Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29
Matthew 9:14-17

Reflection:

God Has a Plan:  Life, Freedom!

There’s a special "twist" today in both readings:  in the Genesis reading, Jacob takes advantage of his father’s blindness to deceive his father Isaac and get the special blessing promised Esau, and in the Gospel Jesus challenges the disciples of John the Baptist who felt a bit jealous of Jesus’ disciples.

Jacob and Rebekah lied to Isaac in their deceptive practices, yet God took that evil act and turned it to His own good purposes: it was God’s will that the Messiah would be born from the descendants of Jacob.  "God writes straight with crooked lines".

Jesus’ disciples broke the pattern set up by the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist; they did not fast, but rather "feasted" with Jesus as people do in wedding parties, or on the 4^th of July — with lots of fun-filled vitality!  Jesus came to fulfill the Law, to set people free from their sinfulness by his living message of unconditional Love.  God has a Plan!

This July 4^th the United States celebrates Independence Day, a very important national holiday.  We have the usual festivities of parades, speeches, fireworks, family gatherings and food — and yet this year things are tempered by the economic woes of the past year, the continued presence of war and conflict in our world, the growing environmental challenges faced by ourselves (and the global community), etc.!  We are indeed blessed, and we are invited to see that God does have a plan for us — perhaps a bit different than we have expected.  God-given wisdom, patience and deep faith will open up for us a nation that is truly free, truly life-affirming, truly generous in sharing its riches and encouraging the growth of the human family worldwide.  

Today God shares a special "twist" for our lives: in His loving Plan, Jesus has come to set us free and share God’s Life with us.  May our lives be fireworks displays announcing the goodness and love of God.

 

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

Scripture:

Genesis 22:1b-19
Matthew 9:1-8

Reflection:

Today’s first reading is taken from Genesis, and is the famous scene is which God seemingly will require Abraham to sacrifice his first-born (and only) son Isaac.  The passage is one of the perplexing and confusing ones that raises all kinds of questions about who the God of the Bible really is!  Would God really do that??

Bible scholars tell us that the passage, which ends with God staying Abraham’s hand from sacrificing Isaac, is intended as a commentary aimed at the social practices of the time.  Many of the people of Abraham’s time did sacrifice their children to their God’s.  Abraham’s experience with God is intended to draw a contrast between the God of Israel and the gods of the nations.  The God of Israel is one who gives life, not takes life; this God is one committed to human flourishing, not human destruction.  The God of the Bible is a giver not a taker  — of life, and of all good.  This God is discovered and experienced not in violence, but in gratitude, in peace, in respect for all that exists.

For Christians, the Old Testament passage rings echoes of the famous line from St. John’s Gospel:  God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son! (Jn. 3:16)  As Abraham came to know the generosity of God, who is a giver of good, through the gifts of faith, of children and of land, so Christians discover the deep and eternal generosity of God through the gift of Jesus who has come to the world from the very heart and mystery of the God who is love itself.

 

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

 

Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

Scripture:

Ephesians 2:19-22
John 20:24-29

Reflection:

What do I do when nothing seems to fit right in life? My "self" wants to complain, blame and get angry. Those "waves" of emotions and behaviors may have passed through Thomas; it is not recorded that way. But real doubt did fill him; that His beloved Jesus had, indeed, had been raised from the dead. Was part of it just feeling "left out?" He "was not with them when Jesus came." And, even though he heard that they "had seen the Lord", were not they still behind doors that were shut? What kind of credibility is that? Nevertheless, his loyalty in the most troubling of times enabled him to be truthful enough to say to his peers that his faith was weak and he needed proof.

Jesus wants us to speak our truth even about the stuff that doesn’t go right or doesn’t fit. He is the builder. In Him "the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord." And then there was the surrender, accepting the reality in which he was privileged to be. He was "in touch" with the suffering love that would not fail him. He was in a reality, surrounded by "what doesn’t fit", that which is neither right nor just. But that is where the gifts of loyalty and surrender fit.

There is a famous statue of Thomas depicted as the carpenter, pensive, pondering, holding a carpenter’s square. He was part of that building of the kingdom on earth that would send him to India. Perhaps feeling a bit of the "stranger and alien," wondering how he would fit. Not to worry. His relationship with Jesus would be the grace and power built on those natural gifts entrusted to him that would send him to India, to build up the Body of Christ.

We are called to that same mission. That is why we are faced with the realities of the unfit. We have the "cornerstone" upon whom to build that dwelling place for God.

