Daily Scripture

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Matthew 5:13-16

Reflection:

"You are the salt of the earth."

"You are the light of the world."

These are both very familiar statements of Jesus, known even to those who are beyond the Christian community.  While it is good to be familiar with stories, phrases and lines of scripture, there can be a disadvantage in that what is well known can become too familiar to the point of becoming commonplace.  We can even have a tendency to "tune out" what we think we know and have heard time and time again.  Even the words of Jesus can thereby lose the ability to surprise and challenge us.  But Jesus, by speaking in metaphors, opened his meaning to unlimited, living meanings for people of all ages.

"You are the salt of the earth."  Salt is a seasoning that needs to go into something else and come in contact with food that is bland and flavorless in order to fulfill its purpose as salt.  And in this contact the salt not only enhances the taste of what it touches but the salt itself is changed and becomes part of what it flavors.  Salt and food blend together in a way that makes them a part of the other and together they are more than what they were singly.  The flavor has always been locked in the food but by contact with salt it is freed to express the taste that it really is.  Both salt and food come to some kind of completeness and thereby fulfill the purpose of the other.  The metaphor is limitless.  And Jesus said that WE are the salt of the earth.  Interpretations and our imaginations can burst forth with freedom.

"You are the light of the world."  Light must go into darkness to have the effect of illumination for a room or the world.  A lamp lit in the noon day sun has no purpose and in fact is a waste of fuel.  It is not needed. But in the midnight darkness and gloom the light penetrates and transforms what is obscured to illumine what is there but unseen.  Light does not actually bring anything new but makes visible and apparent what has been present.  Again, the metaphor is exceedingly rich.

The salt and light that Jesus says is within us, indeed actually IS us, cannot stay safely as our own possession.  They must be used as intended so that we may become what we are intended to become.  Jesus challenges us to go to those whose lives are bland and locked inside themselves or to those who are living in fear of an inner darkness of hopelessness.  Otherwise we will be putting our light under a basket and our salt will stay in the shaker.

 

Cathy Anthony ([email protected]) is on the staff of St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan. 

Scripture:

Tobit 11:5-17
Mark 12:35-37

Reflection:

The classic story of Tobit and his son Tobiah have charmed and amused listeners for generations even before Jesus’ birth. For it is a story which speaks of family and all the realities families deal with: anguish, joy, aging, illness, end of life, patience, growth and of course marriage and commitment. And indeed this is one of those stories with a real happy ending. Mom is happy for her son whom she assumed was dead and would never see again and he has finally returned after a successful mission to bring back some of Dad’s money. Dad is happy because the mission was a success, and he experiences a tremendous healing being able to see again. Tobiah, the son, is happy he has obediently completed the mission his father sent him to do thus bringing honor to both his father and his father’s name.  Moreover, he now has a bride, a new member of the family which is a blessing to the whole family. And Sarah, his new wife is happy.  She is well received and welcomed by the family. Even the Jewish people of Nineveh are happy and joyous. Everyone seems happy and joyous.

The book of Tobit was probably written about 200 years before Jesus’ birth. And most every Jew would know this story much like an average Christian of today knows the story of the Prodigal Son. And if you know this story of Tobit, certainly it is easy to see how Jesus could use such a story to spin off teachings such as the Prodigal Son, or even references to weddings, brides and bridegrooms. In these parables, Jesus is clear that this is exactly what the kingdom of God is like. And these parables are about happy people. Is it any different in the gospel today? Not at all.

