Daily Scripture

Scripture:

1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:22-33

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading for Sunday (Matthew 14:22-33), we have the account of Jesus walking on the water. This feat of Jesus, and His exchange with Peter, have a lot to tell us about our relationship with God and what it means for our lives.

The first thing this account tells us is that God has the power. Jesus does have control over the elements. He is able to walk on the water! This is not to show us that God can do tricks for us. Jesus’ walking on the water reminds us that we can put our trust in what He can do.

The second thing is that we can have power in Him. After the disciples realize that it is Jesus, and not a ghost they are seeing, Peter says, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." And Jesus says, "Come." He doesn’t say, "That power is for me alone" (something we’re often tempted to say). He simply says, "Come." With Jesus we can do great things! Without Him, we can do nothing. The gift is there. We were given the Holy Spirit when we were baptized. The gift was confirmed at Confirmation. The miracles we are able to do may not be as awe-inspiring as walking on water, but they are remarkable nonetheless.

Another thing this account tells us is that difficulties do not magically disappear. When Peter does step out of the boat, and actually begins walking on the water, the winds have not subsided. At first, the winds do not deter Peter from walking, but then, when they continue, he begins to be afraid. Having a deep, personal relationship with God does not mean that He will wave some magic wand, and all our troubles will leave. It does not mean that we will have smooth sailing all the way. What it does mean is that the difficulties and crises we face do not need to deter us from answering God’s call and living good lives.

A fourth thing this account tells us is that Jesus is always with us. When Peter gets scared, he begins to sink in the water. He cries out, "Lord, save me!" Matthew tells us that "immediately" Jesus catches him and pulls him out of the water. At those times when we do get scared, or when we forget how much God loves us, or even when we are "walking on the water," Jesus is always there for us. Again, He may demonstrate His presence not in some spectacle, but in something like the "tiny whispering sound" that Elijah heard at the entrance to the cave on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:11-13).

Our goal in life is not to do amazing tricks, or show how powerful we are. Instead, our goal is to believe and trust in God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, to let the Holy Spirit empower and guide us, even through the storms in our lives, and be faithful disciples. If we are willing to do that, we will hear Jesus say to us what he said to Peter on the water: "Come." "Come be with me forever."

 

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

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Matthew 16:24-28

Reflection:

Today’s Gospel reading comes right after Jesus has announced His coming Passion to the disciples. Peter responds, "God forbid!"  and then, after telling Peter to get behind Him, Jesus says, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." What a shock this must have been to Peter, even greater than being referred to as Satan! Here he just told Jesus that the Passion should never come to pass and Jesus says, ‘Well, in fact, you have to go through it, too.’ And, indeed, the apostles and the early martyrs were asked to bear great trials for their faith. But in this modern age where our right to practice and display our faith is protected by law, what are the crosses the we are asked to carry? What is the cross that Jesus asks me to carry?

When I was in my early 20s I prayed to God to show me my cross. I asked him to show me the fire, that I might walk through it and be purified. Ah, the pride of youth. I expected that my cross would be some grandiose event. Some life changing attack on myself that I could suffer and carry and overcome through the grace of God.

But now looking back from middle-age, I wonder. Is the cross that I am to bear, the cross that Jesus tells me I must take up if I wish to follow him, actually some huge event, some life-changing tragedy? Or is it to bear patiently those daily inconveniences, those moments when I’m jarred out of whatever peace I have and find myself gritting my teeth at my fellow humans or some minor frustration? Is my cross to hold my tongue and forgive, even when I think  I am right about who lost the TV remote or left the front door unlocked? Is my cross to pray and bless other drivers when they move so slowly that I have to sit at the signal through another red light and am late to work?

I now believe that my cross, what Jesus says I must take up to follow Him, is whatever the Father sends me. I am to participate fully in my day-to-day life, blessing God for what I am given, and working with those circumstances that I find myself in to share God’s blessing’s with others. This is enough of a cross for me today. And if God does send me a great, life changing event, perhaps carrying this day-to-day cross will have better prepared me to accept that, too, as blessing.

 

Talib Huff is a volunteer at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights, CA.

 

 

 

 

Scripture:

Numbers 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35
Matthew 15: 21-28 

Reflection:

Has it ever struck you that when Jesus heals people, the environment / the culture surrounding the miraculous transformation of the people does not change one bit? Persons are usually sent back to the ordinary settings as they knew them. As transformational as these healings are they are within the real world of good and evil.

The mom’s "wish" for her daughter came to pass. And the "great faith" on the part of the mom, acknowledged by Our Lord, would have to continue to face into the evil of cultural, religious and gender discrimination. Was that not what Jesus was seeking to probe with this woman, her capability (beyond human power) to face into the challenges of discrimination? Was not Jesus Himself being threatened constantly on his road to the Passion by this same evil discrimination? It would be his faith, too, in the faithfulness of the Father that would ultimately fulfill the "wish" of redemption…through His suffering love. Would not Jesus want this woman to understand the implications of healing with the ever-present consciousness of the discriminatory barriers which she would continue to face?

