The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, February 8, 2019

Scripture:

Hebrews 13:1-8
Mark 6:14-29

Reflection:

Heroism and Humanness

Today’s Gospel selection from St. Mark recounts the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist at the hands of a weak-willed King Herod…a saga of religious dedication and heroism meeting human nature.

John the Baptist was a man who was completely absorbed in the person of Jesus Christ.  He had one mission:  to point out Jesus to others.  The persons of John the Baptist and Jesus go hand in hand…both giving of themselves without reserve.

Sad to say, the heroic life of John the Baptist ended with the almost ludicrous actions of King Herod.  Herod was a petty ruler, the pawn of an unscrupulous wife; he allowed himself to become trapped by the party-dancing of his own young daughter.  He was so taken up by the party, the people present, and the dancing of his daughter that he promised her anything, even swearing about his intentions!  The ultimate outcome:  John the Baptist was murdered per the request of Herodias, beheaded at the end of the party.  John’s heroic life ended as a victim of humanness, weakness and sinfulness.

We hear this story as 21st Century disciples of Jesus Christ.  Like John the Baptist, we have been called to point out Jesus in our world, to unselfishly love and serve the Lord day by day — even in the hum-drum times of life.  As was mentioned in today’s 1st reading from Hebrews, our love for Jesus is expressed in simple, practical ways like hospitality, concern for the needy, faithfulness to our vocations, detachment from things, and reliance on God.  Our lives may not appear heroic or romantic, but we are invited to give ourselves completely to God…in the humanness we experience.

As “Ordinary Time” continues to unfold and we embrace these wintry days, what challenges do we face on a regular basis as we point out Jesus in our world?  Do we at times “get carried away” by people or situations?  What helps us maintain our strength and perspective?  Let the words of today’s reading from Hebrews be review of life for us…an opportunity for growth in both love and service.

May we echo the words of the psalmist:  “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”


Fr. John Schork, C.P., is a member of the Passionist community in Chicago, Illinois. 

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.”