The line directly preceding today’s Gospel says, "And no one dared to ask him [Jesus] any more questions." Who were the ones asking him questions? If we go back and look at the 12th chapter of Mark’s Gospel we find the first group of people to question Jesus were the Pharisees and Herodians. In an attempt to trick Jesus they ask him about the need to pay the census tax to Caesar (Mk 12:13-17). This is followed by the Sadducees testing Jesus on the Question of the Resurrection (Mk 12:18-27). Lastly, a scribe engages Jesus on the greatest commandment (Mk 12:28-34). Think of it in terms of a theological tennis match. All of Jesus’ enemies choose to give their best serve against Jesus. First are the Pharisees and Herodians, second are the Sadducees, and lastly a scribe. In each case Jesus returns their serve with a fast, direct, and un-returnable shot. Each is sequentially defeated. Now it is Jesus’ serve. David’s prophetic utterance speaks of a divine one in present tense, not future tense. Therefore the lord (Messiah) must have been in existence during David’s reign. Of course the Jews of Jesus’ day don’t want to hear this. This is a real theological conundrum for them. The people who think they know it all get stumped and the common people who don’t need all the answers find joy and delight. What a paradox. What is the delight about? I think it is that a commoner from Galilee has taken on the big boys and outshined the wealthy, and educated religious leaders.

Here’s a side note. In the past ten years I’ve spent considerable time in Catholic Basilicas, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist temples, and even a few Mosques. As I’ve watched people in all these settings I’ve noticed a common "posture". For the most part, people don’t seem concerned with theological conundrums or theological challenges. For the most part they seem to be good people who have a need to express themselves before the divine and many of them enjoy being with friends and family. They like "hanging out" in sacred ground, sharing food, telling stories, and, of course taking photos. They like to be with people they care about and they do appreciate the opportunity to pray. Sometimes this prayer is verbal, sometimes silent, and frequently it involves some type of gesture. Visiting the sacred areas and having the ability to pray is necessary for these people. I see the same with people who come on retreat. There’s always a greater desire to "get right with God" than asking the question what do I need God to do to get right with me? Because I find this so universal across structures of faith, I tend to believe that it must have been true in Jesus’ day too. I believe the people who were there in the temple area with Jesus weren’t joyous over Jesus’ theological debates. I believe their "delight" was much more a cheer for the underdog.

As we remember St. Boniface this day, he was a man whose integrity inspired him to live what he taught, and teach what he lived. We see in his life that he made decisions based not on his selfishness but on the good of others.

I guess that leaves us with a few questions for reflecting on today. What do you delight in? Do you live your life in the pursuit of happiness? Is your definition of happiness the same as the Holy Spirit’s gift of joy and delight? How do you find peace within yourself when you make decisions based on things you think are going to make you happy but they are merely acts of selfishness?

 

Fr. David Colhour, C.P. is on the staff at Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center, Citrus Heights, California.

 

Scripture:

Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a
Mark 12:28-34

Reflection:

Love & Marriage…Love!!

The month of June is known for weddings, and some say that an ideal marriage is "made in heaven".  Today’s 1^st reading recalls the marriage of Tobiah and Sarah, made on earth — but also "made in heaven" as an answer to Sarah’s prayer.  Theirs was a long and happy marriage.

Tobiah was grateful for his lovely wife and their mutual love; on their wedding night he prayed with her the beautiful prayer which is the last part of today’s 1^st reading.  In it they praised and thanked God for joining together a man and woman in marital love.  This prayer is today used by some couples as a reading for their wedding Mass.

Today’s Gospel recalls that all true love is of God.  The scribe’s question prompted Jesus to share a teaching that has challenged and inspired all of us:  love God totally, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.  Jesus points out that you can’t separate love of God and love of neighbor and love of self; each flows from and interacts with the others.  It was these words of Jesus which inspired St. Vincent de Paul to say, "I have a single sermon but I twist it a thousand ways".

Each of us, by our vocation, preaches a sermon on God’s love.  Today’s readings invite us to reflect more deeply upon our lives:  our motivation, our resources and limitations, the reality of fruitfulness of life and love, and the centrality of faith.  The "first commandment", articulated in Jesus’ words and deeds, guides and enriches our reflection. 

May Jesus speak to us as he did to the scribe (with whom Jesus was most likely impressed):  "…you are not far from the Kingdom of God."

