Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Wisdom 11:22-12
2 Thessalonians 1:11-2a:2
Luke 19: 1-10

Reflection:

"Today salvation has come to this house."

 

Today’s gospel is one of my favorite Scripture passages.  It is the story about a tax collector named Zacchaeus and how his life is transformed during a single encounter with Jesus. 

The theme of today’s readings is summed up in the last line of the gospel, where Jesus says to Zacchaeus: "today, salvation has come to this house," and Jesus goes on to emphasize that he has come "to seek and to save what was lost".

Zacchaeus was a little man who did a little thing.  He climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he was about to pass by.  He was probably just curious, because there was nothing in his background that would indicate that he was a person of faith.  Quite the contrary. 

Zacchaeus was a tax collector (in Jesus’ day, they were in the same category as thieves, murderers, and prostitutes!).  He was not just a tax collector, but the CHIEF  tax collector, sort of the "Godfather" of the tax collector mafia.  Luke portrays him as a kind of lovable Danny
DeVito like character who simply wanted to see Jesus, not meet him. 

But Jesus spotted Zacchaeus, who was willing to "go out on a limb" and Jesus called him by name. "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house".  Zacchaeus came down quickly and greeted him with joy.  The crowd on the other hand was shocked.  But Jesus is more interested in the outcast than the outraged.  Jesus does not condemn Zacchaeus, nor does he exact repentance from him.  Rather, he looks beyond his sins and gives Zacchaeus the space and the grace, in an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance, to choose to redirect his life.  And he does. He is transformed from a TAKER to a GIVER.

Zacchaeus repents and makes a public amends for his wrongdoing, offering to give half of his possessions to the poor and to repay those he extorted four times what they are entitled to. 

The true attitude of prayer is when we allow ourselves to be open to God’s unconditional love for us.  And, as Zacchaeus discovered, our lives will be transformed in a most profound way.  We take one small step towards Christ and he takes one GIANT step into our lives.  Jesus comes to us just as we are but does not leave us as we were.   Allow salvation to come to your house.

 

Deacon Brian Clements is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California

 

Scripture:
Philippians 1:18b-26
Luke 14:1, 7-11

 

 

 

Reflection:
Did you ever wonder how St. Paul was able to accomplish so much?  He preached unceasingly, established thriving faith communities, endured extreme hardships, wrote eloquently, and died heroically.  Where did he get all this energy and all this courage?

Today he gives us the answer.  "For to me life is Christ."  After his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul’s life was turned around.  The grace of the Holy Spirit came upon him and he became totally committed to Christ.

Commitment is an amazing thing.  It unlocks the doors of imagination and creativity, taps our inner resources, and unleashes a quality of energy unknown to the wishy-washy.  Commitment rallies our courage, stiffens our backbone, and toughens us for all challenges.  Commitment makes us stickers and fighters, not escape artists.

If we are on fire with commitment we don’t have time for self-pity.  We are not procrastinators.  We don’t sweat the small stuff.  And we find an inner peace, knowing we are giving their best effort.

Besides, our commitment draws the world around us into our mission, enlisting help from others, and alerting us to opportunities that are suddenly before us.  Commitment throws us into total dependence upon God and prepares us for Divine surprises.

It has been wisely noted that "Little people have wishes; great people have a purpose."  We can learn from Paul’s words today and from the example of his life just what it means to love God "with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 11:27)

Yes, because of his unwavering commitment, Paul was able to accomplish much.  But his joy came from something deeper than success in his ministry.  His joy came from the awareness of Christ’s unwavering commitment to him.  That joy is offered to all of us.

 

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:

Philippians 1:1-11
Psalm 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Luke 14:1-6

 

 

Reflection:

Friends and family alike often ask me: "Who are the Passionists? What do they do?" Here is one of the best descriptions I have found of the Passionist Charism…the gift The Passionist Community brings to the Church, the Body of Christ, world-wide.

