• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

  • Laudato Si’
    • Making Room: Lent Reflection Series
    • Celebrating the Season of Creation
    • Passion of the Earth, Wisdom of the Cross
    • Ways to Live Laudato Siˊ
    • Small Grants to Implement Laudato Siˊ
    • Statement on Texas Elementary School Tragedy
  • Pray
    • Daily Reflections
    • Prayer Request
    • Sunday Homily
    • Passionist Spirituality and Prayer
    • Video: Stations of the Cross
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
  • Grow
    • The Passionist Way
    • Retreat Centers
    • Passionist Magazine
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • Passionist Solidarity Network
    • Journey into the Mystery of Christ Crucified
    • Celebrating the Feast of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Subscribe to E-News
    • Passionist Ministries
      • Preaching
      • Hispanic Ministry
      • Haiti
      • Parish Life
      • Earth and Spirit Center
      • Education
      • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Ways to Live Laudato Siˊ
    • Vision Fulfillment Newsletters
    • Sacred Heart Monastery
      • History of Sacred Heart Monastery
      • A Day in the Life of Senior Passionists
      • “Pillars” of the Community
  • Join
    • Vocation Resources
    • Father Phillip Donlan, CP, Ordination
    • Are You Being Called?
    • Passionist Brothers
    • The Life of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Discerning Your Call
    • Pray With Us
    • Passionist Vocation Directors
    • World Day for Consecrated Life
    • Lay Partnerships
  • Connect
    • Find a Passionist
    • Passionist Websites
    • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Passionist Alumni Association
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
      • St. Gemma Circle of Giving Intentions
    • Leave a Legacy
      • Giving Matters
      • Ways to Give
      • Donor Relations
      • Testimonials
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
    • Privacy Policy Statement
  • Learn
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • Our Founder
    • History
    • The Letters of St. Paul of the Cross
    • The Diary of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Mission and Charism
    • Saints and Blesseds
    • FAQs
    • Find a Passionist
    • STUDIES IN PASSIONIST HISTORY AND SPIRITUALITY
  • Safe Environments

Daily Scripture, July 18, 2011

Scripture:

Exodus 14:5-18
Matthew  12: 38-42

Reflection:

"Fear not, stand your ground!"

Those are God’s words.  Encouraging and comforting words.  Nothing like having God on our side!  But, in moments of fear we focus only on what we are facing.  Our view of a situation often narrows and focuses exclusively on the problem.  And the problem itself often excludes any solution.  The Lord of the Israelites through Moses tries to broaden the outlook of the people.  They are reminded they were not set free from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, fed miraculously in the desert, given water to drink and lead to the shore of the Dead Sea, and now are going to be abandoned and killed.  Their Lord and God is not about to abandon them.  There is a solution.

While many of us will gladly agree that the Israelites are suffering from fear leading to loss of memory and trust in their Lord and God, we may also recall such moments in our lives.  The challenges all of us experience from time to time also find us fighting fear and loss of memory and trust.

Death is something all of us will ultimately face.  But…not now!  To put my life in God’s hands and yet deny God any partnership in my death is to lose an important part of the whole picture.  A balance is called for.  I try each day to thank God for the gift of the new day.  And right after that to say "yes" if this is the day I will die.  But I don’t want to lose the whole picture that is given to me.  I am not abandoned!  Finally, I am invited to step across the threshold of eternity and enter eternal life with the joyful reunion with my parents, extended family members, and friends. 

Once in a while I find myself thinking of how I am going to die.   Pain may be a part, even a big part, of my exit from this life.  But I feel that death isn’t something I want to ignore or hide from, no matter what the circumstances.  I don’t want to live with blinders on and end up blotting out Jesus’ words, "I am with you always," along with the invitation, "Do you want to talk about it?"

We all are encouraged to ask ourselves from time to time: "Am I afraid to face up to fears and doubts that arise in the course of daily life?"  "Do I forget to thank my close friends, beginning with Jesus, with whom I can share these fears and doubts and not lose the whole picture?  "Fear not, stand your ground."

 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. is on the staff of Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center, Houston, Texas.

Footer

Facebook Feed

Support the Passionists

Contact the Passionists

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province
660 Busse Highway | Park Ridge, IL 60068
Tel: 847.518.8844 | Toll-free: 800.295.9048 | Fax: 847.518.0461
Safe Environments | Board Member Portal | Copyright © 2023 | Log in