The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, December 3, 2010

 

Scripture:

Isaiah 29-17-24
Matthew 9:27-31

 

 

 

Reflection:

Living with Our Eyes Open

Today’s Gospel selection presents Jesus dealing with the blindness of two blind men who called to Him for help with their blindness.  Jesus asked about their faith in Him, and, having affirmed their faith they were cured!

If we had to be deprived of one of our human faculties, most of us would probably be least willing to give up our sight.  To miss out on seeing people, the beauties of nature, movies, television – even this computer page – is indeed so threatening.  We can close our eyes for a while and try to imagine what totally blind people experience, but our experience is limited as we can simply open our eyes and see again.  Trying to see without our glasses or contact lenses is perhaps most challenging for us.

The Scriptures frequently present sinfulness in terms of blindness, and redemption in terms of seeing.  In our baptism our eyes were opened to see the Lord in faith.  That Baptism experience was most likely years ago, and so this Advent Season 2009 today asks us:  Are we keeping our eyes open?  Do we see our redemption at hand?

God is present for us everywhere, especially in people.  His joy is in the smile of an infant, His acceptance of us in the affection of a child, His vitality in the energy of an adolescent, His power in the strength of an athlete, His beauty in the loveliness of a human being, His concern in the devotion of a parent, His wisdom in the prudence and insight of the elderly.  What experiences, what "sights"!

This Advent encourages us not to close our eyes to God’s presence, or to live in darkness and gloom.  As did the two blind men, we’re invited to profess our faith in Jesus, to acknowledge His presence and power, and to keep our eyes open and follow Him as 21st century disciples.  Today’s responsorial psalm proclaims:  "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?…wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted and wait for the Lord."

"Come, Lord Jesus.  Help us to see."

Fr. John Schork, C.P. is the local leader of the Passionist community in Louisville, Kentucky. 

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.”