Jesus graces us with the wisdom necessary to choose to live a value, and take the risk to change the world. I may not imitate the actual sufferings of Christ but I can embrace the risk- taking of Jesus to change the world. Is there any area of my life where Jesus calls me to risk for the sake of those suffering discrimination? Jesus saves us not only from sin, but from our complacency, as well.

 

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president of Holy Family Cristo Rey High School, Birmingham, Alabama.

Scripture:

Numbers 12:1-13
Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14 (alternate reading for the day)

Reflection:

Today’s readings (using the alternate Gospel for the date) pose the very human question of how to discern God’s will in the context of our leadership.  Through the drama played out in the reading from Numbers, and the dialogue of Jesus with his disciples after confronting the Pharisees and Scribes, we see what a delicate balance may be required to affirm our obedience to God’s will in our community living.

Miriam, Aaron and Moses all shared in the leadership of the people of Israel as they came out of Egypt and sought out the promised land.  Clearly, by reason of age, Moses being the youngest, there was a natural "authority" in the ranking by age.  The people would have expected Aaron and Miriam to lead the way…but God favored Moses, "face to face I speak to him". 

I am reminded of our leadership in the religious life.  We choose our leadership after a discernment process.  Those who are entrusted with the responsibility of leadership are not only the ones with age or education to recommend them.  We believe that God brings forth the leadership we will require by asking us to consider the heart of the individual.  We look for leadership which listens to the Lord in prayer, which loves the fraternity of the membership, and which is ready to sacrifice personal prestige for the good of the mission of the Province.

Indeed, in the dialogue given us in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus criticizes the recognized teachers and spokespersons of the Jewish community.  They had questioned him about his followers and their not adhering to the ritual laws for purity.  Jesus reminds his disciples that the "teaching" –what comes out of the mouth– contaminates the purity of the believers more than the absence of ritual.  In so saying, Jesus has questioned the use of the teaching authority of the elders, but not without holding up the greater virtue, that his followers must use their authority with responsibility.

In our country, today, we meet up with the dreaded "judgment day" of fiscal responsibility.  We have been listening to the "teachings" of our leadership, daily the news coverage has shown us how divided our leadership has become regarding some of the fundamental values of human life and a just society.  Does this political rhetoric merit the judgment of Jesus?  Has our national leadership responded to the values that it so often calls the Christian foundations of our country?  Would Jesus recognize his teachings in the political debate we have just been through? 

 

Fr. Arthur Carrillo, C.P.  is the director of the Office of Mission Effectiveness for Holy Cross Province.  He lives in Chicago, Illinois. 

Feast of Saint Martha 

Scripture:

Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
Matthew 13: 54-58

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Martha, a friend of Jesus along with her family, Mary and Lazarus.  The story of Martha and the warm reception of Jesus in her home provide us with a clear contrast to the picture we see in today’s gospel.  Jesus finds himself in his home town surrounded by people who knew him well and yet did not place their full faith in Him.  "And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith."

Martha’s hospitality and the poor reception Jesus received in his own home town are reminders of how we must "create space" for each other and Jesus in our lives.  Hospitality, at its heart, is the creation of a welcoming space where we feel secure and able to express what is in our hearts.   This space creates a fertile ground for us to experience and grow in our faith.

Our Passionist Family is known for the virtue of hospitality.  Like St. Martha, we create a welcoming space for others so their faith in Jesus can grow.  We create this space through welcoming actions (like Martha) and contemplation (like Martha’s sister Mary).  We do this in a world where it would seem "hospitality" often is being driven away by technology and self-centeredness.

Hospitality is the virtue up for discussion on this Feast of St. Martha and in today’s gospel message.  As we reflect on this virtue, let us keep in mind a couple of questions.

What am I doing today to create a space where the faith of those I know the best can grow?  How am I creating a space for Jesus where he will "work mighty deeds" in my own life in response to my faith in Him?

 

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

 

Scripture:
Isaiah 55: 1-3
Romans 8:35; 37-39
Matthew 14: 13-21

Reflection:
"Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds."

I remember as a kid in elementary school, the nuns often questioned us about various gospel stories.  For example, if we were reviewing today’s gospel, the questions might go like this: "How many loaves & fishes?  How many people were fed?  How many full baskets were left over?"

As kids, I think most of us got the answers correct.  However, in my own case, I certainly had no understanding of the symbolism or the meaning behind the story. 

The feeding of the five thousand men plus women and children was indeed symbolic. It was a sign of something to come–the Holy Eucharist. ("He said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples.")  

Jesus would give them ordinary bread today, but He would give us Eucharistic bread for tomorrow.  The five loaves would keep them going today, but His Body and Blood would keep us going for a lifetime.

The Eucharist that Our Lord has given us was also a sign of something to come, another banquet which we’ll celebrate in heaven.  We gather around His earthly table today and hopefully, we’ll gather around His heavenly table tomorrow.