 

Fr. John Schork, C.P. is the local leader of the Passionist community in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Scripture:

Tobit 3:1-11a, 16-17a
Mark 12:18-27

Reflection:

The first three days of this week feature Mark’s gospel following the opposition to the prophecy which Jesus is proclaiming about the kingdom, which will turn this world’s values upside-down and inside out. Confronting greed, manipulation of God, and in today’s Gospel, selfish control of reality by denial of Resurrection, Jesus asks, "Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scripture nor the power of God?" The Passionists have lost a priest, and a prophet in the venerable person of Fr. Thomas Berry, C.P., who knew the scripture and the power of God on Earth by paying attention to the planet.  Fr. Berry revealed in dramatic ways how God relates, and, transforms this world to benefit and not destroy all of creation. A reverent and respectful treatment of all life reveals the meaning of the scripture and the ways in which God works for the benefit of all. "In relation to the earth, we have been autistic for centuries. Only now have we begun to listen with some attention and with a willingness to respond to the earth’s demands that we cease our industrial assault, that we abandon our inner rage against the conditions of our earthly existence, that we renew our human participation in the grand liturgy of the universe." (The Dream of the Earth, Sierra Club Books, 1990, p. 215). Do I recognize, respect and cooperate with the power of God on earth, by paying attention to this planet and the universe in which it exists through the lens of the Word?  

 

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 1:1-7
Matthew 5:1-12

Reflection:

I remember back in 1994 I was invited to preach a mission at a large parish in Jacksonville, FL. I decided to do something daring to introduce the mission. I memorized the Gospel and proclaimed it out front from memory. I thought that would get their attention. It did. The Gospel that Sunday was the same as today, the beatitudes. When I interpreted it, I took the liberty of "personalizing" it. Instead of "Blessed are the poor in spirit" I changed it to "Blessed are you who are poor in spirit…Blessed are you who mourn, etc. All the while I walked and looked right into their eyes. This was one of the most thrilling moments of my ministry and I had goosebumps the entire time. I sensed such a connection with those who were poor, mourning, and hurting. This Gospel not only connects but ministers hope and new possibilities. I didn’t even need to preach that day. The proclaimed Gospel said it all.

Paul also talks about sufferings, afflictions and encouragement in the first reading. He connects with those who are going through something by identifying with them. I make my living in ministry by sharing my story through preaching and writing. I openly share my brokenness, sufferings, trials and tragedies so I can connect with others and help them find hope in their hardships. In the Scriptures, trials, tragedies, afflictions and troubles don’t have the final word. God does. Therefore we hear the word "blessed" in both readings. No matter the difficulty, God is there to encourage, bless and bring good out of any situation. For me, a major part of ministry is connecting with the hurting and ministering the balm of hope.

 

Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P. is a missionary preacher, author of 12 books and creator of the TV program Live with Passion! airing in many cities. You can learn more about his ministry at: http://www.frcedric.org/

The Most Holy Trinity

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40
Romans 8:14-17
Matthew 28:16-20

Reflection:

"In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  That was probably the first prayer our parents had us lisp as they guided our right hand in signing ourselves with the cross.  It is also the most profound mystery of our religion.  It tells us that our God is one in nature but three in persons.  Pope  Benedict XVI recently remarked that many Catholics take these words to mean The Divine Persons resemble us and each would be and independent thinker and decider.  That, unfortunately, would give us three independent gods!

Our God is beyond our understanding and every word we use to describe God needs to be given a very special meaning!  God is more than we can know.  But the Father, the Son and the Spirit not only love each of us eternally, they allow us to return that love.

"Jesus, who is both God and Man, told us:  "Whoever loves me, will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him."    Jesus repeats this promise in the concluding words of his farewell address:  "Father, I will make your name known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them."

