Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Jeremiah 11:18-20
John 7:40-53

Reflection:

Today’s Gospel reading and the verses that precede it tell us of two ways that the people of Jesus’ time used to consider whether or not Jesus was the Messiah.   First there were the people who believed in Him because of the miracles that He performed, and then there were others who believed because of the way he spoke at the temple.  They asked one another, "Is He the Messiah?  Is He the prophet?"    And they struggled for proof one way or the other. Even with all that they heard and all that they saw, they remained skeptical, and few seemed to have faith that indeed Jesus was the anticipated Messiah.

Jesus renounces a plea to "go public" as we would put it today.  He does not seem at all concerned about whether or not he has the popular vote.  In fact, even when Jesus does go to the temple for the Feast of the Tabernacles, he does so in secret.  But still all around him, the discussion continues and "the Jews look for Him."

In the meantime, the chief priests and Pharisees disparage the possibility that Jesus is the Messiah by using the argument that the authorities and Pharisees do not believe that Jesus is The Christ, therefore there is no point in anyone else even considering that Jesus might be the Messiah. 

What is it that leads us to belief in Christ?  Is it the Words of Scripture?  Is it miracles we witness?   We believe that Faith is a gift from God.  We need only be open to the gift.  God will always give himself to us if we are open.  We also know that God is love and that love becomes manifest through humanity.  God is revealed in love and we see God in the love and good works of the Saints, or in the good people that we meet in our daily lives. 

Let’s not forget during these last weeks of Lent, that we, too, are called to be signs of God’s love.  As Christians, it is up to us to be open to the signs of faith and love in our lives and as Christians, it is up to us to find the ways that we can serve as signs of faith and love to others.

 

Mary Lou Butler is a former staff member and is now a member of the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center Board, Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Reflection:

"The wicked said among themselves,
Thinking not aright:
‘Let us beset the just one’…"

It’s always been amazing to me how perfectly sensible our own crazy thinking can seem to us! I say this, of course, from personal experience, from those times (which, undoubtedly, will be repeated) when I was so sure that the way I saw the world or another person or their actions was truly accurate.

But the first reading and the Gospel, of course, hit the nail on the head. So much of human folly at the least and human brutality at the worst come from "not thinking aright": from actively believing that our flawed human perception, formed often by fear and anger, is somehow truer than God’s infinite and loving wisdom. We’ve even been willing to kill to prove it so.

One of the hardest things for me about being on what I call the "hamster wheel" of my own thinking is that while I’m on that wheel, all I can do is look with the same vision at the same vista and keep running. It’s usually fear that keeps me "on the wheel"; stubbornness and hurt feelings are right up there, too.

The reality is that "thinking not aright" snuffs out life. It killed Christ and it deadens our hearts today. Logic has its rightful place, of course, but God’s logic transcends our own. In the end, who really wants to be one of the blind mob who "knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward."?

Just reading those words makes me feel hopeful and forgiven, makes me feel like it’s better to embrace Mystery than to exalt my own judgment.

And please, tomorrow, when I’ve forgotten that I said this, remind me.

 

Nancy Nickel is director of communications at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

Jeremiah 31:31-34
Responsorial Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15
Hebrews 5:7-9
John 12:20-33

Reflection:

In this Gospel John writes about a group of Gentiles who want "to see Jesus." These Gentiles (or Greeks as they are called in John’s gospel) approach Philip who is from Bethsaida, a Greek speaking city in Israel, possibly because they overhead him speaking in their language. You would think Jesus would welcome them, however as John records, their requests only make Jesus more thoughtful, more reflective. Their request for an audience makes Jesus realize that the days of his public ministry are about to come to an end. In only six days Jesus will undergo his passion and death.

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies…whoever loves his life loses it…whoever serves me must follow me." These are some of the most poignant words in John’s gospel. They are recorded to remind John’s listeners (you and me) that salvation comes not by "attracting" others to the message of the gospel, but through "embracing" the person of Jesus on the cross.

Our holy founder Paul of the Cross knew this very well. He writes to his spiritual daughter Agnes Grazi that unless a grain of wheat dies, bears fruit, is harvested, milled and turned into good flour to feed others, it is useless. It does not fulfill the purpose for which it was created.

