Daily Scripture

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
Luke 7:31-35

Reflection:

Today’s first reading is a beautiful passage and perhaps one of the most quoted in the New Testament. It is often read at marriage ceremonies or embraced by hopeful couples, flushed with an eagerness to embody love’s greatest ideals.

But in the Bible, the Scripture passage that immediately precedes today’s reading is not one in which Paul talks about romantic or individual love, but about the new Church that is being created, a gathering of spirit and people and talents and gifts that will form in its entirety the Living Body of Christ.

There is a powerful reminder in this reading that the old world and the old ways of serving God, of leading people, of demonstrating faithfulness, are passing away. We are called to let go of our former selves like the child who must now grow up to a mature, deeper self.  Love–patient, forgiving, just and enduring–is at the heart of the Body of Christ in this new world, and love gives value and meaning to all the actions of the Body. Without love–deep and committed and courageous–nothing is achieved and we can never be fully known.  Even the greatest spiritual gifts, which we are encouraged to strive for, are void of life’s breath if not imbued with love.

The passage is indeed a beautiful one, but it is not sentimental. It is filled with the fire of a vision of a new way of being.  We are called to be transformed through the power of love so that we shall know God fully as we are fully known by Him.

 

Nancy Nickel is the Director of Communications for the Holy Cross Province Development Office in Chicago.

Scripture:

Isaiah 55:6-9
Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a
Matthew 20:1-16a

Reflection:

Even though we acknowledge that there are mysteries in our faith that really constitute the heart of our relationship to God, nonetheless we take consolation in the way that the faith often makes eminent sense to us, providing "answers" to life’s problems.  For this   reason we recommend our belief system to others, assuring them: "try it; you’ll like it", meaning that others will find it meeting many of their life difficulties.

Today’s bible readings, however, call us back to the incontrovertible presence of  mysteries that just don’t fit themselves easily into our daily lives.

Isaiah gives shape to God’s role in our experience with the reminder that "…my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways…," illustrating the point by noting how distant heaven is from earth.

And St. Paul gives us a peek into his dilemma as he wrestles with the desire to leave this life so as to be with Christ in heaven, but, on the other hand, recognizing that he has some unfinished business here below, amounting to fruitful labor for himself while also being beneficial to others.  And Paul ponders which is better for himself.

St. Luke rounds out this puzzling mélange with a parable of the Lord about workmen spending varying amounts of time in a vineyard, while, at day’s end, receiving the exact same compensation.  There is the anticipated complaint about the inequity in this transaction, and the unexpected rejoinder from the owner of the land about earlier agreements to this arrangement, and his own role in this project: he "calls the shots".

These are challenging predicaments: are they exceptions to the way faith operates, or its normal procedure?  While it may be unsettling to base our lives on an elusive faith, yet it is comforting to have a faith embracing so much more than we can comprehend.

 

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

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49
Luke 8:4-15

Reflection:

What kind of field are you?  Are you hardened like a footpath?…rocky ground?…overgrown with thorns?…or, are you good soil, fertile and productive? 

As I listened to Jesus talk about the various ways that the seed of the word of God can be trampled, withered, choked off or ignored, I must confess that I couldn’t immediately decide what kind of field I am.  You see, I recognized myself in the description of every sort of field.  At various times of my life I have received the word of God and responded to it in all these various ways.  Sometimes I hear the word of God but get so busy and involved in my own projects that the word, that seems so rich when first received, begins to fade because I am about so many distracting things.  Other times, I begin to respond to the word but ultimately turn away from it, tempted by my own needs or trapped by my own fears.  And, sometimes the word seems to be stolen from me by my disappointment or disillusionment with other people or situations in my life.  It’s not easy to be good soil, ready to receive the word of God and persistent in nourishing it within us.

Given the realities of our inconsistent natures, the really good news in this particular parable is the way Jesus describes the sower (God).  Jesus says the sower spreads the seed generously and everywhere.  The sower isn’t careful, controlled, miserly or cautious with the seed.  He is profligate, generous, open-handed, and extravagant.  He continues to throw the seed in all directions, letting it fall where it will, confident that good soil is there right alongside the hard ground, rocks, brambles and bushes.  And, the sower knows that the good soil will produce much more than the unprepared or inhospitable ground will lose.

