Daily Scripture

Memorial of Saint Cecilia

Scripture:

Daniel 2:31-45
Luke 21:5-11

Reflection:

Today in the church we remember St. Cecilia, and in my family, we are also remembering in a special way Julie, our daughter, because it’s her Feast Day as Sister Cecilia Rose! Julie joined the Sisters of Life as a postulant in 2009. She is now in her 2^nd year as a novice and will take her first vows on August 6, 2012 (God-willing of course!).

Saint Cecilia died for her faith and even though Julie hasn’t physically died for her faith, she has made a huge sacrifice by joining a religious community. Those of you who are religious certainly know what you have given up. Especially in today’s world, I think it’s an amazing witness to see young men and women walk away from everything to follow Jesus. They give me great hope for our church and for our world!

Julie not only gave up having her own family, but all of us and her friends as well. She misses our weekly family dinners, watching her nieces and nephews grow up, talking to us on the phone, (this year we get to talk to her four times for one hour, so each family gets 15 minutes!). Aside from people, she has given up TV (except for an occasional movie night), being on the computer, her beautiful hair, wearing jeans, eating whatever she wants, etc, etc, etc! And of course she has to give up her own will. The result: she is filled to overflowing with joy, radiating the love of God.

She has chosen to let Jesus use her to love the world for "the the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of every human life". John Cardinal O’Connor who founded the sisters in 1991 said, "The culture of death needs Sisters of Life." 

On the Sisters website (http://www.sistersoflife.org/) is this quote: "to lay down our lives that others might live." The sisters spend four to five hours/day in prayer and then reach out to others through these different apostolates.

• They welcome pregnant guests to live with them in the Holy Respite of one of their convents
• Assist pregnant women in need of practical assistance through their Visitation Mission
• Host retreats at Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat Center
• Invite those who have suffered abortion to hope and healing through day and weekend Entering Canaan Retreats
• Direct the New York Archdiocesan Family Life / Respect Life Office

Thank you Lord for the women you are calling to the Sisters of Life, and for all religious, especially the Passionists! Thank you for blessing their work and our world because of their "Yes" to You!

 

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 janice@frcedric/org

 

 

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Daniel 1:1-6, 8-20
Luke 21:1-4

 

Reflection:

A bit of a jumble surrounds the liturgy today, corresponding somewhat to the minor jumble associated with Passionist history implicated in this celebration of Mary’s Presentation. 

So far as the liturgy is concerned, an early appreciation of the meaning of the Presentation of Mary centered on her parents, Joachim and Anne, bringing the infant girl to the temple to offer her to God.  This was likely inspired by a clearer biblical account of a later event, when the now-grown Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to the temple (Lk 2, 22, ff.) to consecrate Him to God.  Otherwise, there is no biblical account of any consecration of the infant Mary.  Nonetheless, given the piety of her parents, it seems likely that they made some presentation to God of their cherished baby girl, anticipating her lifelong dedication to God.

That is what the liturgy celebrates today: Mary’s total self-offering to God.  The church captures this in choosing the gospel story describing the poor woman giving her all as she drops her few remaining coins into the temple depository, eliciting Jesus’ admiration; and in selecting a passage from the Book of Daniel describing several young Jewish men, under Daniel’s leadership.  The dedication they manifested to their Jewish religious practices inspired their daring fidelity to the kind of dietary practices threatening their well-being in a foreign land.  Today’s liturgy is inspired by such background in celebrating Mary’s Presentation.

Corresponding somewhat to such recognition of consecration is the attention Passionist history pays to the significance of Mary’s Presentation.  From early on, Mary was the driving force in the life of Paul of the Cross, appearing to him early on, clothed in a black garb, asking that he found a new community to be dressed or vested in a similar way.  Paul was so inspired by this that he never forgot it, and when the time came for him to be similarly clothed by the bishop, he sought to do so on this very feastday: Mary’s Presentation.  However, it actually occurred a day later, the 22^nd, since that was a Friday that year (1720), and Friday was a centerpiece of Paul’s spirituality, centered as it was on Christ’s death, occurring on a Friday.  But Paul always associated his dedication to God with Mary’s, naming his first foundation, on Monte Argentaro, the retreat of the Presentation, making this feastday a historical marker in the Passionist congregation.

