Daily Scripture

 

Scripture:

Isaiah 48:17-19
Matthew 11:16-19

 

 

Reflection:

"Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life."  Ps. 1

Today we honor St. Pope Damasus I, (born in 304; died Dec. 11, 384)

He was, to say the least, a man of contradictions.

He defended papal supremacy.  Yet, for a time he served the antipope Felix II, in defiance of the oath taken by Roman clergy not to recognize anyone else as Bishop of Rome while Pope Liberius, who was in exile, was still alive.

He had compassion for the poor.  Yet he lived lavishly, keeping company with the aristocracy.

As Pope, he was the vicar of the "Prince of Peace."  Yet, he and those who elected him to the papacy hired thugs to rout his papal challenger, Ursinus, and his supporters.  The violence turned so bloody that Emperor Valentinius was forced to intervene.

Some saint.  Yet, we are called to honor Damasus on this day.  Why, because despite those weaknesses "…he followed the Lord."

He defended the young Church against heresies.

He honored the martyrs and called on the faithful to do the same

He loved Scripture and wanted all to love the Bible.  In 382, he set down the canon of Scripture with the "Decree of Damasus."  The Council of Trent upheld that decree.  He commissioned St. Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin, the common language of the day, so that an accurate translation of Scripture would accessible to the faithful.

Damasus was a man of contradictions.  And for all that, we honor him on this day.  And why not?  Of him, we can say: "Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life."

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Isaiah 41:13-20
Matthew 11:11-15

Reflection:

Today’s readings emphasize a point that continually blows me away:  The God of all the universe, the infinite everlasting God, the One who put the stars in the place, loves me.  God promises to open rivers and plant trees, to turn my wastelands into oases and satisfy my thirst.  Though I may be the least in the Kingdom, yet in God’s eyes I am greater than John the Baptist. 

Yet I have lived long enough to know that even God’s overwhelming and totally undeserved love does not guarantee an easy life.  Jesus reminds us that this world is far too violent, and he himself faced injustice, betrayal, torture, and death.  It is not the case that God’s love means I will avoid suffering; instead, God’s love gives me all that I need to endure and to bring resurrection out of it.  It is my job to not just accept that love but to cooperate with it, to share it, and to return it as a gift to God. 

And so today, as I celebrate my 54th birthday, I pray:

When I notice ways in which I can no longer physically function as I’d like, may I have the courage to bear my hardships well, and continue to reach out in compassion rather than insulate myself in pity.

May I have the wisdom and grace to imitate God’s love with my sons, letting go of them so they can find their own way in the world, yet always providing safe harbor when they need it.

May I remember to nurture those relationships that are important, not allowing the busyness of my life to distract me from the people I love.

May I hold my possessions loosely, knowing they are given to me to share and use for others.      

May I never lose gratitude for the privilege of being well-loved by another human being, and may I remain steadfast in offering unconditional love to others.

May I have the courage to work with tireless compassion for more even distribution of the world’s resources, for justice and inclusivity, and for peace.

May I be a visible instrument of God and use my talents well, especially in ways that help others heal and that deepen their relationship to the Source of all life.

Finally, as a precious child, I thank God for loving me, for staying constantly by my side even in my darkest hours, and for promising me through the example of the passion of Jesus that death will never have the final word.  May I always trust in this God of life, handing myself over into those loving hands and desiring nothing more than to do God’s will.  Amen.

 

Amy Florian is a teacher and consultant working in Chicago.  For many years she has partnered with the Passionists.  Visit Amy’s  website: http://www.amyflorian.com/.

Scripture:

Isaiah 40:25-31
Matthew 11:28-30

Reflection:

Chronic unemployment, downsizing and job insecurity; lack of, or insufficient medical insurance;  growing children who make questionable life choices;  cancer and other life altering and threatening diseases in ourselves  or those we love;  the debilitating effects of ageing and the consequent loss of independence.  Today who is not burdened by life in some way?

The burdens of life have been part of the human condition since the beginning.  Scripture recognizes this reality, yet Isaiah and Jesus in today’s readings, offer a message of hope in the midst of that suffering.  Isaiah proclaims that the Lord will renew the strength of the young who stagger and fall so that they will "run and not grow weary"; Jesus promises to  refresh and give rest to those who find life burdensome. 

The "yoke" of Jesus is easy and his "burden" light.  Yet we have a choice.  We can lash out against any burden as unfair and undeserved or we can respond in faith, knowing that God is with us even is the midst of confusion and uncertainty.  As we continue to strive to live our lives open to, and in union with, the Lord we find that the "yokes" and "burdens" that come with just the normal progression of living can be more easily accepted.  We will be given a new vision filled with the hope that there is meaning in whatever burdens we carry  and indeed our souls will find rest.

 

Cathy Anthony is on the staff of St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Scripture:

Genesis 3:9-15, 20
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

Because I was weak in Marian theology, when I was a student at C.T.U. I decided to do a research paper in Scripture about the Immaculate Conception. I won’t give you all my findings and history, but I want to proclaim the central idea that ran as a thread throughout the paper: God’s original grace is stronger than original sin. God’s grace in us supercedes and helps us overcome the effects of the fall with which we are all so familiar.

