Daily Scripture

Memorial of the Sorrowful Mother

Scripture:

Hebrews 5:7-9
Stabat Mater
John 19:25-27

Reflection:

"At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful mother weeping, close the Jesus at the last. Through her heart, his sorrow sharing, all his bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword had passed." As a young boy I was always moved when the verses of the Stabat Mater were sung as we made the Way of Cross. Little did I realize then that I would become a Passionist and be invited to learn from Mary that compassion that would open for me the meaning and power of the cross.

The thought meaning of the passage from Hebrews really begins in verse 4:15-16. when the writer assures us that we have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. The reason of course is his solidarity with us. He has been tempted in every respect as we are. The writer then notes  important aspects of the Judaic high priesthood: offering sacrifice for sin, chosen from among men and called by God. He then emphasizes the appointment of Jesus as the Christ by his Father.

Now we come to our passage. Christ was in the flesh. In the face of death he cried out to God and shed tears. God heard him because of his reverence. He learned obedience from what he suffered. Finally, when perfected, i.e. when he had fully completed his mission by dying on the cross, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

John tells us that Mary stood nearby the cross on that fateful Friday. The sword predicted by Simeon was thrust deep into her heart. May our prayer be: "O sweet Mother! Font of love, touch my spirit from above, make my heart with yours accord. Make me feel as you have felt, make my soul to glow and melt, with the love of Christ my Lord. Holy Mother, pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Savior crucified."

 

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

 

Scripture:

Isaiah 50:5-9a
James 2:14-18
Mark 8:27-35

Reflection:

The mystery of each human life both fascinates, and at times, frustrates us.  Since we can never know another person fully (’til heaven!), we’ll never completely know both the heights of their joys and the depths of their sorrows.  Yet, God gives us the "key" that unlocks a deeper understanding of and acceptance of others.  It is in service and suffering that we most deeply get to know and love others. 

In the Gospel, Peter knows that Jesus is the Christ.  Yet his knowledge of who the Christ would be was limited by the prevailing view of who the Messiah would be, what he would do.  Most of the Jewish people of that time looked for a triumphant, liberating Messiah, one who would free them from Roman rule.  The Suffering Servant of Isaiah was not their picture of Messiah.  Jesus would show in his Passion that he was indeed the one who :"…gave my back to those who beat me…my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting."  His whole life in service of others would be poured out on the wood of the cross.

Jesus told us that: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take us his cross and follow me."  We all know people who heroically serve others, a son or daughter dealing with autism, a relative who suffers from depression.  In taking up the cross in our lives, we most deeply enter into the sufferings of others.  The cross, freely accepted, becomes a source of strength, endurance and beauty for those who follow in Jesus’ steps.

I think of one of our parishoners from Holy Family parish in Birmingham, G., who cares for her brother who suffers from schizophrenia. She told me: "How could I abandon him?"  She has learned the message of Jesus deepy, she knows the sweet strength of the cross.

Lord, help us to be like her, like all of those who know your love and show it in deeds! 

 

Fr. Bob Bovenzi, C.P. is a member of the Passionist community stationed in Chicago, Illinois. 

Scripture:

1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Luke 6:39-42

Reflection:
Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Plain to his disciples. But many who opposed him were also present — scribes and Pharisees, themselves teachers. Jesus warned his disciples about the danger of following the wrong teacher.

History is full of wrong teachers who have led others into destruction.  Most notorious in recent times are "teachers" like Jim Jones who led almost a thousand people to Guyana where they drank poisoned Kool-Aid.  David Koresh led an innocent group of people to a fiery death because they chose to follow his teachings.

Most of us are not so gullible as to follow fanatics like them.  Nevertheless, all too many unsuspecting people follow other kinds of false teachers.

After I had finished delivering a morning talk to retreatants, one individual rushed up to me insisting we needed to speak in my office right away.  There he told me gently, but firmly, that certain remarks in my talk were unwise and unsound.  He opened a well-worn, heavily underlined and highlighted book to quote a popular New Age author and public speaker as his authority.

"Do you read Scripture?" I asked him.  "Is your Catholic Catechism as dog-eared as that book?"  No, he answered.

But you do believe the Bible is divinely inspired and that the Church is its proper teacher?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you trust and quote someone whose work is neither of those rather than follow Scripture as taught by the Church for 2,000 years?"

He had no answer.  I strongly urged him to toss his New Age book and its unwise and, worse, false teachings, and instead to listen to a good teacher – The Church.

Otherwise, that New Age teacher will surely lead him into the ditch.

