nudging me now to remember that true peace of mind and heart can be found only in simple love and true surrender to God.     

 

Nancy Nickel is a former staff member at the Passionist Development Office.

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