I want to describe grace as "God’s initiative." We heard in the second reading that God "chose us before the world began." Notice, it was not when we were baptized or ordained or surrendered to Jesus, no it was before all of that. God had us in mind and chose us before we were born. The emphasis is on his election not our actions or any deeds we have done.

We are celebrating today that God chose a humble handmaiden from all eternity. Her song is ours. The opening prayer asked us to trace her love in our lives. She is the first disciple and shows us how to follow Jesus.

I’ve led pilgrimages to Rome and studied there while on sabbatical. In Rome, I saw many works of art as well as churches.  Many churches have mosaics in their apses. For example, there are four major basilicas in Rome: one dedicated to Peter, one to Paul, one to John, and one to Mary. The one dedicated to Mary is the Church of St. Mary Major.

When I visited the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the glittering mosaic in the apse of the church struck me. It shows Christ the King and on his right hand sits Mary, his mother. He is putting a crown on her head. It is the coronation of Mary. Another famous artist, Michelangelo, painted The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. He shows Christ as judge, raising his right hand in stern judgment. Just to his right is the virgin with her face turned away from the damned since not even she can intercede for them now. My point is that many churches include Mary in a predominant place.

This brings to mind the story of James and John, the sons of thunder, as Jesus named them. They were seeking to sit at Jesus’ right and left when he came into his glory. Jesus replied that it is not his to give but is for those "whom the father has prepared it for beforehand." My personal opinion, like many artists, is that Mary will sit at Jesus’ right for all eternity, and Moses will occupy the place on his left.

In the first reading we heard about the fall of humanity: disobedience, a no, and the curse. Mary has reversed the curse by her obedience and her yes. She was chosen from all eternity. That’s grace. What’s more, she was preserved from sin so she could be a vessel of salvation. God’s grace was once again lavished upon her. She is truly "full of grace." By her yes, she reversed the curse and paved the way for a new humanity.

She was chosen. Ephesians tells us that we too were chosen. One version  says that we were "picked" by God. Think of it. You did not just "happen" upon your vocation…you were specially selected for it. God had a design for your life right from the beginning. That’s grace. Whenever we say "Yes" to God’s will and plan for our life, we further the Gospel and salvation in the world. The key is to be faithful where God has placed us, in our day and age, and keep surrendering our fiat to God.

Eucharist is all about celebration and surrender. We gather, like Mary, and celebrate the wonderful love of God at this table. We rejoice that original grace is more powerful than original sin. Because God has chosen and handpicked us from all those in the world, like Mary in the Magnificat, "our souls magnify the Lord and our spirits rejoice in God our savior!" With Mary, we offer ourselves to God, as we also do in the Kyrie. We surrender ourselves again, now, united with the forever fixed self-surrender of Jesus on the cross.

 

Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P. is a missionary preacher, author of 13 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/

Scripture:

Isaiah 35:1-10
Luke 5:17-26

Reflection:

The reading for the 2^nd Monday of Advent is highly dramatic.  Jesus is preaching, teaching and healing in the synagogue in Capernaum.  Luke tells us that the fame of Jesus has spread and "teachers of the Law" were coming from every village of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem and were sitting around as Jesus continued his healing ministry.

There is a sudden interruption — noises came from the ceiling, followed by straw directly falling down around Jesus.  Soon, a large hole was opened and four men began lowering a stretcher to the feet of Jesus.

One glance revealed there was a young man on the stretcher, and his contorted arms made his paralysis evident to all.  What a stage for a miracle!  But much more was to happen.  Jesus will assert himself as much more than a preacher and healer.  He does that with his few opening words "My friend, your sins are forgiven you."

Consternation for the assembled rabbis!  "Who but God can forgive sins?"  Certainly a question to be asked.  And Jesus lets them know the answer.  "That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, pick up your stretcher and go home."  The unlearned went away saying "We have seen incredible things today."  They surely did!  They saw and heard Jesus reveal Himself as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

No matter what addiction may have paralyzed us, Jesus through his ministers can free us from our sins and restore our spiritual health.  That is certainly the lesson we are to draw from this Advent reading.  There has been born to us a Savior.  We need not break roofs and ceilings to find him.  He encounters us in every confessional.

 

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 26:1-6
Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Reflection:

The Word of Life

Out of chaos and darkness, came Creation with a zillion wonders of nature and humanity! Out of winter and the shortest days (and the daily stuff that we face) comes the beginning of the new reign of justice and harmony, and the intimacy of God in the Son. This Advent season, I want to get a "handle on" Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One, being reborn in me. I watch for images in the daily Word that indicate God’s leading me into this close relationship with the Son. Today, it is a city and a house. Fr. Martin Pable, OFM, helps me understand these images when he writes " There is the lofty city -one that exalts itself and trusts in its own resources; and a strong city – one that trusts in God and keeps faith." The house built on rock is the Word upon which I trust, to act for the sake of the new kingdom. During Advent I want to strengthen the discipline of paying close attention to the Word, trusting that even in the most difficult situations and temptations, these can be opportunities to rediscover deeper within, His presence. The God of the Universe willed the Son into life, in an utterly simple, and humble way. Does God lead me beyond what I want, to what is right and just? Do I want today to do the Will that brings to birth, yet again, the Spirit of Jesus for the world? We have control of working with our inner life. It is the discipline of Advent.