A Passionist Heart

A life-giving gift, our Charism
-Experiencing the Passion of Jesus-
Draws us into the Heart of God.
It enables us to be who we are,
And if the foundation of all that we do.
For it is by entering into the pain and suffering of Jesus
That we are strengthened to enter into our pain and suffering,
And so we are able to stand with others in theirs.
Although the Passion of Jesus offers no hope without the Resurrection,
This Resurrection Hope cannot be experienced unless first we are
Willing to stay with the suffering.
When God is discovered in the ordinariness of life,
The Charism and inspiration given to St. Paul of the Cross
remain alive.
The Spirituality flowing from the Charism
Enables us to enter into relationships that
May not otherwise be humanly possible.
It thus creates and is sustained by a sense of community
And expresses itself in empathy, depth of prayer,
Down-to-earthness and a willingness to be vulnerable.

P.S. I want to thank our Passionists brothers at Mount Argus Parish, Dublin Ireland for this wonderful reflection.

 

Patrick Quinn ([email protected]) is the director of Planned Giving at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago.

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

 

Scripture:

Ephesians 2:19-22
Luke 6:12-16

 

 

Reflection:

Today’s readings are wonderfully appropriate for this year of the Priest.  The Gospel emphasizes the importance of the priesthood, telling us of how Jesus chose his Apostles to be the special twelve and predecessors of the ordained. 

And the First Reading tells us that we, as laity, are all also chosen – fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the house of God. 

The documents of Vatican II state,

"The laity derive the right and duty with respect to the apostolate from their union with Christ their Head. Incorporated into Christ’s Mystical Body through baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, … they are consecrated into a royal priesthood and a holy people." (n.3)

Since Vatican II, theologians and church leaders have emphasized this priesthood of all the baptized.  In realizing our baptismal role as members of a royal priesthood, it is easy to focus on the rights and forget the duties part.  We are the Church, and that means that we not only have rights, but we also are responsible for what happens within the Church.  It means that we have an obligation to see that our local church community has the resources to pay the bills, but it also means that the growth of our church, the evangelization, the spiritual vitality rests with all of us.

We’ve moved past the day when it is up to the Pastor to determine whether or not "this is a good parish" – We can no longer opt for just saying, "Father will take care of it, let’s ask Father" – and then when things go wrong, it is Father’s fault – not mine.  And if we don’t like the priest, we just worship at another church.  Isn’t it time that we completely accept our role as fellow citizens with the holy ones? 

Perhaps now is the time for all of us ordained and lay to remember that we are united in Christ, all members of God’s family and as such we are all called to love and care for one another.  This may mean taking some time to access our roles in our local parishes. 

In the Gospel, Jesus took the time to pray before choosing the Apostles, may each of us follow Jesus’ example by praying about our role in today’s Church.

 

Mary Lou Butler ([email protected])is a former staff member and is now a member of the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center Board, Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Ephesians 6:1-9
Luke 13:22-30

Reflection:

There is so much in today’s gospel, I hardly know where to begin.  I think we should probably start with the question that is posed to our Lord: "Lord, will only a few people be saved?"  Isn’t this a strange question to begin with?  Is this man truly concerned about those who will be saved, or is he really asking about if he will be saved?  I am already thinking that beating around the bush is probably not the best approach with our Lord! 

And how does Christ answer him?  Well, he doesn’t really answer the question that is posed.  He gives the man some unsolicited advice, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate…."   I am sure there is a whole textbook filled with debates over translations and choice of words here.  But I do find the word "strive" interesting.  He doesn’t just say "enter," he says "strive to enter."  In other words, it sounds to me as if there is a serious bouncer at this door.  This is not the kind of person you can sweet talk or bribe.  You have to work to get through this door.  And it doesn’t sound very easy.  Think about a narrow door way.  Let’s be honest, in this country especially, many of us are wide!  Can we shimmy through this door way?  Can we wedge our way in?  I am guessing that all that worldly wealth we worried about acquiring is not fitting through this door.  All those things that seem so important to us will probably not make it through this door-it’s just us.

