The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, July 15, 2020

Scripture:

Isaiah 10:5-7, 13b-16
Matthew 11:25-27

Reflection:

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth…

At first glance, this can be a confusing passage…hidden from wise; revealed to childlike; yes, your gracious will; no one knows; anyone the Son wishes to reveal….What…When…Where…How?

Another passage directed toward the Pharisees – the self-assured and self-righteous religious leaders – their certitude often directing them off course and causing them to ‘bully’ rather than accompany. What they lacked was a humble child-like spirit, and a sense of need for and dependence on God rather than their self.

Jesus praises his Father for revealing the ‘hidden’ things of salvation to those with the ‘wonder and awe’ of the babes – they embrace the way and the hope, in contrast to the ‘wisdom and understanding’ of the righteous leaders – they dismissed his message and his miracles.

These words of Jesus are meant to challenge us, to cause us to pause and wonder. How do I shut off God’s revelation? How am I closed to the voice of the Spirit? How do I notice myself reacting (like the Pharisees) rather than responding (like Jesus)?

Jesus reminds us that we have to ‘open our hearts’ to hear his Father reveal the things in us that keep us from being his children, we have to be willing to ask the Lord to teach us.

Nelson Mandela once said “no one is born hating another person because of the color of their skin [insert ‘their religion’, ‘work’, ‘class’, ‘gender’, ‘orientation’…or simply leave it at hating another person- italics mine] If they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

I think that is the message of Jesus in this passage, open our hearts so God can teach us to love. To Live the example of Jesus all day, every day, so that our hearts will cry out as Jesus’ heart cried out I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth…reveal to me the way…


Faith Offman is the Associate Director of Ministry at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan.

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.”