The same applies to us. It is only in our embrace of Christ on the cross, dying to all that is self (usually in a hundred and one little ways) and transforming that as a gift to others that we really fulfill God’s plan for us and ultimately experience salvation. It is the only way we will get "to see Jesus."      

Do you really want "to see Jesus?" Take the "I" and cross it out and embrace what you see before you. Then you will see Jesus.

 

Patrick Quinn is the director of Planned Giving at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago.

Scripture:

Exodus 32:7-14
John 5:31-47

Reflection:

Our readings today begin with the story of the Golden Calf.  You remember this episode in the life of Israel as recorded in the Torah.  Moses was spending 40 days upon Mount Sinai, growing in intimacy with God.  During his absence, the people of Israel reverted to their previous practice of idolatry. Moses returns and is justifiably angry and throws down the precious tablets.  Then God, feeling betrayed by their ingratitude, threatens to show real wrath.  Moses intercedes-imploring God not to give up on the people of Israel.

One might wonder how the faith of the people of Israel could lapse so quickly.  God had been more than generous to them-protecting and blessing them during their exodus from Egypt.  But, how quickly they forgot!!

Haven’t we all experienced such lapses in faith-forgetting the many ways God has been active and present in our lives?  Perhaps you have even experienced such a lapse during our current 40-day period of Lent.  Upon entering Lent, did you make grand plans to increase your intimacy with God?  Just like the people of Israel, we too can succumb to modern forms of idolatry.  (Maybe I should just speak for myself!)   

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus emphasizes that he has come into this world that we may know eternal life.  It seems to Jesus that many of the Jews of his time were unwilling to make this choice-this leap of faith.  The true freedom God offered the people of Israel was now revealed in Jesus.  Why could they not grasp this revelation in their midst?  In all fairness, we hear this chapter of the Gospel, knowing "the rest of the story."  (God bless Paul Harvey!)  Maybe if we did not know "the rest of the story", we too would be lacking in faith and understanding-just like some of the Jews in Jesus’ time.   This we cannot know.

On Ash Wednesday, as the sign of the cross was inscribed with ashes on our foreheads, we heard the words "Repent, Believe in the Gospel".  Through our Scripture readings today, we are invited to confess our faith in Jesus and the life he has revealed for each of us.  The choice is ours…let us choose life!!

 

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

Scripture:

Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12
John 5:1-16

Reflection:

"There lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed."

The Greek words indicate how we often feel ourselves. We feel blind in that we don’t see clearly or are in a smoky fog. We experience lameness in that we can’t seem to move in life. We feel paralyzed in that we feel ourselves dried up as in the original Greek meaning of the word "zeros". Then Jesus asked the magic question, "Do you want to be healed?" This is an idiom in the Greek meaning, "Do you want to be healthy?"

The man in the Gospel was not very ambitious and probably preferred to lay there another 38 years blaming others for not helping him. But it was a scam for him because he really had no desire to be healed. Jesus lost patience with him and told him to "rise, take up your palette and walk." Far from being thankful the man told on Jesus for healing on the Sabbath and caused him lots of trouble with religious leaders.

They tell the story of three fishermen – Bill, Ron and Bob. Jesus appeared to them on the water. Bill said, "Is that you Jesus?" "Yes, my son" Jesus replied. Bill said, "Can you heal my back?" Jesus touched him and healed him. Ron seeing this said to Jesus, "Can you fix my shoulder. I can hardly cast a line." "Certainly" Jesus said and touched his shoulder and healed him. Now all the while, Bob is getting very nervous and said to Jesus, "Don’t get any closer and don’t touch me because I am on total disability."

Jesus does not want us on total disability. It takes the boldness of the Holy Spirit to ask for healing. We probably prefer to lie around and do nothing. With healing there must come a sincere desire for life and holiness.

 

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Isaiah 65:17-21
John 4:43-54

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus returns to Galilee, and when He is there, a royal official comes to Him and says, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus replies, "You may go; your son will live." Then John tells us that "The man believed what Jesus said to him and left." The Gospel passage goes on to recount that the man’s faith was justified; his son was made well, at the time Jesus told him.

