Daily Scripture

Scripture:

John 2: 3-11
Luke 2:22-35

Reflection:

Today’s after Christmas readings celebrate the light of Christ and the light we experience as Christians.  John says "And yet I do write a new commandment to you, which holds true in Him and among you, for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining."  I am reminded of Thomas Merton’s epiphany moment on Fourth Street in downtown Louisville in which he realized that all the people bustling around him each "shone like the sun".  (Today, while shopping for items at Kroger I also had an epiphany moment!  A fellow shopper and I lunged for the last loaf of French bread at the same time.  I don’t think she and I were experiencing each other as light like Merton described; just saying!) 

Yet in some way we all reflect the light of Christ.  It’s just difficult to keep this in mind, especially in our world today.  The events in Connecticut and Syria prior to Christmas this year certainly were stark reminders of how the darkness is still among us.  As I reflect on the work of our Passionist brothers and sisters across the globe I see many efforts to bring light into darkness.

Our Birmingham community works with those struggling with the darkness of poverty.  Our retreat center communities of Houston, Detroit, Sierra Madre and Citrus Heights preach the light of Jesus crucified to people caught in the dark moments life sometimes brings us.  Our itinerant preachers and pastors minister through preaching God’s love to people all over our country experiencing the struggles we all know so well.  Our brothers and sisters in our Louisville community pray for light in the lives of those requesting our prayers.

So today I reflect with you on the light in each of us who love one another.  Again in the words of John today, "Whoever loves his brother remains in the light."  As Passionists, we spread and preach the light and love of Christ crucified in everything we do, right down to the last loaf of French bread at Kroger.

 

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

Feast of Saint John the Evangelist

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed this the Year of Evangelization, but the word seems to have many diverse meanings.  For some, it means to convert or persuade others to accept Catholic Christian beliefs and doctrines. Others look to the Greek origins of the word (εὐαγγέλιον) – good news or good tidings – and say it is more about proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.  On this Feast of John the Evangelist perhaps a look at today’s readings can help us.

What we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you,
so that you too may have fellowship with us;
for our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  (1 John 1:3)

The first Christians, living in a pagan culture rampant with violence and self-interest, simply lived an alternate lifestyle, one proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth, (^"… and all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number…" Acts 5:14).  The Church grew because people were inspired by the passion with which followers of the Rabbi from Nazareth embraced this new Way of living… loving enemies, and washing feet, taking the last place, and turning ones cheek.

Jesuit Fr. William O’Malley says (Help My Unbelief, Obis Books, 2008), "Scientists work from consequences to probable causes. So should seekers for human meaning. They corroborate their inferences with experience. So should those who seek God. Modern biology has improved health care and life expectancy. One would hope belief in God would produce a recognizable enrichment of human life. Jesus himself said, "By their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:16).

With so many wounds and scandal in our Church today, perhaps our current call to evangelize has more to do with reforming contemporary Church structures than persuading others to accept Catholic doctrine, much less chastising others to return to the Sacrament of Penance! Why else would Jesus allude so often to the natural metaphor? ^"A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit." (Matthew 7:18)  

Recently fifty-year-old Abbot Mertin Werlen (member of the Swiss bishops’ conference) made a fiery appeal for church reform, including a call for dialog on: remarried divorced people now barred from Communion, granting greater voice to local churches over the nomination of bishops, priestly celibacy, and the appointment of cardinals. Abbot Werlen suggested that men and women from all over the world, young and old, could be elected to the cardinalate for a period of five years and could meet with the pope every three months in Rome. "Such meetings could bring a new dynamism into Church leadership," Werlen suggested.

"We are writing this so that our joy may be complete!"  (1 John 1:4)

 

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. ministers as a preacher of parish missions and retreats.  He is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Feast of Saint Stephen

Scripture:

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

 

 

 

Reflection:

When shepherds return to their fields,
When angel voices are silent,
When the star leaves the sky,
When the wise men journey home,

This is when Christmas begins.

With all that goes into preparing for Christmas, sometimes we forget the difficult journey that led Jesus to be born of Mary in a manger in a way-out-of-the-way place.  It was a rough entry into this world of ours, full of brokenness and division. It’s true that we’ve cleaned up the Nativity with beautiful crèches and Christmas carols, with gift-giving and holiday parties.  But the work of Christmas truly begins after we pack up the ornaments and take down the tree.

That journey-God becoming one with us-was rough indeed, and it promised to get rougher.  Today’s feast of St. Stephen the Martyr is a quick reminder of how rough it can get, how resistant the world can be to the Newborn King.  Being born in Bethlehem is just the first step.  Being born in our hearts is a whole lot harder.  Like the world around us, we too resist making a place for him in our lives.  Celebrating Christmas is more fun than living Christmas the rest of the year.

