Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Acts 16:1-10
John 15:18-21

Reflection:

We spend a lot of our time and energy trying to get people to like us.  Whether it’s at work, with our neighbors, in our family or even at Church, we want approval from the people around us.  From the time, we are children, this need for approval drives many of our actions; we want to be liked.  As years go by, it becomes habitual for us to take the popular path because we think that’s the road to acceptance.  We watch TV and let the media decide the way we dress, what we eat and how we act. Surely, we think, if we do these things people will like us, we’ll be admired, we’ll be popular!

But popularity is not the message of the Gospel.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that if we belong to the world we will be loved by the world, but that as his followers, as his disciples, we have been chosen out of the world and the world will hate us.  Being a disciple of Christ is not an easy lot!

Martyrdom today may not mean that we will be persecuted like the members of the early church, but perhaps instead that we will have to accept being unpopular and rejected.  The world may indeed even hate us.  But God calls us to do what we know is right, regardless of what others think of our words and actions.  Sometimes people will laugh at us, disparage us, tell us we are being foolish!  We’ll be told "no one does that, or nobody thinks like that." 

But if we listen to what God is asking of us and turn away from what the world asks, then we will hear and answer the call of the Gospel.  And we will hear the call to take Jesus’ message of love, justice, and compassion to the world.  We are called to be Christ-like in all that we think, say and do – even when it isn’t popular.

 

Mary Lou Butler is a former staff member and a longtime partner of the Passionists in California.

 

Scripture:

Acts 15:22-31
John 15:12-17

Reflection:

"This is my commandment: love one another as I love you."

 

In the space of just a few sentences, Jesus twice commands us to love one another.  And not just to love one another, but to love one another "as I love you."  Jesus posed this tenet thousands of years ago.  So the question that I can’t seem to get out of my head is, how we doin’ so far?

Tonight on the news I heard about murders and assaults, robberies, fraud, war, adultery, terrorism, torture, and hate crimes.  (That was all before the broadcast even got to the weather).  In my very ordinary day, I overheard some nasty gossip.  I even witnessed some truly bad behavior between neighbors.  Certainly, my own transgressions could add to this list.    

But that’s not the whole story of course.  There were also the stories of the rescue workers in the wake of the Missouri tornados who risked their own lives to bring others to safety.  There was the very silly celebrity giving a very serious quarter million dollar check to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.  There was a mom of little means who has opened up her home to over 20 foster kids.  My favorite had to be the young woman who-presumably wasting time on her twitter account- heard about someone in need of a kidney, got tested, matched, and is donating her kidney to this complete stranger.   

So where does that leave us?  Unfortunately, somewhere in between.  As is evident from the news stories I mentioned above, there is not a day that goes by where some or all of us aren’t failing at following this commandment.  Certainly, we are in need of more of what Christ simply calls "love."  What really strikes me from the words of the gospel is the undeniable sense that we are being called to action.  "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."  Of course, this supreme surrender is not something that will be asked of most people.  But the call to give of oneself is clear.  

Jesus is not asking us to simply think warmly about our neighbors, to be nice to our neighbors, to occasionally help our neighbors.  We are being asked to give love.  Love is hard work.  It’s not a fuzzy feeling, contrary to what we see on television and hear on the radio.  It means putting someone else before yourself.  It means doing things you may not want to do.  It means going out of your way for someone else.  It may even mean doing all of this when you may not particularly like your neighbor. 

There are also no qualifiers on this commandment.  Apparently, we are to love our neighbors even when they fail us, when they are hurtful, and even when they don’t love us.  Christ did not leave loopholes.  But the glorious message is that this is how Christ loves us-wholly, fully, unconditionally. 

     

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

Scripture:

Acts 14:5-18
John 14:21-26

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says: "Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." I have to confess that I struggle with these words from Jesus. What I struggle with is the seeming implication that the Father’s love for us comes after the demonstration of our love for Jesus. Elsewhere in John’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that it is God who loves us first. In our reading from Acts, where the people of Lystra mistake Paul and Barnabas for Greek gods because of the healing of a man lame from birth, Paul tries to explain to them that it is God who has bestowed blessings upon them, even though they did not believe in Him.

So I don’t believe that our love of Jesus affects whether God loves us or not. God loves us no matter what. What makes sense to me is that when we observe Jesus’ commandments, in loving God and loving our neighbor, Jesus reveals more and more of Himself to us. The more we strive to love as Jesus loves, the more Jesus reveals to us how much He loves us and how much He loves the world, which better enables us to follow Him. Instead of a vicious cycle spiraling downward, perhaps we could call it a virtuous cycle spiraling upward.