 

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

Scripture:

Genesis 21:5, 8-20a
Psalm 34: 7-8, 10-11; 12-13
Matthew 8:28-34

Reflection:

Today’s feast and readings give us concrete examples of our Responsorial Psalm (Ps. 34) …that the "Lord hears the cry of the poor…" 

First of all, we celebrate Blessed Junipero Serra, Franciscan priest, who "Heard the cry of the poor".  Desiring to become a missionary, he left his native Spain and sailed to central Mexico where he preached and taught.  Appointed superior of  Franciscans of the Indian Missions of Baja California in 1768, he went on to establish the Church in nine of the California Missions. John Paul II called him "an exemplary model of the selfless evangelizer." He died in 1784 at the age of 70 and was buried at Mission San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel, CA .

 In our first reading from Genesis, we hear how God heard the cry of Hagar  – concubine of Abraham who bore his son, Ishmael, and who, at the demands of Sarah, was sent out into the desert with only some bread and a skin of water to die.  The child began to cry and God’s messenger called to Hagar from heaven… "Don’t be afraid’ God has heard the boy’s cry in this plight of his…and God was with the boy as he grew up…"

 In our gospel today, Jesus heard the cry of the two demoniacs coming from the tombs to challenge him, and Jesus drove out their demons and they were healed.

 As we reflect on these readings today: Two movements come to mind… you may have many others… In what distress do I call out to our loving God seeking help and healing today?

As the lord hears my cry… who cries out to me today? …do I hear the cry of the poor, those in pain,  those in difficult situations, in my family, my neighbors, co-workers ,even enemies…the list goes on…

 The words of Jesus come to mind…  "What ever you do to the least of my brethren… you do to Me!" (Matt.25: 40-46)    Lots of challenges for each of us today!!!!

 

 Marcella Fabing, csj , is on the staff of Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center, Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

Genesis 18:1-15
Matthew 8:5-17

Reflection:

I was struck by the connection between the readings today.  And, as much as I try to dodge it, the question raised continues to weigh on me-how do I encounter God? 

Genesis tells us that when the Lord appeared to Abraham, he immediately ran to him, saying "Please do not pass your servant by."  The text is filled with references to how intensely Abraham embraced the three men that appeared before him as if from out of nowhere.  Now, I am not a Biblical scholar, but it seems to be evident that Abraham recognized the presence of God in these men.  But even if these were simply God’s messengers, Abraham receives them with the great passion of the love of his God.

How does he greet his God?  He offers to wash his feet, feed him and give him comfort from his journey.  All this when he wasn’t even expecting him!  He tells his wife to quickly whip something up for the weary travelers (like most wives, she obliges even though he might have asked a bit more politely).  Abraham himself waits on the men, though he could have easily delegated their care to his many servants.  So Abraham greets the Lord with generosity, hospitality, intimacy and great enthusiasm-to say the least. 

Two thousand years later, we meet a very different man who seeks out Jesus along his journey with the disciples.  Matthew tells of a centurion who comes to our Lord, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress."  So great is the faith of this man-a Roman commander no less-that he doesn’t technically ask Jesus for help.  He seems to know that just by telling him about the suffering that Jesus will answer his plea.  Let’s not overlook the fact that this man risked who knows what kind of retribution from his countrymen for approaching Jesus with open faith.  In fact, when Jesus offers to go to his home to see the servant, the centurion is taken aback, "Lord, I am not worthy."  He had such great trust in Christ and such love for his servant that he went to Jesus with deep humility, earnestness and great devotion.

And what do these men receive in return for their faith in God?  In the Genesis passage, our Lord leaves Abraham and Sarah with the news that she will be expecting a child.  For the faithful centurion, Jesus tells him "Go; be it done for you as you have believed."  In other words, miracles.

So, I come back to my original question.  How do we encounter God?  Do we greet him with expectant faith or guarded caution?  Are we willing to show our faith to others who might not approve?  Do we go to God with modesty?    These are not easy questions and I think, for myself, the answers are different at different stages in my life.  It’s tempting to be doubtful and uncertain about the power of God in our lives. When we see things in our lives that aren’t going as we hope, when we find ourselves in need of God’s grace, this is when we must have the greatest faith.  Easier said than done, perhaps.  But how else can we expect miracles?    

 

Marlo Serritella ([email protected]) is on staff at the Holy Cross Province Development Office in Chicago.

Scripture:

Genesis 19:15-29
Matthew 8:23-27

Reflection:

In today’s gospel Jesus chides his apostles, "Oh you of little faith."  If Jesus were to speak to us today, he would chide us, "Oh you of misplaced faith."

We are not like the apostles, just a few individuals rocking about in a boat on a stormy sea.   We are billions of people rocking about in multiple storms that threaten the very life of our planet.  There are the blizzards of war, the tempests of religious and political oppression, the cloudbursts of terrorism, and the squalls of economic hardship around the globe.  The storm clouds of nuclear war are again appearing from belligerent nations.  And our air and water continue to be polluted.