So we celebrate a spirituality of dedication today, honoring that of Mary, of the prophet Daniel and his companions, and of the impoverished woman offering her coins in the temple area.  It aims at becoming an all-embracing ideal influencing one’s entire life, and may help us challenge any tendency we have to dart about here, there and everywhere in search of a dominant ideal that captivates us.  There is certainly an element of self-sacrifice bound up with a spirituality of dedication, but it finds corresponding support in the Eucharist, which we regard not only as banquet but also as sacrifice-that of Christ upon the cross.  Also, the practice of the "Morning Offering" helps to dedicate each new day to God’s service.  Perhaps that is why Paul of the Cross found himself so attached to this feast of Mary’s Presentation.  It captured his sense of the cross in his life.

 

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

Scripture:

1 Maccabees 6:1-13
Luke 20:27-40

Reflection:

"God is not God of the dead but of the living, for God, all are alive." Luke 20:39

The first reading for today’s Mass is a recounting of the final days of an evil ruler. After some terrible decisions that cost him the lives of his people and the loss of his power, he falls into a deep depression because he recognizes his self-deception: "Yet, I was kindly and beloved in my rule" he rationalizes. But then he has to acknowledge his own evil ways, which he tells us about in the reading.

I am reminded of a catechetical film produced by the Franciscans community back in the Seventies. A business man had drinks at a business lunch. He hits a little girl on a bike on his way back to the office, causing major injuries. The police determine that he was not legally intoxicated. Yet, he feels guilty and is unable to sleep and goes to counseling. After telling the counselor his story, he concludes by saying that he is not guilty of any wrongdoing because the law absolved him. The counselor responds: "then legally, you should be able to sleep."

Both examples show us how difficult it is for us to acknowledge our personal role in wrongdoing, in committing sin. For many of us, it is much easier to admit to personal failings than to sins that deeply offend, dehumanize and demean the other.

Our society has taken to publicly acknowledging making bad judgments without accepting blame for the decisions we make. It is difficult for us to acknowledge making wrongful decisions for which we have to make restitution. We tend to blame outside circumstances for making a bad judgment, such as, "we were tired, we were overexcited, we were in the wrong place at the wrong time." We seldom hear direct acknowledgement of being responsible for our wrongdoing. "I knew what I was doing, I knew that I was wrong and I did it anyway." Yet, if we are completely honest with ourselves, especially when we are alone with our God, then we are most likely to acknowledge our sinfulness and our sin.

Awareness and acknowledgement are the first steps to forgiveness, reconciliation, and conversion. Our God is not a God of one strike, two strikes and three strikes and then you are out. Our God gives us a lifetime of chances to get it right.

God is no fool. God knows the difference between contrition and pretense. Our God asks us to reflect upon the serious damage that sin causes us in the inside and outside of us; within our person and to the people our sin has hurt. We may rationalize that we did nothing wrong, that others were more to blame than myself, but God and our guilt does not let us get away with that. For our God is a God of all creation, for all ages and for all peoples. Our God is the God of the living. And sin is the doorway into death.

I conclude with the words of our Entrance antiphon taken from Psalm 12:6. "Lord, your mercy is my hope, my heart rejoices in your saving power. I will sing to the Lord for his goodness to me."

 

Fr. Clemente Barron, C.P. is a member of the General Council of the Passionist Congregation and is stationed in Rome.

Scripture:

1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Luke 19:41-44

Reflection:

"To the upright I will show the saving power of God." Psalm 50

Instructions in a manual, recipies for meals or directions to a destination, we use these things to get what we want or where we want to go. The more we deviate from these instructions, the less likely we are to get the outcome we intended. We may get lost or end up with a less than satisfying meal.  The same can be applied to our journey to the Kingdom.