 

Deacon Manuel Valencia ([email protected]) is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:
Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 or 1:18-23

Reflection:

"Those whom God predestined God also called." (Ro. 8:30) I was professed as a Passionist in Pittsburgh on this day in 1985. The church was packed with our friends, family, and benefactors. As the priests, provincials, and we eight novices gathered outside to form the procession, I remember the nervous anticipation. Suddenly the opening song "Before the Sun Burned Bright" started. The first verse contains these words: "Before the sun burned bright, or rivers flowed, I called you each by name…" As the procession began, the truth of these words washed over me. A year’s worth of prayer, discernment, confusion, and uncertainty all came together for me in an instant. We had entered sacred time and I felt confirmed in my divine call and destiny as a Passionist.

Recently I preached at a church in Lawrenceville, NJ. The Church of St. Ann is only five miles from Princeton University, which I toured. Perhaps it was the proximity to this venerable Presbyterian University that prompted a question I received from a parishioner: "Is there such a thing as predestination?" Presbyterians, you may recall, have predestination as one of the tenets of their faith. I answered by saying that our Church has always upheld free will and choice. None of our lives are determined; however, God does have a plan for us. We must choose this plan and if we say, "Yes" to God, we can walk in a glorious destiny.

We celebrate a woman who was predestined for greatness. Mary was born and chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. While she was predestined for this great honor, she still had to give her assent and say "Yes" to God. Her fiat set our redemption and salvation into motion. Our "Yes" to God today continues his saving work in and through us.

 

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/

Scripture:

Colossians 1:24-2:3
Luke 6:6-11

Reflection:

In my flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the Church.  Col:  1:24.

 

The Apostle Paul is not referring to the sufferings Christ endured on the cross for our salvation, but to the suffering and fatigue Jesus experienced  as he trudged up and down the rugged paths of Galilee and Judea.  Paul was going where Jesus did not go. He saw the narrow paths of the Taurus mountains, he survived shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea, he walked the muddy streets and cobble stones of Corinth and Athens.

He would tell of floggings and stonings.  He knew the pain of betrayals. He suffered misunderstandings, insults, rejections, desertions.  He took all this in stride because he was determined to spread the good news that the Son of God had died on a cross to redeem human kind.

And today hundreds – priests, religious men and women, lay apostles – endure hardship even assassination to spread the Kingdom of God.  Fr. Carl Schmitz, a Passionist priest, was shot dead because he opposed those who would try to force his native people into crime.  There are hundreds of 21st century apostles who have surrendered life in the cause of the Gospel.

All of us are called to spread our faith by living it.  In the process, insult, hardship may come our way and for us as for the Apostle Paul, this is our share in the sufferings Christ knew in his public ministry.

Jesus was worn out and thirsty when he sat down at Jacob’s well and startled a Samaritan woman by asking her to give him a drink of water. Paul had to thank many for helping him endure prison for his work of proclaiming the message of Jesus. We know our efforts seem so puny in comparison to those of the heroes of yesterday and today.  But Jesus himself, assures us that even one who "gives only a cup of cold water will surely not lose the reward."  Mt. 10: 42

 

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:

Colossians 1:21-23
Luke 6:1-5

Reflection:

For a young person growing up, there are lots of rules to learn.  There are family rules, society rules, cultural rules, religious rules, house rules, school rules, and of course numerous rules for proper behavior when out in public.  Some rules are specific to a particular day such as a weekday or a Saturday or a Sunday.

There are rules about how you treat others.  How a child learns to treat their peers is different than how they treat their teachers or even their parents.   Children are taught they are supposed to love people but the behavior they learn from watching adults is frequently less then loving.  It can be very confusing simply trying to grow up and learn the rules. Yet, learning the "do’s" and the "don’t do’s" is necessary in childhood development and formation.  And if a child doesn’t learn these, then their ability to integrate into society at a later stage will be more difficult.

I can recall a very conflicting point for myself was the first time I visited a big city and saw someone passed out on the sidewalk.  It seems the rules here were different than any other rules I had been taught.  But nobody cared, nobody tried to help and most people pretended the man wasn’t even there.   And I was very confused.

To contrast this to the other situation whereby someone got hurt, or was suffering from loss, grief or pain.  In these situations ALL the rules changed.  The necessity to attend school or work was instantly retracted.  Rules around productivity were suspended. The only thing that was important was attending to the person or people who were suffering.

