Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Romans 8:26-30
Luke 13:22-30

Reflection:

My father had a great mantra:  "There’s always room for one more."  At the dinner table or school car pool, he could always make room for one more.  We didn’t know how it could be done, but we regularly made room for one more.  He possessed a profound understanding of what it meant to be generous.  And generosity is most evident in the act of including, not excluding.

All of us want to be included.  Nothing reveals this basic desire like the experience of being excluded.  Told we don’t belong can leave lasting and devastating scars.  Different than not making the cut for a team or not getting the job we applied for – sour as those experiences can be – the experience of being left out or expelled says that we are not good enough or love-able enough.

The readings for today get into the difficult subject of predestination and who is or is not saved, topics that are better left to theologians to explore.  It seems to me, though, that our limited human capacity to comprehend God’s gracious love leaves us with the false dichotomy that if some are included then others must be excluded.  We live today in a world that too often pits one person against another, one party against the other, one religion against another, one country against another.

God’s love is all inclusive.  It invites us into community with Jesus and one another.  The ministry of Jesus, like that of a good shepherd, is to gather us together, not scatter us or run us off.  And the refrain of the psalm response, "My hope, O Lord, is in your loving kindness," can be our mantra today.  We don’t always understand how or why God loves each of us unconditionally, but we count on there always being room for one more.

 

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.

 

Scripture:

Romans 8:18-25
Luke 13-18-21

Reflection:

"For in hope, we were saved."

I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve felt very small.  Turn on the news and every problem in the world seems overwhelming.  Millions of people are out of work, the state of the economy is dire, there’s no solution in sight for healthcare.  How will I afford a good education for my kids?  What if the value of my home continues to fall?  Is our country safe?  And now, I guess we even have to live in fear of the flu.  Maybe one of these is something I could tackle.  But I’m just too insignificant to face such obstacles.  Right?

Today’s readings show us the great strength that can come from the smallest most unlikely of places.  Jesus is asked, "What is the Kingdom of God like?"  What do you think he will say?  Perhaps a vast forest or elaborate gardens, maybe even a palace.  We know that God’s Kingdom must be impressive and grandiose.  Yet, God’s Kingdom is instead likened to the smallest and most inconsequential of things-a tiny little mustard seed.  I guess if you just see the dried piece of earth in a seed this might seem a very strange comparison.  But the seed if planted and nourished becomes a tree.  That tree becomes food, shelter and security for the birds.  Something that in the palm of your hand looks like no more than a speck of dirt holds the potential for a whole new life.  That life can then sustain the lives of more of God’s creatures.  It is truly a miracle.  

But how can we believe that such a miracle is possible?  We must remember that God is at work in our lives in the quietest of ways.  Like the yeast that turns flour into bread, God can be transforming our lives almost in secret.  Much as the yeast works slowly, concealed, God is present in our lives underneath even every grain of suffering.  Perhaps we have lost sight of him amidst the fear, pain and loss that we experience every day.  This is a powerful metaphor that Christ uses to describe his Father’s Kingdom.  Yeast is an agent of real change.  It can take wheat and make it into a whole new reality-bread.  I don’t know if you have ever made bread.  What starts as flour and water grows and expands and becomes something entirely different.  It’s nothing short of amazing. 

Each of our own personal challenges may seem insurmountable. But we can’t judge the whole of our lives on what we see in front of us.  The seeds we sow today can grow into something beautiful tomorrow.  Our sadness, even our failures, may transform us in the greatest of ways.  We begin small, like the mustard seed.  We may not fully appreciate the divine work of God in our lives like the yeast.  Look with the eyes of the world and there are only seeds and yeast.  Look with the eyes of faith and you will find the tree and the bread.       

 

Marlo Serritella ([email protected])is on staff at the Holy Cross Province Development Office in Chicago.

Scripture:

Romans 8:12-17
Psalm 68:2, 4, 6-7b, 20-21
Luke 13:10-17

Reflection:

"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…"

 

I read over the Scripture readings for today several times over the last week or so in preparation for this reflection.  I kept going back to how I could combine the first reading about following the Spirit of God, and in the Gospel how Jesus did what was right and "worked" on the Sabbath.   The answer is simple:  If you live in the Spirit of God, you will do what is right and what is decent. But, it may not necessarily be quick or easy.

We are all children of God.  No matter our age, race, religion, gender, etc.  But, do we strive on a daily basis to follow the Spirit of God, or do we just make time for it when we are in Church?  In this day and age when technology is advancing at the speed of light and information is at our fingertips in an instant, everything around us moves in a blur.  Do we take the time to step back and reflect where our lives are at and which direction we are heading? Do we make time for God in the middle of the workday – more than just "please God let me get this done so I can move on to my next task?"   We each have to find a way to slow down, even for a few minutes, step back and make time for the Spirit of God each day.  He is always in the background of our lives, but I think sometimes we forget to acknowledge His presence.

