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Daily Reflections

Daily Scripture, July 4, 2025

Scripture:

Genesis 23:1-4,19; 24:1-8,62-67
Mathew 9:9-13

Reflection:

Celebrating U.S.A. Independence Day

Today, the liturgical guidelines encourage us in the United States to pray special prayers for Independence Day, and to choose from a variety of Scripture selections related to “public needs” and “social justice”.

Interestingly, the “regular” readings provide insights into the lives of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jesus and Matthew and the Pharisees.  Each had a special role in Salvation History – Jesus enfleshing God’s redemptive love for all humanity, even in their weakness.  We are each called to cooperate with God’s will for us in our day and age, in a world filled with both countless blessings and serious challenges.  God’s call is real, personable, encouraging — and liberating!!

The optional readings chosen for Independence Day highlight a similar dimension in our American heritage and our mission:  to cultivate and live peace.  Isaiah calls out for peace, especially for those struggling or dejected in spirit; St. Paul, writing to the Philippians, reminds us to have no anxiety, but rather to daily turn to God in prayer for our personal and communal needs.  Jesus at the Last Supper encourages his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you…don’t let your hearts be troubled…”.  Thus, we recall God’s many gifts, celebrating and encouraging one another as 21st Century citizens!

Jesus gives us His peace, which is much more than the experience of deep tranquility or the absence of suffering or uncertainty.  He offers His peace that comes from the experience that God is with us, here and now, in all things and with all peoples — loving us unconditionally.  As contemporary disciples, we look to the Cross of Jesus, seeking peace and freedom from our hectic pace of life, our uncertainties, our personal and communal suffering — and even the fear, the violence and death which are part of our culture.  The unconditional love of Jesus showers each of us with His peace, with a sense of presence, freedom and redemption that transforms the challenges of each day into blessings for today and tomorrow…just as happened for the holy women and men of long ago.

May today’s celebration of the United States’ “independence” help us be grateful and then share our God-given blessings with all people!  In Jesus, may we live in fruitful peace with our sisters and brothers worldwide.

Fr. John Schork, CP, serves as the Province Vocation Director and also as Local Superior of the Passionist Community of Holy Name in Houston, Texas.  

Daily Scripture, April 3, 2022

Scripture: Isaiah 43:16-21 Philippians 3:8-14 John 8:1-11 Reflection: The landscape of Israel is littered with stones. They stretch out across the sun-bleached land often as far as the eye can » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, April 2, 2022

Scripture: Jeremiah 11:18-20 John 7: 40-53 Reflection: After a month of watching the horrors of the war in Ukraine on cable news, I noticed recent stories are more than the » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, April 1, 2022

Scripture: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 Reflection: I am sure all of us are deeply troubled by the violent warfare now raging in Ukraine.  The unprovoked aggression that prompted » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, March 31, 2022

Scripture: Exodus 32:7-14 John 5:31-47 Reflection: Happy Thursday in the Fourth Week of Lent! It’s not rare that I tell the pupils in my private studio that, no matter what, » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, March 30, 2022

Scripture: Isaiah 49:8-15John 5:17-30 Reflection: Today’s gospel reading touched my heart, because it made me think of today’s parents and their children. The first line – ‘My Father is still » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, March 29, 2022

Scripture: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12John 5:1-16 Reflection: “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, March 28, 2022

Scripture: Isaiah 65:17-21John 4:43-54 Reflection: Isaiah paints a hopeful picture of how special Jerusalem will be for all of God’s followers. In John’s Gospel, we are also given the hope » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, March 27, 2022

Scripture: Joshua 5:9a, 10-122 Corinthians 5:17-21Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Reflection: Thursday morning, I attended a book study with several other lovely women. We were discussing obedience. I remembered a sweet woman » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, March 26, 2022

Scripture: Hosea 6:1-6Luke 18:9-14 Reflection: “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” When we have been shown mercy and love, it’s hard to imagine not extending that same mercy » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, March 25, 2022

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Scripture: Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10Hebrews 10:4-10Luke 1:26-38 Reflection: Faith Offman shares her reflection on today’s Solemnity of the Annunciation.

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