What strikes me about that story is the man’s faith. What Jesus tells him is enough for him. He believes, and goes home to his son. Is what Jesus tells us enough for us? Perhaps some of you may be thinking, "Jesus hasn’t told me anything. I have not seen any apparition, nor heard any voice coming out of the clouds. There hasn’t been any dramatic demonstration of Jesus communicating with me." That hasn’t happened to me, either. But if we look at the Cross, Jesus is speaking His love to us. If we take the time to look at our lives, we may recognize various times during which Jesus spoke His love to us, even when we didn’t hear Him then.

But is that enough for us? I think sometimes we look to all sorts of people in all sorts of places for a guarantee that we are loved. Yet all we need to do is look at the Cross. We will not find  judgment there so much as mercy! We will not find despair there so much as hope! We will not find defeat there so much as victory! Most of all, we will find love. This Lenten season calls us to trust in that love, just as the royal official did. May God’s words of love in Jesus Christ be enough for us to turn us back to Him.

 

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

The Annunciation of the Lord

Scripture:

Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10
Hebrews 10:4-10
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

St. Irenaeus, a second century bishop, records the importance of this feast.  There is also another ancient tradition that marks the death of Jesus on March 25^th.  Today this feast day comes as we are in the midst of Lent, and it brings something of the ineffable season of Christmas. 

In Luke, God works among ordinary people.  Zachary the elderly priest is going about his temple duties.  Elizabeth is a faith filled wife.   Mary is a young maiden betrothed to Joseph, the carpenter.  They live in an insignificant village, in an unimportant outpost of the Roman Empire.  There the angel Gabriel appears to Mary.

Luke focuses on the words spoken by the angel and Mary’s response.  Luke does this because it is God who is the principle actor in this scenario.  Gabriel’s parting words are: "Nothing is impossible for God!"  He is right: a barren couple bear a child.  A virgin conceives a child.  God becomes human.   A tomb will beget the resurrection.  The Spirit of God will inspire the Church. 

Like Mary, God enters our life at half stream and turns it around.  Gabriel waited for Mary’s answer.  God waited for Mary’s answer.  We all carry the promise of salvation within us.  God awaits our answers. Mary had no idea what was in store for her.  She entered into the imagination of God. Her whole life, body and soul, was caught up in God’s grace.  She was led by the Spirit into the full truth of Jesus’ suffering, passion, death and resurrection. 

Mary’s yes enlivened history, and changed the future.  Mary’s example teaches us that God interrupts our lives when we least expect it.  Mary’s honor and dignity come from her relationship with Jesus and her faith filled response to God’s call.  To accept interruption becomes a principle of our life.  Thus peace and salvation come into the world.

 

Fr. Kenneth O’Malley, C.P. is the archivist at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.   

Scripture:

Hosea 6:1-6
Luke 18:9-14

Reflection:

Our Lenten scripture readings are heavy ones today: sin.  Hosea the prophet is excoriating the sinful ways of his fellow Jews, and the publican, in Luke’s gospel parable, is acknowledging the failures in his life.

We Catholics get upset when there is too much ado about sin.  Older ones among us celebrate the liberation we have enjoyed in recent decades from an obsession with sin that made of the sacrament of confession/reconciliation such a formidable chore, and from what we regarded as silly ways of gaining unintelligible "indulgences" from the punishments that had piled up in our account, to be rendered to the Divine Judge at the proper time.  We were happy to be about the good life and get off this dour preoccupation with the bad life.

A bit of this recent mindset has been imbedded in our current economic predicament.  Ever since we had broken free of the depression era of the ‘30s-the bad times-we’ve been on an upward swing in and through some good times, till recently.  Then someone cames along like Hosea the prophet, in today’s readings, condemning us: "For it is he who has rent…he has struck us…I smote them…I slew them…"  We obviously took a wrong turn in the road somewhere.  We must have resembled the Pharisee in today’s gospel, quite pleased not to be like the rest of humanity, greedy, dishonest, adulterous, since we fasted twice a week and paid tithes on our whole (note the emphasis on "whole") income.  The Pharisee lived the good life.

Unlike the tax collector who was in the temple with him but really didn’t have much to say for himself, at least in terms of the good things he had done, but he was pretty good at remembering his failures: O God, be merciful to me a sinner.  This seemed good enough to win him an indulgence: he went home justified.

Too much of the good life ill prepares us for a publican-like confession of our bad life, that might open us to Hosea’s message that it is love God desires and knowledge of Him, more than sacrifices and holocausts, good meals two less days a week and 10% (how about 8) on our whole income.

 

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