Yes, it is God’s law to keep the Sabbath holy.  We can do that, but there are also things in life that won’t wait until the Sabbath is over.  We understand that what Jesus did was right and decent.  Why should the woman wait another day?   When the leader of the Synagogue ridicules Jesus for "working" by curing the woman, he also ridicules the woman for coming to be cured on the Sabbath.  Jesus is angered by this because we can live our lives in the Spirit of God but still have to do some type of work on the Sabbath.  So what do we say to people?  Are they wrong because they have to "work" on the Sabbath?  No, they are doing what is right, what is decent and not necessarily easy because we are all children of God, we live in the Spirit of God,

 

Claire Smith ([email protected]) is on staff at the Holy Cross Province Development Office in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

Romans 8:1-11
Luke 13:1-9

Reflection:

"Brothers and sisters: Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

 

How great is that?!!! When we are in Christ, we don’t have to worry about ending up in hell. If we could keep that bit of information always first in our thoughts, I think we would be a lot happier. The day-to-day stuff that drags us down and the normal problems of living wouldn’t have as much power over us if we could remember that it’s all going to work out in the end.

The Catholic Church is famous for "catholic guilt". I remember being told in catechism that if we committed a serious sin, that we would need to confess it over and over, "just to be sure". What kind of nonsense is that? When we confess a sin, and are truly sorry, God forgives us and that’s that! "I will forgive their evil-doing and remember their sin no more." Jer 31:34b Someone once said that God throws our sins into the ocean and then posts a sign that says: "No Fishing".

God may forget, but we remember, and it’s easy to continue to feel bad for what we’ve done, even after we’ve been forgiven. That’s what condemnation does. It makes us believe that there’s no hope for us; that God can’t forgive us; that we can never be good enough to make it; or that we can never change. But the opposite is true.

In Christ we are redeemed, not condemned! First we need to learn to forgive ourselves when we mess up, and humbly receive God’s forgiveness. Secondly, we need to stay close to the Lord and try to see all things in the light of eternity. Our time here is nothing compared to forever, so let’s press on to the glory that awaits us when our journey here is through!

 

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

Scripture:

Exodus 22:20-26
1Thessalonians 1:5c-10
Matthew 22:34-40

Reflection:

After looking at our first reading from Exodus, where God tells the people not to "molest or oppress an alien," not to "wrong any widow or orphan," and not to "act like an extortioner" towards the poor, I confess that two things immediately came to my mind: the immigration law in Alabama, and the "Occupy Wall Street" protests going on in cities around the world.

However one may look at the immigration issue, this admonition from God should restrain us from violence or hatred towards those who come here, and those who help them, whether they are legal or not. And while it’s important not to condemn the "1%" (the richest among us) simply because they are rich, what we hear in our reading from Exodus should remind us that we are to be as mindful of the poor as God is mindful of them. The people mentioned in our reading are people who have no "clout" in the world. Rarely, if at all, do they have influence over what other people decide about them. And so, the reading from Exodus reminds us that even though they may not have any access to those who have worldly power, they have access to God.

That is something to remember when we hear Jesus’ answer to the question posed to Him by a scholar of the law: "Which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus replies: "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." What do these commandments really mean?

I see Jesus’ commandment to love as the driving force behind the call to justice. The Gospel calls us to treat everyone with dignity and respect as children of God, and that people should have a say in what happens to them. The Gospel calls us to work toward making a world in which there is no one in need; no one without food or shelter or clothing or education or medical assistance or at least the opportunity to realize their full potential. Those who are blessed with wealth and power are to use them toward this end.

The commandment to love is meant to guide all aspects of our lives. And we can trust that God will give us what we need to love as Jesus loves.

May God continue to bless us all, and may our ears be attuned to the cries of those in need.

 

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

Memorial of Saint John de Brebeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, and their companions, martyrs

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

Reflection:
"Much will be required of the person entrusted with much and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." Luke 12:47

Today, the Church in the United States celebrates the feast of St. John de Brebéuf, St. Isaac Jogues and Companions. They were Jesuit missionaries and their lay followers. These men were martyred in North America between 1642 and 1649, in the territory that now includes New York State and Canada. At that time, this territory was the home of the Huron and Mohawk nations.

They were well aware of the dangers that they faced, given that they had been missionaries in those territories for years. Fr. Isaac Jogues was captured once, escaped, went back to France and then returned to this mission only to be martyred in 1646. These were no idealistic, naive missionaries that thought they could save souls just by praying rosaries and celebrating Mass. They must have known in their hearts of hearts that they would fail miserably in their missionary effort. But they did not measure success by the number of converts and the building of beautiful churches. Rather, their faith in the Power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, their love of the God of Life and their hope in the Holy Spirit was what kept them going back time and time again. The youngest member of these martyrs was a teenager. It is upon their blood that we, the Church of America, has been established.