Mary’s disturbing visit by an angel, Joseph’s initial reaction and fear, the humble barn and manger, strange visitors from afar, a jealous king…all disconcerting experiences leading to the birth of Jesus who needs be born again and again in our hearts and in our world.  He will be born in us in much the same way as then – at a time and place we least expect it to happen and when we are most humbled and afraid.  He comes to bring comfort, assurance, reconciliation and peace to those hearts-our hearts-that are divided and broken. 

When we return to our work,
When holiday carols cease,
When cold nights give way to spring,
When families journey home,

This is when Christmas begins.

 

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.

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent 

Scripture:

1 Samuel 1:24-28
Luke 1:46-56

Reflection:

"My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior."
1 Samuel 2:1

At daily mass, we have recently read about Mary’s visitation from the angel, her "Yes" to God, and today her beautiful prayer, the magnificat, after being welcomed by her cousin Elizabeth.

I believe we all have, or need to have, a moment where we too say "Yes" to God and surrender our own lives as well. As Catholics, many, if not most of us, were baptized as infants, but I think we need to confirm our parents’ decision when we get older. We need to make our faith our own; embracing all that the church teaches and offers us. Some do that at Confirmation, some later. My hope is that we all realize at some point in our lives that we are invited into a personal relationship with the Lord who saves us.

As we begin our journey of walking with the Lord, by the leading and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, each of us is called as Mary was, to bring Jesus to the world. Obviously, there are many ways to do this, and each of us has been given the gifts that will help us to do our part.

A friend of mine recently shared that she has made herself available to the Lord to share His love with those who don’t know Him. She will be shopping for example, and the Lord will point out a person to her. He will give her a word of wisdom about that person, and then she will strike up a conversation with them and tell them what He asked her to say to them. Each time, the person has been hungry for God and she has been able to pray with them inviting them to receive God’s great love.

You may be called to minister to the elderly in your parish. Maybe you can share God’s love with a neighbor. If you are raising children, surely your call is to help them grow in their faith by living yours well. God needs each one of us to help bring His light to our darkened world. May we say "Yes" every day and then be open to His leading.

 

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. Janice also leads women’s retreats. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.jcarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected]

 

Christmas Eve

Scripture:

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Luke 1:67-79

Reflection:

This evening we are celebrating the greatest act of love the universe has ever seen.  "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and His name will be called Wonderful."  Isaiah 9:6     Isaiah gives us the source and reason why God has come to us in an astonishingly human way.  It is because of His passionate love for humanity. "The zeal qinʾâ of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this."  The Hebrew word zeal is an ardent word.  It is not as if Isaiah is saying that God has some distant interest in us, but rather a vehement feeling for us.

The other day I was preaching in a Louisville parish that God is crazy about us.  There is always something irrational about love!  An older man came up to me afterwards and said:  In all my years, I never thought of God as being so impassioned about me.  The Hebrew Scriptures often speak of the intense love God has for His people and as Isaiah reminds us, it is wonderful to behold. "Let them see your zeal qinʾâ for your people!" Is 26:11   He has "wrapped himself in zeal qinʾâ as a cloak."   Isaiah was not beyond goading God’s concern in times of distress: "Where are your zeal qinʾâ and your might?  The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion are held back from me." Is 63:15

The New Testament uses many words to express this fervid love that God has for us.   "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor ĕudŏkia  rests."   Eudokia in Greek means to think well of someone.  How precious we are to God we will never fathom in this life.   But even our secular world each year forgets itself in a splurge of joy and lights to celebrate the Birth of Christ.   If even a shadowing vision can cause such joy, imagine what a full vision of faith can bring!  "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord."

 

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

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

Micah 5:1-4a
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading from Luke, we hear the account of the Visitation, the time when Mary after hearing from the angel Gabriel that she is to be the mother of the Messiah, is also told that her relative Elizabeth, thought to be incapable of conceiving a child, has conceived! Filled with Good News, and anxious to see how Elizabeth is doing, Mary rushes to visit her.

The meeting between these two faith-filled women highlights all the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the births of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. When we examine the words spoken by Elizabeth to Mary, we may find that there is some meaning in them for us:

"Blessed are you among women…" – Mary, as the mother of the Messiah, is indeed blessed. Can we see ourselves blessed as well? Granted, it can be hard to see any blessings. But we can still know that we are loved by God, just like Mary! The coming of Jesus into this world in order to save us is testimony to that fact!

"… and blessed is the fruit of your womb." – Jesus, as the Son of God become one of us, can be said to be more than blessed! These words also tell us that all our children are a blessing. We have been reminded of that in a mournful way after the shooting in Newtown. But even beyond Newtown, we know that so many children (many of them girls) in so many parts of the world are seen as unwanted and even expendable.

"And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" – Mary is the mother of Jesus. But how would it be if we saw each other as "the brother of my Lord," or "the sister of my Lord?" Would we treat each other a little differently?