We are given gifts, advice and a road map on how to enter into the Kingdom of God. These tools are aquired over time, throughout life and through different experiences. We frequently encounter Jesus in the Gospels telling his followers to leave their possesions behind and follow Him. The prophets and forefathers are our guides, encouraging us to do as they did, sacrificing and spending time away to pray. And yet, even though we are given these items, we tend to stray away or fall off the path. If we are so apt to follow correct directions so that we can arrive to our earthly destinations on time, why can we not do the same when it comes to our faith journey?

God speaks to us and give us direction in so many ways. Parts of creation, our loved ones, Scripture and in silence, we can hear His voice. We must ask for the grace to have our eyes opened, our ears to be opened to His voice in our everyday lives. Encountering Christ with an open mind and heart helps us to understand His direction for us and His will. Create the time in your hectic schedule to take your journey off of auto-pilot. Take the wheel and drive. The directions have provided all we have to do is follow them. This is the way to peace.   We are in control of how we can achieve inner peace. In realizing our ability to control our direction we are able to relinquish it, allowing the fog rise and the path become clear.

 

Kim Valdez is on the Pastoral Staff at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ The King

Scripture:

Ezekiel 34: 11-12, 15-17
1 Corinthians 15: 20-26, 28
Matthew 25: 31-46

Reflection:

On this last Sunday of the year, we celebrate the solemn feast of Christ the King.  This feast is the capstone of the liturgical year, using the image of the King as the fullness of Christ’s triumph. 

I’ve often reflected that we Americans don’t respond very well to the office of "King."  We have no experience of an earthly king so it’s a bit difficult for us to fully appreciate the message of this feast.  Nonetheless, we do have some notions about it.  We know that kings are respected.  They live in rather grand palaces, have servants to take care of many of their human needs, and exercise authority over their kingdom.  They usually lead the good life and embody many of the aspirations of their subjects.  When they treat their subjects with justice and their people prosper, they’re considered "good" kings.  When they are unjust and selfish, they are considered tyrants.

Still, our Scripture readings today give a different view of what Christ’s kingship is.  The reading from Ezekiel talks about the Shepherd who is very hands-on with his sheep.  He pastures and tends the sheep himself; seeking the lost and healing the wounded.  He leaves nothing to others but tenderly cares for his sheep himself.

In the Gospel we hear Jesus’ powerful description of the final judgment.  It is only by tending to the needs of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked and the imprisoned, that anyone is saved.  Care and service to one another is the hallmark of Christ’s kingdom.

Christ is indeed our King and we are called to model ourselves after him.  He gave his life so that we could have life.  We are called to give our lives so that our brothers and sisters can have life.  Christ is a unique King, indeed.  And, we are called to aspire to be (like) him.

 

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

Scripture:

2 Maccabees 6:18-31
Luke 19:1-10

Reflection:

Our readings might puzzle us. Two models of holiness are presented by the scriptures: a scribe and a tax collector! Readers of the New Testament might wonder about the scribe. Readers of the Old Testament might wonder about the tax collector. For Eleazar, the scribe, his whole life as a faithful Jew and observer of the Law came down to a very public symbolic action of refusing to eat pork. He chose death by torture rather than bow to the power of the state. He is praised by the author of Maccabees as "a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation." We ourselves need to realize that often we are pressured by society and culture to make accommodations and compromises in our moral beliefs.

Are we willing to stand up publically for what we believe?

Zacchaeus, the tax collector, stands in a totally different space than Eleazar. The tax collector class was despised as tools of the Roman occupation. In the provinces the Romans sold the office of tax collector to the highest bidder and the winners then squeezed every nickel they could from ordinary citizens. Luke notes that Zacchaeus had become wealthy from his position. No model of holiness here! Then Zacchaeus experienced a moment of truth. Looking down from his perch in a tree he sees the face of Jesus looking up at him and hears an extraordinary invitation: "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house." Did Jesus have a smile of welcome on his face?  Zecchaeus becomes a new person. Joy floods his heart. "Lord, half my possessions I will give to the poor! And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I shall repay it four times over." Zacchaeus becomes the model of the repentant sinner. He who was lost is now saved. He lives in a new place.

