Daily Scripture

Scripture:

1 John 1:1-4
John 20:1a, 2-8

Reflection:

It is just a few days after Christmas.  The tree is still aglow with twinkle lights, the kiddies have barely tired of their new toys, and the brave among us may have already ventured out to the sales in hopes of getting a jump on next year’s decorations.  But just as we may still be celebrating the birth of the Newborn King, we are reminded today exactly why such celebration is in order; Christ is Risen!  The tiny babe, born of such humble beginnings, is destined to be the Savior of the world.

We learn from John’s gospel that Mary Magdalene is first to discover that Jesus is gone from the tomb.  (And for those who sometimes question the prominence of women in the Church, take note that it is Mary Magdalene who is first to witness Jesus’ Resurrection.)  I can’t help but think of the despair that she must be feeling.  It has been just a few days since Jesus was crucified.  Mary can’t even wait for the sun to come up before she heads off to grieve at the burial site of her friend and teacher. 

When she sees the stone has been rolled away, her first reaction is to run to the other disciples.  But her message is not one of joy and salvation.  She believes Christ’s body has been stolen.  Perhaps we should take some comfort from the fact that even those closest to Jesus-those who left their lives behind to follow him-could not even have fully imagined the possibility of the Resurrection.  Let us be assured that our Lord understands too our doubt and disbelief at his living presence in our lives.  But we can aspire to the faith of the beloved disciple John, for he saw the empty tomb and believed. 

John begins his first letter by assuring the reader that not only has he seen with his own eyes, but has heard and even touched what he is about to tell them about.  In this way, John bears witness to the Word of Life as a concrete reality.  He tells us that the purpose of his letter is, first, "fellowship."  So it seems that sharing the knowledge of Christ’s victory over death brings us into communion with others. 

Secondly, he says that he is writing "that our joy may be complete."  This is quite a concept-complete joy!  It doesn’t seem like much of a reality in today’s world, does it?  Bills may be piling up, lay-offs are widespread and many American men and women are thousands of miles from home in harm’s way.  Perhaps then the simplicity of this message is even more pertinent. 

Acknowledging Christ as our Savior brings complete joy.  More specifically, in sharing God’s love, we can find this peace and contentment of complete and utter joy.  Now, this doesn’t mean that we go through life skipping and singing with a song in our heart, as we will all no doubt experience suffering and tragedy.  What John tells us is that, for the Christian, true inner peace does not fluctuate based on the goings on around us.  Rather, we must find this joy within ourselves.  And this joy-of Christ as our Savior-is ever true, unchanging and transformative in our lives.

 

Marlo Serritella is on staff at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago, Illinois.

Christmas Eve

Scripture:

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Luke 1:67-79

Reflection:

YOU WILL CALL HIM EMMANUEL,  Is 7:13.

Christmas above all is a time to celebrate that golden moment when the Son of God became a man.  It is also a time to remind ourselves that He must be reborn in the heart of each one of us.   God is indeed with us, our Emmanuel.

It is with shock and awe that we see the God of the galaxies chose to take on our flesh.  It is little wonder that the first heresies denied that God would so humble Himself to take on our nature.    Today we have a much clearer idea of the size of the universe.   We know there are hundreds of billions of stars in galaxies, and over a hundred billion galaxies.   They have taken a very small space in the night sky, the size of the eye of FDR in a dime, and counted 1,500 galaxies in it.  The God we worship is a lot bigger than we thought He was.

With childlike amazement we approach the little babe in the crib.  How could such a God who made the heavens and earth take on a human nature?   Yes, He is our Emmanuel.   God is with us beyond our wildest imaging!  But are we with Him?  Is our heart elsewhere?  Do I have a deep relationship with Him in prayer?

There is always a tendency to reduce this massive mystery of the Incarnation to a pure moralist response.    Faced with the massive impact of God’s giving Himself in the crib our response must go far beyond just social or private moral concerns.    We kneel with stunned wonder at God’s utter closeness to us.  

Christmas is God’s ultimate statement of His desire to enter a deep and personal relationship with Him in prayer.   The birth of Christ is a call to us of God’s intense desire to enter into an awe inspiring relationship with Him.   

 

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. gives parish missions and retreats.  He lives in the Passionist community in Detroit, Michigan. 

Feast of St. Stephen, First Martyr 

Scripture:

Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Matthew 10:17-22

Reflection:

With the glorious celebration of Christmas so fresh in our minds and hearts, the Church abruptly shifts our focus from cradle to Christian death.  Each December 26^th we celebrate together the Feast Day of St. Stephen. 

At my parish church, there is a beautiful stained glass window depicting the Nativity.  The window shows the Magi joining shepherds, sheep and oxen, paying homage to the newborn Christ Child.  What makes this vibrant window unique, however, is that the infant Jesus has his arms stretched out as if on the cross and the palms of his tender little hands bear the marks of his future crucifixion.  This window reminds us that the future of this newborn King will involve suffering and death.  Indeed, the stained glass window foretells the Passion-our ultimate experience as Christians.  As Christians, born of the Spirit, we are taught not only how to live, preach and witness our faith, but our Christian community also teaches us how to die.  By embracing this faith journey, we move ever closer to our eternal life in Christ. 