As we reflect on this parable, we thank Jesus for telling us how God continuously reaches out to us and we ask for the gift of being receptive to God’s saving word and nourishing it within us.

 

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is stationed at Immaculate Conception Retreat in Chicago.

 

 

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 10:14-22
Luke 6:43-49

Reflection:

In the liturgy of the hours, the leader starts with the phrase: "O Lord open my lips", and the people respond: "And my mouth shall declare your praise." In today’s gospel, Jesus says: "A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good…for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks." In this election year, we pay particular attention to how the candidates for public office speak, because this gives us some insight into their character. The gospels are full of stories about how the people responded to Jesus’ words, e.g.: "the majority of the crowd heard this with delight." (Mark 12:37)

What a gift it is for the followers of Jesus to echo his words to their brothers and sisters, and to apply them to the challenges of today! One of those who did this is St. John Chrysostom, who lived in the 4^th century. As bishop of Constantinople, he encouraged his flock to love as Jesus did. He also gave us a reason for praising God.

He wrote: "Why does God wish to be praised and glorified if not to make our love for him more fervent? His desire is not to receive service or glory or anything else from us, but only for our salvation, and for this he made the whole world. Being filled with praise and wonder because of the grace bestowed on us will make us more diligent and zealous."

Little wonder that St. John Chrysostom received the nickname of "Golden Mouth."

May our words and deed be like gold also in praising God.

 

Fr. Bob Bovenzi, C.P. is stationed in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 8:1-3

Reflection:

When reading this section of St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, a memory of years gone by when I was working as an assistant pastor with Fr. Denis McGowan, C.P. at our parish in Ikeda, Japan, came to mind. Every Thursday evening we would go to visit and have supper with our Retreat House Community in Mefu. In the midst of our busy lives in the parish, it was a chance to have some peace and quiet together.

When we went through the main gate and continued up and around the long shaded driveway leading up to the monastery entrance, we passed a simple statue of the Sacred Heart that was covered with a blend of soft green moss and the chalky white of the stone. It was a natural place to stop and rest, with perhaps a quiet sigh of relief. Often as not there would be a Japanese couple, young or old, a family or an individual, quietly standing in front of the statue in quiet reflection with head bowed. This presence continued year after year, season after season.

As time passed I came to realize that the people I saw at the gate were almost never Catholics or Christians. Sometimes they didn’t have any particular religion at all. Like St. Paul mentioned to Timothy, they seem to have found great contentment and gain, in a moment, a presence that they identified as holy and peaceful. In one sense they hoped to hold onto that solitude for awhile and yet in another sense they brought it with them in the disposition of their hearts.

Sometimes we become too focused on our position in, or our relationship to, the turmoil that we find ourselves surrounded by. The nature of the commotion might be political, religious, or social. In any case it can be easy to be distracted by what is on the surface or by what is really optional rather than essential. Many of us would surely benefit by avoiding the squabbles of daily life in whatever the area of distraction might be. Pausing long enough in the quiet solitude within the presence of God just may bring us the faith, love, patience and gentleness to recognize who we are with and who we really are.

 

Fr. John Patrick Day, C.P. is pastor of Holy Martyrs of Japan Parish, Sullivan, Missouri.

 

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27
Luke 6:39-42

Reflection:

At the recent Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps added drama and excitement to the games by winning eight gold medals with stunning performances in the swimming pool. He and other Olympians are currently on a three week whirlwind tour which includes appearances at Walt Disney World, Buckingham Palace, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show. While at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, commodity traders went berserk as they greeted Phelps and his teammates with a hero’s welcome.

Like our culture, the world in St. Paul’s time was immersed in the thrill of athletic competition. The first Olympics began in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. We know from archeological evidence and historical accounts that participation in the ancient games was considered to be a great honor. Not only would Olympic athletes be revered at the closing ceremonies of the games, but they would be treated as heroes by their city-states. 

Paul uses images of athletic competition to illustrate and explain the nature of the Christian life. The Greek word for a victor in the games is agnoistes, from the root word agon, as in our English word agony. The spirit of the ancient Olympic games was not just about drama and entertainment; they displayed the struggle and labor to overcome the limitation of our human nature.