 

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26
Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8

Reflection:

This past week during the Thanksgiving holidays, I visited a Holocaust memorial.  The physical size of this memorial was quite small, yet what most etched in my mind were the images of human figures.  These figures consisted of perhaps a dozen men and women painted from head to toe in solid white color. They were lying on concrete, representative of a Nazi gas chamber.  The figures to me appeared powerless, frail and innocent.  The memorial certainly reflected how the victims were caught up in a reality much greater than that small space.  Indeed, they were innocent and they were victims.

I’ve been thinking about this as we have entered this Advent season, because most of the Old Testament readings this week have been from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  Today’s first reading is no different.  Isaiah is speaking directly to the Jews who were left in Jerusalem during the Babylonian exile. Recall that the Babylonians took most of the elite, including the educated and wealthy members of Jewish society back to Babylon with them.  However not all of the Jews were exiled to Babylon.  How difficult it must have been for those remaining in Jerusalem.  Their city was in shambles.  Their Temple was destroyed. And they had lost everything the Lord had promised and given to their ancestors:  the covenant, the Promised Land, the monarchy, the Temple and the law.  How disheartening this must have been not only to have let down the Lord, but also to lose everything your forefathers had worked for.  There must have been tremendous shame and humiliation among the people of Israel.   Much like the Holocaust memorial, the victims left in Jerusalem were caught up in a reality much greater than they understood.  And so it is to these people that Isaiah speaks.

Notice he does not speak any words of shame or ridicule.  He speaks strongly about the persistent presence of the Lord God.  He speaks of God’s generosity, God’s immense presence, God’s abundance, and God’s gentle voice.  He speaks of God bringing better days ahead.  One of the things I’ve noticed is when we are in dark days we need to know that there are going to be better days ahead.  Knowing this, and believing it, literally help to carry us through.  On the other hand when we are in those better days, we tend to be quite forgetful people, and we take so much for granted.

These are dark days.  Specifically, Advent comes when the daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere are at their shortest.  And somehow in the midst of this we are asked to hear good news.  I think it’s one thing to be able to hear of God’s abundance, and God’s generosity.  I think it’s far more challenging to believe it.  And yet the Gospel asks us to take it even one step further.  Jesus sends his disciples to go out and proclaim it.  So perhaps our Advent question of the day is simply, what is the good news you need to proclaim today?

Lastly, back at the Holocaust memorial, the bodies were arranged so that some of the members were actually giving comfort to others even while taking their final breath.  In the midst of Advent darkness, are you attentive to God’s good news?

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 25:6-10a
Matthew 15:29-37

Reflection:

I received an e-mail recently, with this subject: "Tell me how he did it, and I’ll give you a thanksgiving turkey."  The "it" was a video of a card trick that was truly amazing; it seemed to nullify any effect of shuffling the cards, which were dealt out in an obviously pre-arranged order.  But, like any card trick, there was a skillful manipulation of cards and audience in order to make something appear to be what it was not.  The e-mail made me consider how easily we pass from "wonder" at our observations, to the skeptical, "tell me how he did it". 

Today’s readings (Isaiah 25:6-10a and Matthew 15:29-37) are like that.  We read in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus cured persons who could barely walk, whose eyes did not work, whose joints were misshapen, and whose speech was held back.  "They placed them at his feet, and he cured them."  In Isaiah’s passage, the mortality of the people, the sentence of death under which we all live, is cancelled; "the web that is woven over all nations" and the "reproach of his people" will be removed.

Our human curiosity and desire to know drive us to ask "how did Jesus do that?"  How does Jesus bring healing into our lives?  How did Jesus satisfy the hunger of thousands on the Galilean mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee?  Surreptitiously, we pass into the skepticism that makes us want to know "how".  Perhaps if we only knew how Jesus performed his saving miracles, then we might be better positioned to share in his healing, in his satisfying of our hungers, in his gift of everlasting life.  Perhaps if we knew "how" Jesus performed these wonders, then we might better believe that he is truly "the Son of God."

The truth of the life-giving work of Jesus is not found in the knowledge of "HOW he did these wonders".  It is in our faith’s insight into the fact "THAT he did these wonders".  The "how" may tantalize us, but the "that" of Jesus as our Savior has saved us.  Let us remember the conversation of the women on their way to the tomb on Easter Sunday morning, "Who will roll the stone away?", of Mary at the sight of the one she believed to be the gardener, "If you took him away, tell me where you laid him."  These questions and doubts are erased by the conviction THAT Jesus is raised, he goes before them.  May we find in today’s Scripture, the encouragement to place our faith in what God, through Jesus, does for us daily; and in the conviction that God will continue to heal, comfort and nourish us forever.

 

Fr. Arthur Carrillo is the local leader of the Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.