So what do people put their faith in?  "Let’s spend more and more money on bigger armies and better weapons."  "Let’s spend more money on bailouts."  "Let’s spend more money on walls and fences."  "Let’s put our faith in our generals, our politicians, our economists, and our talk show hosts."

"Oh you of misplaced faith."  Seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).  Seek first a change of heart, so that all life is seen as precious, each person is seen as a brother or sister, and the earth is revered as our home.  Make every effort to turn swords into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4), so we can feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, obliterate poverty, conquer illiteracy, and enjoy each other.

Let us take our misplaced faith in power and money and place it in the truths of the Sermon on the Mount.  Then the Master Teacher of these truths will guide us to peaceful shores.

 

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. ([email protected]) is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Acts 12:1-11
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Matthew 16:13-19      

Reflection:

"Love without truth is powerless. Truth without love is just plain cruel."

It goes without saying that Peter and Paul were giants in the early church. Believers and leaders whose personalities were larger than life and whose influence would endure well into the 21^st century. But why?

From what we can tell, neither one seemed to possess skills anyone would associate with future greatness. We know from the Gospels that Peter was a simple Galilean fisherman when called to follow Jesus. Impetuous, combative, fiercely loyal, he was also at the same time weak, unsure, and emotionally unstable. From the Acts of the Apostles and his Letters, we know Paul was at first an enemy of the new faith – perhaps seen by some as a rising star in the nascent rabbinic Judaism of his day. He was someone, it seemed, no one wanted to tangle with, even after his startling conversion to the new Way. While sophisticated, direct, learned, a brilliant and eloquent preacher, Paul could also be petty, petulant, and extremely insecure. Given all their humanness, however, both men’s avowed faith in Jesus the Christ helped to transform a small insignificant illicit Jewish sect into a major world religion spread across seven continents.  

At their best, Peter and Paul’s greatness stems from the fact that both represent the Christian message as Truth rooted in Love. Remember Jesus’ last conversation with Peter in John’s gospel? "Peter do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." "Feed my lambs." "Feed my sheep." While Peter denied his Lord prior to the Crucifixion, after the Resurrection Peter was a different man. A man committed in his heart and soul to love – to love his Lord.

Paul was insistent that the message he preached was always a message of truth and he was a passionate defender of that truth. He goes so far as to tell one of his divided communities that even if an angel should come preaching a different message, not to believe it. Paul knew how lies, deceit, and falsehoods poison not only individuals and families, but divide and destroy groups as well. He committed his life to preach the Truth – "to preach Christ Jesus and Him Crucified."

It is no coincidence that both of these great saints spent the last of their remaining lives in Rome. As the center of the Empire, Rome eventually drew everyone and everything to itself. We know very little regarding the last days of these faithful men. However what we can assume is that both died professing the faith they lived for – the Truth rooted in Love.

The greatness of these two men therefore is not based on their persons, their abilities or their accomplishments. Their greatness is based on their faithfulness to their Lord. And is not that in reach for all of us?

 

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

Scripture:

Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15
Mark 5:21-43

Reflection:

One of the beautiful aspects of the miracle stories is their vividness.  Today, in Mark’s Gospel, we can clearly visualize the images of the synagogue official and the hemorrhaging woman.  It is not hard to see Jairus falling at Jesus feet and grasp his feelings as he fears for his daughter’s life.  You can feel his pain and see the tears he must have been shedding.  You can empathize with this man who is going to lose his child.  And yet, he had faith.  He had faith and trust that Jesus would have mercy on him.

And too the hemorrhaging woman, we can see her, weak from excessive bleeding, ignored and mistreated by her doctors.  Because of the stigma of menstrual bleeding, she was most likely scorned by family and friends.  Surely she must have been feeling utterly without hope.  Perhaps she was thinking that she would be better off dead.  She had nowhere to turn, you can feel her deep despair.  And yet, she had faith.  She had faith that Jesus would cure her.

When the Gospel of Mark was being written, the author must have thought about how desperate people become in their lives.  How often they are without hope.  Perhaps that is why these stories are so very vivid.  We are being told – look,  see this man and this woman, surely the most desperate of people, turning to Jesus in hope and faith.

What do we do when we meet with what we perceive as hopeless situations?  Where do we turn when it seems as though there are no answers?   How often do we think to drop to our knees and ask for Jesus’ help? 

Where is our faith? 

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the ways that God performs miracles for us.  When we go to Confession, with faith in the power of God, we are healed!  And forgiven!  Is there any better miracle than this?

This summer as we deal with the problems of everyday life, as we experience the frailty of our human condition, let’s pray that our faith will be straightened.  And let’s turn to God in Reconciliation and as the woman in today’s Gospel, let us say and believe- "if we can just touch the hem of his cloak, we will be cured!"

 

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.