"Many . . . will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough."  Well, now it appears the news is getting worse.  Apparently there will be throngs of people clamoring to get in.  But I wonder, what does strength have to do with getting through this door?  It takes commitment and faith and sacrifice and repentance to get through this door.  It seems to me there are many other doors we could be choosing-sin, temptation, evil.  So many easier pathways than this narrow passage.  Clearly, it is not for the faint of heart.  It takes strength. 

And as those left out in the cold begin to realize that they are being denied entrance, the real commotion will begin: "Lord, open the door for us."  But our Lord won’t even know us then: "I do not know where you are from."  It won’t be enough that we simply "ate and drank" in the Lord’s company.  There will be no name dropping, no tallying of how many times we attended Mass or how many sweets we gave up for Lent.  No, you have to really know the host personally and intimately to get into this party.  Just as important, Christ has to know us.  And there will be "wailing and grinding of teeth" for those left out. 

People will be admitted from every corner of the world.  But the surprising thing might be exactly who is in this elite group, "For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."  Being "first" here on earth has its superficial privileges-status and power perhaps.  But that is not your ticket into this shindig.  (Not to say it keeps you out).  But when it comes time to arrange this guest list, all these earthly definitions of righteous and deserving go out the window.  Criminals, homeless people-the least among us-may well be first in line.

What waits for us beyond this narrow passage is eternal salvation.  In other words, it’s the hottest ticket in town. 

 

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

 

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:32-5:8
Luke 13:10-17

 

 

 

Reflection:

"Hypocrites!"  This is certainly not a label that any of us would dare lay claim to.  The evil of hypocrisy is a popular theme in our Lord’s lessons to his followers.  Today’s gospel, along with Paul’s letter, serves as an important reminder of Jesus’ instruction on how to live a life as a true disciple of Christ, with harmony between word and deed.  

Luke tells that while teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath, Jesus encounters a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years.  Described as "completely incapable of standing erect," we can only imagine this feeble and downtrodden woman in such agony that she was incapable of standing upright.  She is not given a name.  In fact, according to Luke’s account, she herself does not even ask for healing.  And yet so significant is her plight, Jesus immediately frees her from her bondage of suffering. 

Forever on the lookout for an opportunity to persecute Jesus, the synagogue leaders admonish Christ for his brazen act of curing this woman on the Sabbath, a clear breach of Jewish law.  For shame!  How sinful of him to perform this supremely good act on the day we are supposed to be honoring God with rest!  Of course, our Lord knows that curing this sick woman takes precedence over the letter of the law-a lesson lost on the synagogue head.  Christ does not mince words when he points the finger at these leaders, "Hypocrites!"  These are the same men who would lead their animals to water on the Sabbath without a second thought and yet they would leave this woman to suffer because of improper timing?  Jesus recognizes that it is in fact fitting to "set free" this woman on the Sabbath day.  

In healing her, Jesus also makes a point to name her as a "daughter of Abraham."  Abraham is the father of Israel.  In a holy covenant, God promised Abraham that through his descendants, all the nations of the world would come to be blessed.  Here standing before these scribes and elders is a daughter of their father, Abraham.  Is she not then, also an heir to God’s promise and their sister?  And if this simple, crippled, nameless woman is a daughter of Abraham, then is not the least among us also a worthy child of God? 

This question is answered definitively in Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians where we are given the blueprint for a Christian life: "be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.  So be imitators of God … and live in love …  ."  We are told to be nothing short of Christ-like in our treatment of others.  But how often have we refused forgiveness to our neighbor out of anger, stubbornness or spite?  And yet, how many more times have we gone to our Father with the hope of being forgiven for some truly detestable acts?  Perhaps we have more in common with the hypocrites of Luke’s gospel than we would care to admit. 

