Daily Scripture, June 16, 2019
Scripture:
Proverbs 8:22-31
Romans 5:1-5
John 16:12-15
Reflection:
Today on the ecclesiastical calendar we celebrate The Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Today we also celebrate all the fathers on this holiday “Father’s Day. “ In the Gospel Jesus is telling his disciples that He will be leaving them. However He will not be abandoning them, but will send the Paraclete. Some have called this periscope the “Peek A Boo Jesus! Passage.” In other words what Jesus is doing is something all father and mothers around the world play a serious game with their children called “Peek A Boo!” The parents are teaching their children a critical lesson for life. In a word, parents are teaching their children that even though their children do not see their parents, they are there and will be there if they should be needed. Their fear will be transformed into “joy.”
In our Christian life, there are periods when we feel abandoned and deserted. This period has been called the Dark Night. In other words, there are these times when we are not able to feel God’s presence. Great mystics/saints have had this experience. Juliana of Norwich did for 18 years, Teresa of Avila did this for 20 years, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta did this for 25 years, and Paul of the Cross Founder of the Passionists had this experience for 40 years. These mystics grew to know that these periods “These dark nights of the soul held profound secrets. It is surprising, but St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that she “embraced the darkness.” Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity had a prayer many have found helpful to “embrace” this absence of God: “O Triune God so live in me that all I think and all I say may be your thoughts and words this day!”
John’s passage is calling the Disciples of Jesus to a profound recognition of the Community. He is calling them to a profound life of Holiness. If they love God and keep the teachings of Jesus they will experience the Paraclete, who will not abandon them. All people are called and capable of living a life of holiness. All are called and capable of a life of contemplation. These realities are available to us as we keep alive the memory of the Passion.
Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is the local superior at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.
Scripture: Acts 16:11-15 John 15:26-16:4a Reflection: “I have told you this so that you may not fall away.” The community of the evangelist John lived during turbulent, polarizing times when their faith was severely tested. John wrote his gospel sometime after 85 AD, likely to » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 John 14:23-29 Reflection: Mutatis mutandis. This Latin phrase captures where we find ourselves in our Easter journey as reflected in this Sunday’s readings. Literally, this phrase means “things having been changed that have to be changed.” Some things » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 16:1-10 John 15:18-21 Reflection: Jesus’ Tender and Redeeming Love Each year the fifty days after Easter are a kind of virtual retreat for me. You see, a long time ago when I was a student preparing for final vows with the Passionists, a » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 15:22-31 John 15:12-17 Reflection: Measure of Love Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:12 The Scriptures are » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 15:7-21 John 15:9-11 Reflection: In our Gospel reading, Jesus tells His disciples to “remain” in His love. There are other translations that use the word “abide,” and I favor that word because it implies for me resting in the assurance of God’s unconditional » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 15:1-6 John 15:1-8 Reflection: I visited the family vineyard in California many times. I remember one year the plan was to graft the Merlot into Sauvignon Blanc. The process was extreme. A group of men with saws came and cut the merlot off » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 14:19-28 John 14:27-31a Reflection: How do you define success? Many would say they are successful if they achieve a desired goal, attain a benefit or favor, or even claim an elevation of status or position. Yet as we have been spending time in » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 14:5-18 John 14:21-26 Reflection: Loving Jesus…in Many Ways! Today’s Gospel selection puts it simply: Jesus invites his disciples to love him in both word and deed. He also reminds them that the Holy Spirit will come and so inflame their hearts and minds » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 14:21-27 Revelation 21:1-5a John 13:31-33a, 34-35 Reflection: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Acts 13:44-52 John 14:7-14 Reflection: Whoever has seen me has seen the Father… These final discourses in John’s gospel focus not so much on what Jesus did, but on who Jesus is and what he does in and through us. In some ways, these » Continue Reading.