After Jesus has spoken the words mentioned above, Judas, not the Iscariot, asks Him, "Master, [then] what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" Judas is confused because Jesus seems to be speaking about a personal revelation rather than a universal one. Jesus responds by saying similar words to the ones He has just spoken. Perhaps the answer is that Jesus reveals Himself to the world through us. The more God is all in all for us, the more we reveal His love in Jesus Christ, and the more the world hears the Good News. May we follow Jesus’ commandments, so that His love is revealed to all.

 

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

Memorial of St. Philip Neri 

Scripture:

1 Peter 1:18-25
Mark 10:32-45

Reflection:

Today, the Church recognizes the life and contributions of Saint Philip Neri.  Not everyone is familiar with Philip Neri, but he is a special favorite of mine.  First, he is the Patron Saint of Rome–one of my very favorite cities in the world.  Secondly, he is a Patron Saint of pilgrims–at least for pilgrims to Rome.

During his lifetime, Philip Neri encouraged many individuals on their spiritual journeys and he set up "Oratories" to gather seekers and to provide them with spiritual direction, and opportunities for prayer and renewal.  My favorite Philip Neri story is how he sought to counteract the temptations of Carnivale by gathering youth to set out on a pilgrimage to visit the Seven Churches of the city by foot.  After walking many miles throughout the day, the young people were too tired by evening to indulge in the frivolity of Carnivale!  But, he was not a complete kill-joy.  Instead, he is also known to as the Patron Saint of joy and humor–qualities he exhibited in abundance.  We can all use a Saint that makes us laugh!  Appeal to St. Philip Neri if you need a smile or some lightness in your life.

Clearly, not all Catholics will have an opportunity to visit the Seven Churches of Rome in person.  While a pilgrimage to Rome under the inspiration of St. Philip Neri may not be in your summer plans, it is possible to make a "virtual pilgrimage" by watching a wonderful video produced by Passionist Father Victor Hoagland entitled "Pilgrim Churches of Rome."  (Order form @ crossplace.com/catalog-jan-2009.pdf)  In an age of "staycations", we can still be active spiritual pilgrims–through reading, prayer, contemplative walks, and interesting audio visual aids. I highly recommend Fr. Victor’s production as an informative way to experience the richness of our Church history as told by this very insightful Passionists priest. 

Finally, in the spirit of St. Philip Neri, consider organizing an "Oratory" of your own.  Perhaps you might invite some friends and/or young people to gather in your home, retreat house or parish to talk about what they are experiencing on their spiritual journey.  We have much to teach each other!

Pilgrim blessings to you and yours!!

 

Angela Howell is a retreatant and volunteer at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.

 

Scripture:

Acts 6:1-7
1 Peter 2:4-9
John 14:1-12

Reflection:

"In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be." John 14: 2-3

It’s fun to think about heaven. Of course I can’t wait to meet the Lord face to face and see my parents again and my sister who died when I was 13! But I also imagine meeting and hanging out with people like Pope John XXIII; St. Francis and Padre Pio (just to name a few J). I want to experience Pope John’s humor first-hand; kick off my sandals, lay down in a field and look at the stars with St. Francis; and hear what it’s like to bi-locate from Padre Pio! Who do you want to see?

I’m also hoping to get a front row seat for a re-enactment of the parting of the Red Sea. Or maybe I can just go back in time to be there for the real thing? Anyway, I’ve heard some scholars believe that the sea was actually very shallow, so the Lord didn’t have to do such a grand miracle, but then there’s the little boy who says, "That makes it even more of a miracle, to drown an army in just a few inches of water!" I’m holding out for a tall wall of water, but either way, I just want to see it for myself!

But back to Jesus saying He’s going to prepare a place for each of us…  When our daughter Sister Cecilia is coming home for a visit (which I think will be one year from August when she finishes her Novitiate; or possibly the year after that) we get really excited! I enjoy getting her room ready for her and making sure we have her favorite food on hand. I put little notes around the house for her to find saying welcome home, or we’ve missed you, or an affirming scripture verse that I think will bless her. We also plan a home mass and dinner where friends and family can reconnect and hear the latest stories of life in the convent. It’s a way for us to celebrate God’s goodness to us.

So, now imagine arriving in heaven yourself. The Lord will have done all of this and much more for you because He loves you so much and He knows you so well! Never lose your hope of heaven. It is what helps us get through all of the trials down here. Look me up when you get there, and we’ll go on an adventure together.

 

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 4. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.jcarleton.com/ or email her at janice@frcedric/org

 

Scripture:

Acts 13:44-52
John 14:1-6

Reflection:

As we make our way through the manifold unfoldings of the Easter event, we continue to encounter the numerous ways in which God reveals Himself by the gifts He bestows on us.  In times past we may have preferred to speak of God’s infinity as a way of manifesting our perception of the rich potential residing in Him.  At present we prefer to approach the overflowing abundance within God in terms of the many gifts He bestows on us.

