The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, December 14, 2018

Scripture:

Isaiah 48:17-19
Matthew 11:16-19

Reflection:

I find it hard not to have questions and concerns in today’s uncertain world.  Everything is made even more difficult with our fast paced lives.  As Catholics, who isn’t confused on how to approach life. We face a myriad of complex issues every day and it can be challenging at times to know what is right.

Today’s readings though, give us some ideas. In the first reading we hear the “Lord will tell you what is good,” and then we hear the Lord telling us “He will lead us on the way to go”.  The Psalms are just as clear, follow the Lord, and have the light of Life.  The Bible is filled with the Lord telling us to follow Him, that He is the way, the Truth and the Life.

So why do we struggle so? Are we afraid to follow him?  We shouldn’t be. Doesn’t He repeatedly remind us, “be not afraid”?  Maybe the truth is, we want to lead, not follow.  We think we have a better understanding of our lives and what we need.  We don’t want to change our view points.  We just need His help.  That’s the way most of my prayers sound.  Here is what I need Lord, please help make it happen.  We are tempted to think we know what God wants and we end up not really sure what we want or where we are going. Like the children in the Gospel, not happy with or sure about anything we see.  That’s not following the Lord.  That’s not surrendering to Him.  To follow Him we need to seek Him, to know more about Him, to trust Him.

This advent,  this year of faith, Let’s truly seek Him in prayer, in the sacraments, in front of the blessed sacrament, in reading the Bible or other spiritual books.  Let’s listen to Him more by slowing down, taking time out from the rush of life.  Then can we begin to recognize Him, to see where He is leading us, and what He wants of us.  Then we will begin to know the peace and joy that can only come from following Him, and  then, maybe our descendants will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the shore of the sea, and we can yield fruit in due season.

 

Steve Walsh is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre ,and a good friend of the Passionist Community.

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.”