In 1999, Pope John Paul wrote an Apostolic Exhortation entitled, The Church in America. In his mind, there was only one America, not two Americas. The Church in America was founded by missionaries and martyrs, who were willing to give their whole lives to bringing the message of the Gospel to new peoples, some of whom were violently opposed to it and some of whom were willing to receive it with open arms and hearts. That is what the Gospel demands of us. We begin with the conviction that much is required of us and even more will be asked of us. The Love of God for us knows no boundaries, and our love for God’s people and the human needs that God’s people have are not based upon borders or boundaries but on the fact that God’s unconditional love was given to us when we did not deserve it. God does not count the cost of this Love that has made us Children of God.

The readings for today’s Mass are all about going beyond the boundaries of our human condition. How many times are we tempted to give up because we do not get what we want, because the temptation to live a life of sin is easier than to give ourselves over to a life of grace, because God does not seem to be arriving and we are so tired of doing our part? Let us not give up. Let us not be discouraged. Let us continue to love even when we are rejected. Let us continue to forgive even when repulsed. Let us continue to reach out even when it is not required. We do this one act at a time, one act of kindness at a time, one act of faith, hope and love at a time. Let us pray for the courage that these North American martyrs displayed by their life and witness. Much was required of them and they gave even more. We can do no less.

 

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

Feast of Saint Luke

Scripture:

2 Timothy 4: 17
Luke 10: 1-9

Reflection:

"But the Lord stood by me and gave me help…"

 

Paul is a very honest man. His letter to Timothy shares his disappointments. We can see Paul has a dear friend in the person of Timothy by calling him, "beloved." And to whom do we usually answer honestly when we are asked, "How are you doing?" It’s to a close friend. It’s usually a close friend who knows us inside and out. The "others" usually only know the "out". Thank God for the close friends who help us to be true to our total self.

Paul is taking it on the chin as he directs his efforts to evangelize both the Jews and the Gentiles. He had to be a challenge to them all. His fellow Jews see and hear him proclaiming that Jesus is the promised Messiah whom the Prophets had talked about. In fact, Jesus is the incarnate Son of God. Through Paul the Jews are being called to listen, to think, to decide, to accept Jesus. This would come to be an ongoing challenge to them. Paul, himself, will experience much pain, rejection, and death out of his love for Jesus. The early Christians had who had accepted and followed Jesus, had to take a deep breath as they listened to this man, Paul, who had persecuted and thrown them into prison.

A quick insight comes into view: conversion is an ongoing experience of listening, thinking, deciding and accepting and the willingness to keep moving even though the mirror in front of us shows that our hair has grown gray, and we are holding on to the sink in front of us as we gaze at the figure in the mirror. Some would immediately say…"Oh, let the truth set you free." The truth can do this but sometimes it’s accompanied with pain and sorrow and tears. Why? Commitment and ongoing growth will bring us into new life situations, new insights, that challenge both the preacher and the preached to. This is Paul’s story. It is also ours. But it is not without the presence of a loving Friend in the person of Jesus who gently encourages, "Come…take up your cross and follow me. Let’s walk together."

 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. is on the staff of Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center, Houston, Texas.

 

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch 

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

When I look at creation I cannot help but think that there has to be something more than just what we have here on earth. From the fall leaves (the few colors we get in Texas), to the expansive ocean to the Grand Canyon, there is so much of God’s grandeur around us. I am constantly in awe of how much God has graced us, and how His eternal glory reflects in all of these things.

We read in the scripture that He promises us eternal life, if we leave what we have behind and follow him, not to rely on earthly possessions. We are taught not to put our full trust in things of this world, but of the next. To unite ourselves to Christ we must die to this life of dependence on possessions. We are called to trust in God’s promise, just as Abraham did, of eternal life.

On that same note, are we keeping our own promises to God? We make many promises to and in front of Him in the sacraments and probably on a daily basis.  He has promised us eternal life, has given us new life and loves us unconditionally. Are we promising Him our whole selves and fulfilling that promise?

Fulfilling that promise can be as easy as doing the routine things in our everyday lives and following Him. If we are attentive enough, we will see and notice Him on our own, as St. Therese of Lisuex put it, "little way".

We can see God’s promises all around us, through the love of another, through creatioon and so on. We are called to not doubt, but hope and believe in these promises and to devote ourselves to His will. I challenege you to take a look at your routine this week, and make an effort to see God’ grace in every small thing that you do. If we recognize His grace, we can better understand His promise, and devote ourselves to Him.

" I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the limits of the earth" – St. Ignatius of Antioch

 

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