The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, August 3, 2018

Scripture:

Jeremiah 26:1-9
Matthew 13:54-58

Reflection:

“‘A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.’” Matthew 13:57

Jim and I were talking about this verse, comparing it to how many people feel that their words and even their lives don’t have much impact on their own children. So many children have fallen away from the faith! And yet there are times too, when the opposite happens, and we as parents are challenged to grow deeper in our faith by our children.

That has been the case for us since Julie entered the Sisters of Life nine years ago. I am a cradle Catholic, and have loved the Church since I was a little girl, but I have learned so much from Sr. Cecilia Rose! When she entered, we promised her that we would pray the rosary for her every day as she discerned this calling to religious life. And in so doing, the rosary has become a very important part of our day. We even attend a group that prays the rosary together at church.

Sister has told us about many of the books that she has read and reading them has also led us deeper into our faith. One of my favorites is “The Family that Overtook Christ,” a story about St. Bernard of Clairvaux and his holy family. Another great one is “The Father’s Tale” by Michael O’Brien.

After praying the Liturgy of the Hours when visiting the Sisters I was inspired to get my own set of books. Now whenever I pray Morning or Evening Prayer, I feel connected to Julie and all of the Sisters who have become our family. Just three days from today, Sr. Cecilia Rose and 7 other Sisters will profess their final vows, which is a beautiful testament to the future of our church!

We would so appreciate prayers for safe travel for all those attending, and for each of the Sisters as they give themselves completely to the Lord. The ceremony itself is very beautiful and can be watched on the Basilica’s website: www.stjohnsstamford.com. Just click on the Live Webcam in the upper left corner. Mass begins at 11 AM (ET) on Monday, August 6th. Thanks for praying!


Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Bainbridge Island, Washington,  and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently published her second book: God IS with Us. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].

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Ash Wednesday

On March 2, the Church celebrates Ash Wednesday. 

Most of us learned early in our Catholic lives that Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and that is a time of special sacrifice in preparation for the Easter celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Dear brothers and sisters, every moment of our lives is a time for believing, hoping and loving…. These words of Pope Francis, taken from his Lenten Message of last year, 2021, and echoing the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, can still inspire our answer to the question: “What am I giving up for Lent?” 

We can draw our Lenten sacrifices out of our daily life: 

Share our faith in God’s presence by sharing in prayer with our family or with those in our parish community.
Share our hope in God’s promises by encouraging positive and respectful dialogue in our family circle and among our friends. 
Share the charity God has bestowed on us in the Passion of Jesus, with those whose sufferings are ignored or aggravated.

Let us pray for one another as we enter the season of Lent. Our Passionist “motto” can be our daily prayer during Lent, “May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts.”