While we can legitimately lament, as we did at the death of JFK ("Johnny, we hardly knew ye"), so short was his presidential style among us, all the more can we grieve that, so far as Jesus is concerned, we barely had time to know Him.  But 33 years of age at His earthly departure from us (with only 3 years of His life spent in the public forum, so as to be available to others), we were struggling to get a handle on this stupendous mystery of the Incarnation: God becoming flesh among us.  We readily identify with Philip’s fumbling attempt to grasp Jesus’ remarks in today’s gospel: "If you know me, then you will also know my Father."  Jesus was already broaching the mystery of the Trinity.  We empathize with Philip’s fumbling effort at responding appropriately: "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."

Jesus is here unfolding the lavish richness of God’s beneficence with us, incarnated before poor Philip in Jesus’ own person.  As Philip is striving to keep his head above water whose depth is beyond him, Jesus tries another tact, which magnifies the generous gift-giving that is at the heart of this conversation: "If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."  This has the appeal of being concrete and practical.

There is more to this saga of God’s dealings with us: there is the death of Jesus on the cross-for us.  The humanity He early on took from Mary to manifest Himself to Philip, and to all of us, is seemingly destroyed on the cross.  But then, exceeding our comprehension, He rises from the dead in that self-same humanity, though different, enriching us, who had hardly mastered the meaning of the Incarnation, with a further dimension of mystery in the Easter event.

Again, this risen Christ is with us too short a time, as He ascends to heaven, while living on in the preaching ministry of Paul and Barnabas, as we hear in Acts today.  Paul and Barnabas further witness to the largesse of God toward us, by empowering them to gift us with the mystery of Christ now abundantly present in the word they preach, not just to the Jewish community, but to the whole world (the gentiles): "…the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region".

Christ is this word of the Lord, born of Mary, dead but risen from the tomb, preached by the apostles and empowering us today as the ongoing mystery of the richness of God’s gifting us, in so many different and unexpected ways.  It penetrated the lives of the Mexican martyrs we commemorate today, Christopher Magallanes and his companions, more than compensating their loss of life with a generous new level of life.  Mystery permeates our Christian faith, marveling at the many ways God gives Himself to us.

 

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

 

Scripture:

Acts 13:26-33
John 14:1-6

Reflection:

What’s troubling you?  What are you anxious about? What do you fear? What are your worries?

 

Jesus tells us today, "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Have faith in God and faith in me." 

Yes, we have faith that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and second Person of the Trinity.  But when Jesus tells us to have faith, I think he is talking about more than our intellectual assent to the creed.  I think he is telling us, "Have faith and understand how much I love you."

In the sixteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah.  But that intellectual belief didn’t help Peter during Jesus’ passion.  Peter denied that he knew Jesus and then hid.  It was only after the death and resurrection of Jesus when Peter and the other apostles grasped how total was Jesus’ love for him. But grasp it they did.  They become fearless.  Most of them died as martyrs.

How fear is conquered?  In the words of Sigmond Freud, "How bold one gets when one is sure of being loved."

After the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, the apostles were sure of being loved. In the Acts of the Apostles we read, "When they saw the boldness of Peter and James and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered: and they recognized that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)

When we are troubled, we need to look at the crucifix of Good Friday and believe in Jesus’ absolute, unconditional and forever love for us.  Then we need to look at the empty tomb of Easter and realize that Jesus is alive and with us right here, right now.  St. Paul might have said it this way: "Trouble, where is your victory, where is your sting?  We have Jesus."

 

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.  http://www.alanphillipcp.com/

Scripture:

Acts 14:19-28
John 14:27-31a

Reflection:

PEACE IN BOLDNESS

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27    A wise person once said that sadness looks to the past, and fear to the future, but faith to the present.    Christ is the Prince of Peace.  His peace extends to our past, present, and future.  

Peace in the New Testament is treated some 92 times and is often found in the words of Christ.  Some scholars feel that the root meaning of peace in the Greek is "to join".    One of the basic meanings of peace is that we experience harmony when our relationships are right.  "Righteousness and peace have kissed each other" Ps 85:8

A deep association with Christ brings great peace.   We find peace with our troubled past because of Christ’s forgiveness.    We find this same peace in future anxiety because  He will never leave us: "I will be with you all days".   

As for the present  Jesus says don’t let your hearts be troubled or literally, be shook up.  Jesus often exhorts his apostles to be bold: "Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. "Mt 14:27   The word for courage in Greek NT is tharseó.   It has a strong connotation of boldness, "bolstered because warmed up,"  Jesus uses this term seven  times in the Gospels.   As strange as it seems peace is often the result of boldness.

Jesus tells us "don’t be afraid".    The word for fear in today’s gospel is deiliaó which means to be timid (fearful), living in dread.   The word never has a positive meaning.    Jesus is saying we will truly have  peace only if we are bold and without timidity.  Thousands of years ago the psalmist said: "In peace I both lie down and seep, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in bold confidence." Ps 4:8

 

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