Society looked at the woman in the gospel story and saw "bent," "incapable," and "crippled."  Jesus looked at her and saw "daughter."  Let us look at those in the world around us and see our brothers and sisters as our Father does-as sons and daughters created in His image and likeness and heirs to God’s great promise of salvation.  

 

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

Scripture:

Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-14

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading for Sunday (Luke 18:9-14), Jesus tells a parable addressed "to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else." When we look at the division and conflict and war in the world, it seems to me that often the cause of all this violence is the very same attitude that Jesus addresses. Throughout history, groups of people have oppressed other groups of people, convincing themselves that they were righteous in doing so. People have participated in "ethnic cleansing" and genocide, convinced that the ones whom they were trying to exterminate were less deserving of life than themselves. Sometimes we carry that attitude in our personal lives. While we may not despise everyone else, we can be convinced of our own righteousness, confident that our resentment of another person is totally justified.

Whether we are prejudiced against entire groups of people, or resentful of an individual, Jesus seeks to lead us to a different attitude. In the parable that Jesus tells, there is a Pharisee who takes his position in the temple area and begins to pray: "O God, I thank you that I am not like rest of humanity-greedy, dishonest, adulterous-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income." While giving thanks and fasting and paying tithes are worthwhile activities, we can see that what the Pharisee says can hardly be called prayer. He is more concerned with God knowing his righteousness than in doing God’s will. He is blind to his own sin of pride. When we have the attitude of the Pharisee, it can be easy to pass judgment. It can be easy to delude ourselves, and say, "I’m better than he," or "We’re better than they" (How often have I been judgmental towards those I consider judgmental!) And to prove the correctness of those statements, we then attribute to others characteristics such as laziness, or greed, or a desire to take over, or even evil. And all too often violence becomes the tool of fear and hatred.

What is to be our response? Perhaps we can learn from the other person in Jesus’ parable. The tax collector, to whom the Pharisee refers, approaches the temple area in a different way. He does not even lift his head, but instead beats his breast and says, "O God be merciful to me a sinner." The tax collector is well aware of his sin. When we repent of our sin, we are more likely to be open to God’s will, as we accept God’s love. This last point is very important! Sometimes we can get stuck in self-reproach, which often leads us to despise everyone else as well as ourselves. But if we can accept the love of Jesus Christ for us, and as we are made more and more aware of God’s mercy to us, it becomes harder to pass judgment on others. The harder it is to pass judgment, the more difficult it is to justify discrimination, and the more difficult it is to condone violence against another. Like the tax collector, we are called to be humble and repentant before our loving God.

The closer we come to Jesus, and know of God’s love for us, the more we see the plight of others. Our pride does not blind us, as it did the Pharisee. Instead, we recognize the truth of the words of Sirach, in our first reading (Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18). We believe that God does hear "the cry of the oppressed," that He is "not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint." And so we are called to reach out to the oppressed, to the poor, and to those forgotten and abandoned by society, the "widows" and "orphans" of our time. We are called to cross those barriers that we have built between "us" and "them." This will not make us popular. Look at St. Paul in our second reading from 2 Timothy (4:6-8, 16-18). He sees that he is near the end of his life; that he will most likely be martyred for his faith. Judging from what is written, no one came to support him in his trial. "But," Paul writes, "the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation may be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it." The zealous Jew became the apostle to the Gentiles, and even in his sufferings the mission was fulfilled.

In all humility, then, we are called to share the love and mercy of Christ which has been so lavishly bestowed upon us! We are called to reach out to those in need, and help build up the kingdom of God. We are called to turn away from prejudice and violence towards those who are different. And when our time comes, may we be able to say, with St. Paul, "I have competed well. I have finished the race; I have kept the faith."

May God continue to bless us all, and may He bring us "safe to his heavenly kingdom."

 

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

Scripture:

Ephesians 5:21-33 or 5:2a, 25-32
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.