In today’s first reading from I Corinthians, Paul encourages Christians to engage their spiritual life with the same regiment and discipline of athletes preparing for the games. "Run so as to win.
Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it."

Christianity is not a spectator sport. Paul prods religious couch potatoes to get up from their comfortable sacred lounge chairs and pursue the values of the Gospel with diligence and discipline. The athlete knows during training that toil and struggle will doubtlessly be encountered. But they do not let the agon, or agony, dissuade them from devotion to their cause.

The cause, as Jesus explains in the Gospel, is not to change other people’s behavior or perspective, but to remove all the obstacles which prevent us from perceiving the Kingdom of Heaven within. Through disciplines such as meditation as works of social justice, we can move beyond the ego’s fallacious sense of being an isolated separate self. Then we will discover what Paul advocates: the glorious, imperishable crown of being a child of God.

 

Fr. Joe Mitchell, CP is the director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center in Louisville, KY

 See the website: earthandspiritcenter.org

 

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 8:1b-4, 11-13
Luke 6:27-38

Reflection:

Our Gospel passage today continues Luke’s "Sermon on the Plain," as it is called in contrast to Mathew’s "Sermon on the Mount."  The two writers appear to choose the physical setting of the stories they tell with great care.  Thus their opposing metaphors powerfully reinforce their two unique theological perspectives.  Matthew has Jesus speaking like Moses from the mountaintop-delivering the New Law with all the authority of the God of their ancestors as spoken by the prophets. Words from the mountain come from the mouth of God.  But here in Luke we notice that a similar event of Jesus speaking to a large crowd takes place not on the mountain side but on level ground.  "He came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.  And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said…."  Jesus, in Luke, stands equal with the people, and in fact, humbly raises his eyes to speak.  He is no less God, but he is truly a brother. 

This passage is all about precisely that.  Jesus tells us, and in fact shows us what it means to live as brothers and sisters.  "Love your enemies.  Do good to those who hate you.  Offer the other cheek.  Do to others as you would have them do to you."  Such a radical message!  These are the kind of words that are only believable when they are actually lived. 

Mahatma Gandhi, the great Indian prophet of modern times was once asked what he thought of Christianity.  He said he believed in Jesus and would definitely be his follower if those who called themselves Christian lived like Jesus did.  Today we hear the call to radical discipleship spoken gently to us by a brother who humbly bows before us.  Let us hear His words and speak them to one another in what we this day.

 

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

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 7:36-50

Reflection:

Simon, the Pharisee, somehow missed the "menu" for the supper to which he invited Jesus.  He stands watching Jesus who is reclining at the table.  The woman standing behind Jesus was clearly seen as a prostitute because of her long hair. Simon sees that.  How could Jesus not see that?  He did.  But unlike Simon he sees and experiences something far deeper.  She is crying.  Her tears fall on Jesus’

feet dirtied from walking the unpaved roads.  She washes his feet with her tears and then dries them with her hair.  She bends to kiss his feet.  Simon can’t believe his eyes. "Doesn’t he know who she is?  He’s supposed to be a prophet."

Jesus spotted what was going on in Simon’s head.  And so he presents Simon with the little story of two men who owned money…one, very little, whereas, the other, quite a bit.  "Who will be most grateful?" asks Jesus. "The one who is forgiven the greater debt."  "Simon, much is forgiven this woman because she loves much."

Would you find yourself saying: Simon, you didn’t get it.  This woman came to your house because of a hunger for forgiveness.  She had heard that Jesus would be here.  She needed to see him.  He didn’t turn her away.  He didn’t object to her presence.  He didn’t call the waiters to get rid of her.  She was hungry.  Oh, so hungry.  "Your sins are forgiven.  Your faith, your trust in me, has saved you.  Go in peace."

Are there times when "we don’t get it?"  Picture a family gathered around a table set with the best of food, a parish family present at a Eucharistic celebration or a classroom of students and teacher settling in for the day or a gathering of men and women in a work situation.  All may look good on the outside.  But how many go away hungry.  How different it would have been if there was love, acceptance, forgiveness, the offer to help, or just to listen.

   How often do I send people away hungry. A full tummy doesn’t feed a hungry, yearning, hurting heart and soul. 

 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. is on the staff of Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center, Houston, Texas.