Today’s gospel is not just about a miracle in the past.  It’s also about the gift of the Eucharist in the present and the promise of a heavenly banquet in the future.  In the Eucharist we taste the love of God.  The proof that we have experienced that love will be our willingness to love and to be of service to others.  We may be able to give only in small ways and in small amounts.  However, from the example in today’s Gospel, we see that even a small amount can become a big amount when placed in the hands of the Lord.

 

Deacon Brian Clements is a former member of the staff at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.

 

Scripture:
Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38
Matthew 13:47-53

Reflection:
Today’s first reading describes how Moses was instructed to build the Ark of the Covenant-"the Dwelling" and in the response, we hear the psalmist refrain, "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!"

Where do we find God’s dwelling place?  Our first response is that God dwells in the Blessed Sacrament present in the Tabernacle.   Jesus, Body and Blood, is truly present in the form of bread and wine.  This is the basic tenant of our Faith.  We believe in the Divine Presence and our spiritual growth is heightened by a developing love of Christ so present.

And God is with us in the Celebration of the Eucharist.  At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Sacrament wherein he gave himself to us in order to remain with us and strengthen us.  Jesus dwells with us in the very act of the community of believers gathering in prayer at the Altar offering thanksgiving to the Father through the Son.

As a cradle Catholic, I grew up with a strong reverence for the Church building itself.  One of my earliest memories is sitting in a silent church, saying my prayers and knowing that God was present here.  When I have to make an important decision or if there is a crisis in my life, I seek God in the solace of my parish Church.  The Church is a special holy place.  There are other designated holy places – retreat centers, grottos, shrines.  Perhaps in your home, you have a small place where you sometimes sit or kneel and think about God.   God dwells in these holy places.

There is one dwelling place of God that we all too frequently forget, and that is that God dwells in us.  Just as we have reverence for Eucharist, for the Tabernacle, for the Church, we must also have reverence for ourselves and for one another.  I know a Passionist priest who speaks of this, and to demonstrate it, genuflects to the Tabernacle, to the Altar, and then to the people in the Assembly.

For surely we are not worthy to be called Christian if we spend hours in front of the Tabernacle, devoutly honor Jesus in Communion, bow or make the sign of the Cross as we pass a Church, but fail to treat one another with love and respect.

How lovely indeed are God’s dwelling places – all of them!

 

Mary Lou Butler is a long-time friend and partner in ministry to the Passionists in California.

Scripture:

Exodus 34:29-35
Matthew 13:44-46.

Reflection:

In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks to us as He often does in the form of parables.  "The kingdom of heaven," Christ tells us, "is like a treasure buried in a field."  When such a treasure is found, the finder goes out and sells "all that he has" in order to buy the field.  Imagine this for a moment-all that he has.  This is not something you would do on a hunch.  That would mean selling your house and everything in it, your car, your wedding ring, your stocks, your 401K, your kids’ toys, your clothes-everything.  What could possibly be worth that?  Certainly nothing on earth. 

We could sell everything we have in exchange for finding the kingdom because no such thing on earth is as valuable.  So what will we get in return for giving up all we have?  The answer of course is that we will get everything we could ever need.  What we have on earth pales in comparison to what is promised to us.  How do we reconcile our daily lives filled with responsibilities and obligations with our commitment to put Christ first?  In other words, how can we seek the treasure if we are not willing to pay the price for it?

I know the way it goes in my own life when such a conflict arises.  I wonder, how can God ask so much of us when we have  a debt crisis to worry about, college to save for, a mortgage to finance, a car to pay off, a career to nurture, a PTA meeting to plan and on and on.  But when we live mindfully with God as the center of our lives, then all of those other things fall into place as they should.  We become better parents and workers and all that we aspire to be. 

The last parable in Matthew’s gospel today tells the story of the merchant searching for pearls.  "When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."  Now, I am sure I have read or heard this gospel dozens of times.  Since it follows the parable of the hidden treasure, it seems fitting that a similar story likens the kingdom to a fine pearl. 

But I noticed something interesting this time.  The kingdom is not actually compared to the pearl.  "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls."  The kingdom is actually directly compared to the merchant.  I hope I am not undoing over a thousand years of Biblical study here.  But it sounds to me like the kingdom is the one doing the seeking in this story.   And if that is the case, could we be the pearls? 

Let’s not forget that as we are out there seeking truth and re-arranging our priorities and trying to fit God into our schedule, that He gave all he had to save us.  We are precious to Him.  We are not out there alone searching for hidden treasure.  In a world that defines us by our things and our earthly accomplishments, let us remember that we are so priceless to Christ that he traded his life for our salvation. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t describe myself as a priceless gem.  And yet, that is what we are to our Lord.  Let’s not let Him down.       

          

Marlo Serritella is on staff at the Holy Cross Province Development Office in Chicago, Illinois.