"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." – Just as it may be difficult to remember that we are blessed, it can be hard to see the fulfillment of God’s promises to us. And yet, in a very short while, we are going to celebrate the birth of the One who lived, suffered and died, and rose from the dead in order to free us from the power of sin and death, and give us the promise of everlasting life! In the midst of everything, we can still put our trust in God! The One who transformed a symbol of destruction into a sign of victory can do marvelous things in and through us!

As we get closer to Christmas, may we continue to make room for the One who has blessed us.

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

Scripture:

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a
Luke 1:5-25

Reflection:

Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." Luke 1:18

 

For those of us who like the Christmas narratives in the Gospels, this account of the Archangel Gabriel bringing the Good News to Zachariah while he was doing his duty in the Sanctuary of the Temple is well known to us. It always bothered me a bit that this good and holy man, Zachariah, seemed to have been punished harshly for his question to the Archangel Gabriel after being told that he was to be a father in his old age. He said: "How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." (Luke 1:18) Most of us, I think, would have asked the same question, maybe even having a stronger reaction to such an announcement. As we continue reading the account, Zachariah is punished for his lack of faith by being made speechless immediately. He remained so until after the birth of his son, John the Baptist.

Tomorrow’s Gospel account will be the annunciation to Mary by this same Archangel that she was to be the Mother of God. Her response is this: "How can this be since I have no relations with a man?" It seems that she, too, had a similar reaction to Zachariah’s. It was this confusion that led me to compare these two very similar accounts.

Zachariah was an older man, having lived a full life with his wife Elizabeth. They were a much respected family, but they had no children and this was an embarrassment for them. But, as the Scripture tells us, they were "righteous in the eyes of God." Mary, on the other hand, was a very young woman, not yet married. Her life was ahead of her. And yet, she is greeted as "full of grace" having found favor with God.

Zachariah was doing his duty as a priest within the temple, in the most sacred of places, the sanctuary, and Mary was home. Tradition tells us that she was praying. She was probably also doing housework. Both were doing God’s Will and God’s Work, but in two very different settings. God finds us, no matter where we are.

The more I reflected on these two responses: Zachariah’s "How will I know?" and Mary’s "How can this be?" the more I saw a major difference between the two. Zachariah’s response lacked faith. He made himself the judge of what God could and could not do. And the Archangel Gabriel told him so.

On the other hand, Mary’s response showed that she lacked understanding, not faith. Mary never expressed a lack of faith, only a lack of comprehension. When Mary accepted the Archangel’s explanation, she became totally open to God’s invitation to be the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of the Son of God, "Be it done unto me according to your Word." What a difference!

These two accounts help me to deepen my faith in the Word of God, to deepen my faith in a God who loves us so much that we are given a Savior and Redeemer in the person of Jesus. We may grapple with the understanding of this mystery, asking ourselves the same question Mary asked, "How can this be?" Yet, when all is said and done, we too can only say with Mary: "Behold the servant of the Lord! Be it done unto me according to your Word!"

 

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

Scripture:

Jeremiah 23:5-8
Matthew 1:18-25

Reflection:

Its one thing to be called a righteous man as St. Joseph was.  Mary, his fiancée, is pregnant.  The law would have punished her severely.  That is not what Joseph wants.  He chooses to divorce her privately.  Something special happens with the appearance of an Angel who tells him that Mary is pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a baby son.  Call him "Jesus" because he will save his people from their sins.  Joseph is told to take Mary as his wife.  He did exactly that.

Righteousness is something that we all are asked to develop.  That comes through honesty, reflection, conviction and action.  The three readings at the Third Sunday of Advent Mass just two days ago faced us with three persons trying to help the people around him to deal face to face with righteousness.  Remember?   Zephaniah, a prophet, was guiding a small group of fellow Jews through some painful times of being cast aside by fellow Jews who chose to follow an alien god.  He encourages them not to give up.  Paul, the Apostle, was writing a letter to the Christians in Philippi.  "Rejoice, rejoice" Paul writes them.  "Don’t give up."  This letter was being written in a Roman prison!  John, the Baptist, is out in the desert ministering to several groups of people, trying to get them to think about what they are doing: "don’t cheat," "don’t extort," "don’t falsely accuse," "be content with your wages," and "share your food and clothing."

Facing problems, difficulties, decisions, actions that carry consequences are part of our growth in truthfulness and righteousness.  It begins when we learn the meaning of the words, "yes" and "no."  The possible depth of the consequences continues to be revealed as we continue to grow in our relationships with God, with those around us and last, but not least, our own selves.  What are you facing at this moment or time of your life?  Who is it that you need to trust to work through your decisions that will definitely result in consequences?   Jesus comes as the baby of Bethlehem.  He promised to walk with us as we continue our daily trek toward heaven.  Notice the hand that grasps yours bears a wound?  His decision to come to live among us carried serious consequences.  He wanted us to know the depth of His love that would eventually lead to the consequence of giving up His life for His friend…you!

 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. is the associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Chicago, Illinois.