When we love God, when we keep his commands, our God comes to us and rejoices in us.   We come to know, the power, the presence and something of the eternal joy awaiting us when we have face-to-face completion in eternity.  Father, Son and Spirit want to give us a foretaste of the joy of heaven.  The nature of our God has been revealed to us, not as the supreme riddle of reality, but as Infinite Love poured into our being.  "Taste and see how sweet our God is!"

 

Fr. Fred Sucher, C.P. is retired and lives in the Passionist community in Louisville, Kentucky.  For many years he taught philosophy to Passionist seminarians.  

 

Scripture:

Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20
Mark 12:38-44

Reflection:

 We finish today the readings from the Book of Tobit. Raphael, a central character in the Book, finally reveals himself as a messenger of God, one of the seven angels who serve God. He was the one who presented to God the prayers of Tobit for sight, Tobiah for a wife, and Sarah for healing from her curse. The family is eternally grateful to Raphael. Tobit tells Tobiah to pay Raphael his wages, plus a big bonus. Raphael, who has no use for money, instructs them to give thanks to God. The way to give thanks to God is to share their possessions with others. "Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving…"

We are reminded of the words of Jesus: "As often as you do it to the least of my brothers and sisters you do it to me." Generosity is the spirit of thanksgiving. If we are truly grateful, we will not hoard our possessions. Jesus criticizes the scribes for their selfish spirit, their desire to be served rather than serve others, thinking about what they could get rather than what they could share, especially with those in need. Jesus points to a poor woman at the treasury of the Temple. She offers two coins. She could have given one coin and kept the other one for her own needs. That sounds very reasonable and prudent. But she gives all the coins she had. What an example of generosity!

The two coins were an insignificant amount, yet her giving received special notice from God. We give because we can’t help ourselves; we’re grateful for all God has done, and we want to give, cheerfully. God will notice.

Proverbs 11:24 reminds us, "The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller."

 

Fr. Don Webber, C.P., is Provincial of Holy Cross Province and resides in Chicago.

Scripture:

Acts 25:13b-21
John 21:15-19

Reflection:

As we near the culmination of the Easter Season with the celebration of Pentecost this Sunday, our reading of the Gospel of John comes full circle. Just as Jesus began his public ministry in John’s Gospel with an invitation to "follow me," so this portion near the end of John’s Gospel again repeats the invitation of Jesus to all to "follow me."

At first, the invitation in John’s Gospel is a rather mysterious one because the disciples (and the reader) are not quite sure what that invitation really means. What does it mean to follow Jesus? What is the relationship of the disciple to the master? What does it cost and how do I have to change?

However, by the time we reach the end of the Gospel, the disciples (and the reader as well) know the answers to these pivotal questions. If you follow Jesus you will not only witness to the Kingdom of God in word and deed, but as a result you too will have to suffer shame, humiliation, calumny and lastly death. But that is not the end. The end is ultimately victory; the end is ultimately Life! 

To emphasize this truth, the dialogue that follows between Jesus and Peter is key. In a sense the dialogue is meant not just to be between Jesus and Peter but also, and perhaps more importantly, between Jesus and the reader.

As Peter previously denied his Lord three times, so Jesus asks Peter now to reaffirm his commitment to him three times. He asks Peter (and us): "Do you love me more than these?" Scholars continue to wonder what the "these" refers to…were they the other disciples? Were they Peter’s fishing boats–symbolic of his life as fisherman? Were they Peter’s family or friends? No matter. Peter makes clear in his three-fold response that he is now more than prepared to truly follow Jesus. Peter knows clearly the risk, the cost, and ultimately the surrender that Jesus is asking of him. As Jesus makes clear to him by way of metaphor, Peter no longer belongs to himself, but rather to God.

As we wait once more the Church’s celebration of the gift of the Spirit, let’s reflect on this Easter season and what it has meant in our lives. Are we any closer to Jesus? Are we more willing than we were 50 days ago to surrender our lives and our loves to Him and His Kingdom? What does it really mean to us to hear the voice of Jesus echo throughout the centuries…"Follow me."

 

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