Today’s Feast of St. Stephen provides us with a holy witness to this mission of death and new life.  St. Stephen was clearly an inspiration to the early Christian community who suffered great persecutions.  While you and I may not relate to his martyrdom by torture (or so we hope!), we can relate to St. Stephen’s life, mission and example.  According to the Acts of the Apostles, St. Stephen had been commissioned to take bold action to care for those in need.  He worked wonders, and his proclamation of the Good News was filled with the Holy Spirit.  Stephen verbally challenged the religious authorities and his prophetic speech got him in great trouble-it cost him his life. 

We too must trust that the Holy Spirit will support us as we serve and support our community, and as we boldly speak out-even at the cost of upsetting authorities.  Like Stephen, it is our call to proclaim in word and actions the hope revealed in Jesus Christ.  St. Stephen was stoned to death for his bold witness.  Despite the cruelty of his brutal murder, St. Stephen prayed to the end for those who tortured him.  As he died, he verbally turned his spirit over to the Lord.  It is important to note that Paul (then Saul) heard St. Stephen pray to his death. How could St. Paul ever forget this witness of Stephen?  He too would follow in Stephen’s footsteps. 

While you and I may not be stoned literally, there are times when we are stoned by others’ harsh words, cruel actions or unjust accusations.  At these times, how willing are we to forgive our enemies and pray for them?   And, like St. Stephen, would it not be wonderful to leave this world proclaiming aloud "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  St. Matthew clearly has it right as he writes, "whoever endures to the end will be saved."  Let us live in this hope!

And…so the Christmas Season begins!

 

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

Scripture:

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a
Luke 1:5-25

Reflection:

Most of our attention in the Christmas story goes to Mary and Joseph and Jesus, but in today’s Scripture readings we are invited into the lives of two other families who experience the wonderful gift of new life.  In the Book of Judges the parents of Samson receive the surprise announcement from an angel that is repeated twice in the Gospel of Luke.  Elizabeth and Zechariah meet the same Angel Gabriel today who carries the same good news. You are chosen by God!  You will bear a child! Then, of course, Gabriel visits Mary. 

Advent and Christmas are God’s ways of sending a powerful signal of hope to remind us that life is stronger than death. Light is more powerful than darkness. Good is more powerful than evil. God’s blessings will replace barrenness in the Kingdom that is coming. That’s the message of Christmas!

Aren’t there hundreds of Christmas stories again this season?  I heard yesterday that in early January there will be a sit-down dinner with all the living U.S. presidents, past, present and future.  They will gather at the White House for a pre-inaugural celebration that will leave behind for the moment their political disagreements.  Not as dramatic perhaps as Isaiah’s lion and lamb, but still a minor tableau of the "Peaceable Kingdom."

These are the days to look around and see the wonders of the Lord.  They are told in song and story-in the Scriptures, on the evening news, in family gatherings, and if we take the time, in the quiet reflections of our hearts. 

Let us pray today’s Psalm response:

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!
I will treat of the mighty works of the LORD;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory!

Fr. Jim Strommer, C.P. is on the provincial leadership team and is stationed in Chicago, Illinois.

 

 

Scripture:

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Luke 1:57-66

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading from Luke which we heard last Sunday, the angel Gabriel tells Mary that her relative, Elizabeth, considered barren and in her old age, had conceived a son, for "nothing will be impossible for God." As we near the fulfillment of the angel’s words concerning Mary, we hear today the fulfillment of his words concerning Elizabeth and her son, John, who later became known as John the Baptist.

The birth of John the Baptist is remarkable in its own right. Rejoicing with her that she has given birth, Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives are prepared to call the baby Zechariah, but she tells them the baby’s name is to be John. Not understanding this, they turn to Zechariah the father. Zechariah, struck mute by the angel Gabriel because he couldn’t bring himself to believe what the angel said about Elizabeth conceiving a child, has to write on a tablet that the baby’s name is John. When Zechariah does that, he is able to speak, and begins to praise God. When the people there see all these things, they begin to wonder about the baby and ask, "What, then, will this child be?"

We know what John the Baptist turns out to be: the herald of Jesus. He is seen as the fulfillment of all those prophecies that foretell of a messenger sent ahead of the Messiah to prepare His way. But the same question that was asked about John could be asked about us. As we near the end of this Advent season, what, then, will we be? Are we willing to be heralds of the Good News? Are we willing to prepare the way for others to welcome Jesus, not only in these last days before Christmas, but for the months and years ahead? It may be hard to see ourselves in that role, but we shouldn’t let that strike us mute. Instead, like Elizabeth who was filled with the Holy Spirit when she greeted Mary, and like Zechariah whose tongue was loosed after the naming of his son, and like John the Baptist himself, we are to witness to the wonders God has done for us in Jesus Christ.