St. Eleazar and St. Zacchaeus, pray for us. 

 

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

 

Scripture:

Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63
Luke 18:35-43

Reflection:

The first reading for this day, a shocking portrayal of what was happening to the people of Israel from the Book of Maccabees, ends with the sobering words, "Terrible affliction was upon Israel."  This affliction, of course, came from the compliance of God’s chosen people who were forgetting who they were and what their covenant with the Lord meant in the life and faith of the nation.  In plain terms, the people were conforming to the cultural and social expectations of the dominant Greek culture.  As a result of this corporate forgetfulness the people were not only losing their identity, but were also losing their way, no longer following the path laid out for them by the Lord.

This reality of being overwhelmed, indeed seduced, by the popular culture is not something unknown to us today.  It seems as if the expectations of our society today, marked by materialism and narcissism; also dominate the lives of many of our Christian men and women even now.  It is a constant reflection shared with me weekend after weekend by good men and women who come here to Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center that the values and mores that were so important in their own faith formation appears to be missing in the lives of their children.  They worry about whether or not their beloved children will come to know the Lord in their lives in the same way that they have been blessed to have experienced for so long and in so many beautiful ways.  It is a valid concern and a very real fear that merits careful reflection.  In many ways we have capitulated to Hollywood’s mockery of what we in our Christian faith, consider to be so very sacred.  Kim Kardashian included, even as the so-called news networks add to the contemporary mockery of the sacred union true marriage is meant to be!

It was the blind man in the Gospel – as it turns out hardly blind at all! – who knew that he had to call out to the Lord if he was to have any hope of seeing ever again. "Lord, please let me see!"  That is my prayer that I must pray fervently along with our heroic blind brother, "Lord, please let us see!  Don’t let us be blinded by the darkness that surrounds us!"

 

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

 

Scripture:

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Matthew 25:14-30 or 25:14-15, 19-21

Reflection:

Today’s first reading is the concluding poem in the book of Proverbs, and its theme is no coincidence. In ancient Israel’s patriarchal society, men dominated almost all affairs outside the confines of the home — obtaining all the credit for their work while the strenuous work of women often went unrecognized. In essence, this poem was calling husbands to be ever mindful of what blessings their wives were to them and to society.

In a different way, the second reading also reminds us to be ever mindful of our blessings — a necessary ingredient of being "children of the light." "Remain alert and sober," Paul writes. For if we live in "darkness" we never become grateful people, nor are we able to make good use of the blessings God has given us.

The "Parable of the Talents" certainly speaks to the theme of the first two readings, but with so much more depth. During the time of Jesus, a talent was the equivalent of thirty kilograms (66 pounds) of precious metal – quite a large amount of metal. Since then, people have come to understand the word "talent" as having dual meanings in the gospel. However, what must not be overlooked is the incredible amount of weight one talent was, let alone two or five talents. With this image in mind, it becomes much more powerful when we picture a master giving multiple talents away to his servants.

The parable speaks of the master’s trust in his servants. Only a master with deep faith and trust would give so much treasure away and expect it not to be wasted. In fact, such an act exhibits a childlike trust and innocence very rarely seen in our world. Far too often we think trust is a one-way street in our relationship with God; we become bogged down trying to perfect our faith and trust in God, while ignoring the extraordinary reality that GOD TRUSTS IN US! The image of God having childlike faith and trust in us is something most of us rarely bring to prayer, but it is certainly an image that can breathe life into our spiritual journey.

Reflecting on an image of a God with total and complete trust in us should then help us to see our talents for exactly what they are: God’s beautiful gifts to us. We don’t create the talents; we turn them into the kingdom of God!

 

Tony Cortese, a recent college graduate, is the Campus Minister at the Newman Catholic Community at Sacramento State Univversity.