I spend time looking at rules in our lives because I believe it helps us understand the Pharisee mentality.  The Pharisees were more focused on living and preserving the letter of the law, keeping the rules because they understood these rules came from God.   And if that is the case then these are the highest degree of perfection.  The problem with this mentality is that it neglects the human person.  Jesus focuses on the needs of the human person.  Jesus will continue to live and teach that the needs of a human person must be greater than the need to keep the law.   This will cause many of the Pharisees to say to Jesus, So who are you?  You don’t have the authority to change God’s law.  So the Pharisee clearly refuses to recognize the authority of Jesus, or that Jesus is God’s chosen one.   They cling instead to a tradition whereby following the rules of the law set them free from having to look at the needs of people.  Their system perpetuated a blindness of humanity.  It’s not a wonder that in Jesus’ time there were so many people living such poor lives.   But then it always is a lot easier to do what we were taught in our formative years than to open our eyes and see the needs of humanity around us.

And getting back to the man passed out on the sidewalk, it happened to be a Sunday morning as we were departing the cathedral after mass. 

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

Feast of St. Gregory the Great

Scripture:
Colossians 1:9-14
Luke 5:1-11

Reflection:
"He opened his treasures and made him rich in all goodness. " That is the antiphon at the beginning of today’s liturgy. Do I believe and trust in the reality that God opens The Treasure for all of us?

I enjoy reading about these saints, like Gregory, because they model how The Treasure makes life rich…for  others.  Gregory was born into a well-to-do family.  As an adult he was positioned to become a chief magistrate in Rome, which gave him lucrative opportunities. But that was not enough. There was more in The Treasure. He knew that. He wanted to pursue that treasure. So he became a Benedictine monk. He left it all,  and opened a treasure which eventually would lead him to the papacy at 50 years old. But prior to that he literally gave away his wealth by building monasteries  and inviting men, and later, women to join the search for The Treasure. The Treasure is never exhausted. There is always more to our lives. During the 14 years of his papacy he addressed such issues as the starvation among the poor in Rome, protecting the Jews from persecution and the building of  better (not belligerent) relations with other monarchies, which could have been bitter enemies, due to the crushing dominance of the Roman Empire.

St. Paul prays that we are filled with the knowledge of God’s will, to bear fruit in every good work. To be "filled" means to accept the Knower inside of me.

That knowledge comes from deep within. It is not earned or acquired or taught. It is The Knower within us. The Knower was in Jesus when he told the apostles to put out into the deep water. The Knower was in them that they should do this, even though it went against common sense.

Grace is Jesus’ knowledge dwelling in us. Jesus’ knowledge is translated into our actions. We are not to worry about our own unworthiness (like Peter). It is all about catching people.  Do you believe? Gregory’s generosity brought men and women into holiness through the monasteries which he built. This tradition last to this day. Talk about The Treasure never ending.

Is it possible that our God provides the knowledge for us to bring others to an understanding of the Knower present in all of us?  One practical way of doing that is to remind one another that nothing is just accidental, or coincidental, but providential. It is all about the Treasure and the Knower opening the richness therein, for the sake of doing good today. It’s all providential. Trust the Knower within and help others to do the same. That’s the catch.

 

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

Scripture:

Colossians 1:1-8
Luke 4:38-44

Reflection:

Today’s readings are familiar ones – the story of Israel’ complaint over having to eat manna, provided by God in the desert, instead of the rich menus they had known in Egypt.  And, the Gospel is the beautiful scene of Jesus miraculous work to feed a large crowd by multiplying a small amount of loaves and fishes.  What can we draw from these familiar scenes?  What can they provide us?

We reverence the Scripture as the Word of God, as that document in which we are able to discover, with the eyes of faith, the nature of who God is.  We cherish the Scripture as God’s revelation, as his opening to our human understanding the mystery of his own eternal self.

The readings given for today’s Mass draw a rich and comforting image of the nature of God.  The Numbers reading depicts the Hebrew people, recently freed from bondage in Egypt, in the desert and facing starvation,struggling for survival.  God has provided for them – manna, bread from heaven,which they now find tastless! But in so doing, God has provided richer fare, a glimpse into his own inner being.  And he is revealed as one who understands human need, who is close to those he calls his own; he is revealed as Compassion itself.  That is the tragedy of Israel’s complaint – it blinds them to the great gift they received along with the manna: the knowledge of God’s own inner being as Compassion.

The Gospel reading, taken from St. Matthew, has echoes of the gift of manna in the desert.  And of course, it is the disciples who voice a complaint – of the impossibility of feeding so many with so few resources.  Jesus action reveals the nature of the God he has come to reveal.  And, again, it is a God close to people, understanding of human need, not afraid to intervene, to help.  His action reveals a God whose name is Compassion.

This day, may we be alert for the signs of God’s ever-present Compassion.  And may we be willing to be its agents, extending compassion, divine mercy to those about us in need.  And may the God who is Compassion, act in the lives of those unemployed, those facing starvation, those knowing spiritual starvation.  May we know the mercy and compassion of our God.

 

Fr. Jim Thoman, C.P. is the director of St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.