 

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P. is pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, Fairfield, Alabama.

Scripture:

1 Samuel 1:24-28
Luke 1:46-56

Reflection:

Our children do not belong to us. We help God in the creating of their lives, but they are a gift from Him and He only loans them to us for a short while. Have you given yours back to God? We don’t have to leave them at the church like Hannah left Samuel at the temple, but I think it’s so important to remember that He created them for a purpose, and we can dedicate ourselves to helping them find it. We need to want God’s plan for their lives more than we want our own for them and we can encourage them to use their gifts and talents to help build the kingdom. I spoke recently with a woman in her 90’s. She was crying and very upset about the fact that she felt she had been called at 16 to be a nun, but her family didn’t understand God’s ways and couldn’t help her figure it out. Now she believes her "whole life" was wasted. How sad! I assured her that God understands, and her life was not wasted, but she is being tormented by these thoughts.

Raising kids can be overwhelming at times and I don’t see how anyone does it without God’s help! If you let yourself consider all that is wrong with the world, and all of the scary things that could happen to them, you feel pretty helpless to protect them. And of course the question of whether or not they will choose Christ for themselves looms large sometimes. One day I prayed, "I give them back to you Lord. Please do whatever You need to in each of their lives to draw them to Yourself." It was a very freeing prayer for me – not only because we aren’t supposed to worry and fret, but also because they are ultimately His kids and entrusting them to Him is the best place they can be. He loves them more than we ever could. Thank you Lord for the gift of children. Help us to steer them toward You and to release them to your perfect plan for their lives.

 

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 2, soon to be 3.

4th Sunday of Advent

Scripture:

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

We conclude the Advent season this week, bringing to a head basic perceptions about the coming celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  A certain highpoint is reached today.  It concerns the breaking through of a major, perhaps THE major, revelation God wishes to transmit to us: that He is a Creator God, the ultimate source of life-and that an appreciation of life is the best way to "understand" Him.

Christmas Day itself will address this life theme best of all, in the form of the infant born of Mary.  But, by way of immediate preparation for this break-through manifestation, we hear God instruct the submissive prophet Nathan today about what He has been about throughout the history of the Jewish people leading up to David, almost as if God is miffed, as a provoked teacher, that such a prized student as Nathan could overlook a very important fact: God has been busy firming up the house of David as a fertile source of life for Israel. 

And today’s reading from St. Paul supports the tenor of this insight, laying out "the mystery kept secret for long ages" about the revelation of God through Jesus Christ as eternal and wise, as He brings to completion the full manifestation of Himself in the living person of Jesus.  Who better illustrates St. Irenaeus’: "The glory of God is man fully alive"?

The climax of this exposition of Who God is takes place in the words of Gabriel to Mary-words focusing on the new life-form to come about in her, Who will also be the Son of "the Most High": a double life-form, so to speak, to make unmistakably clear how God wants to reveal Himself to us: under the guise of life.

This revelation of God as One Who brings forth life is a manifestation of Himself as Creator.  This is how He wishes to be known.  The current insistence of the church on the worth and dignity of life is not only aimed at safeguarding vulnerable human life, but also at laying down an apologetic for coming to appreciate God for Who He is: the source and creator of life.  Christmas leads to an appreciation, not only of infant life, but also of divine life.

 

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 7:10-14
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

Today’s readings are about promise and fulfillment, fear and courage, cynicism and trust.   Just five days before we celebrate the birth of Christ, the readings remind us that the coming of Christ was no accident, no twist of fate.  Rather, the coming of Christ was the fulfillment of a promise made long before.

The first reading tells us about the Prophet Isaiah’s encounter with Ahaz, the King of Judah.  Isaiah is trying to give Ahaz a spine so he can face his enemies who are at the gate.  He assures Ahaz of God’s care and tells him to ask for a sign of God’s favor.  Ahaz can’t imagine how God could make a difference in this crisis so he begs off with the words, "I will not ask.  I will not tempt the Lord."  Isaiah, in disgust, responds, "…the Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel."  The fear and cynicism of Ahaz result in the destruction of his Kingdom.

In the Gospel we hear the story of Mary’s encounter with the Angel of God.  The angel tells her that God has a plan for her that boggles her imagination.  She is told that she will bear a son "who will be called holy, the Son of God…and who will rule over the house of Jacob forever."  Though she is unsure how these things could possibly happen, her personal courage and complete trust in God move her to respond, "I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word."  Luke clearly sees that the promise made by God through Isaiah is fulfilled in the "yes" of the Mother of Jesus.

These readings call us to realize that God’s promises are best fulfilled in the hearts and lives of those who are open to Him.  As we prepare for Christmas let our prayer be, "Lord, help us welcome you with trust in our hearts whenever you come."

 

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director of lay formation for Holy Cross Province and is stationed at Immaculate Conception Retreat in Chicago.