The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, July 4, 2016

 

Scripture:Fourth of July

Hosea 2:16, 17b-18,21-22
Matthew 9:18-26

 

Reflection:

God’s Love; Our Gift of Freedom!

As we celebrate July 4th / Independence Day in the United States, the “everyday” scripture readings speak to us of the depth and intensity of God’s love for us.  Both readings encourage us to reflect and build upon our human experience of love, leading us to the freedom of a life of service of God and our sisters and brothers.

In the first reading from Hosea, the prophet implies that God’s love is like that of a husband and wife:  enticing (almost seductive!), espoused forever, merciful, faithful, life-giving.  Our human experience tells us that even the most ideal human marriage is imperfect and open to growth; growth in love is a life-long commitment!  Hosea reminds us that God’s love is perfect, the “ideal” in the best sense of the term.

And…God’s love is best revealed in the person of Jesus, as we see in the Gospel selection with Jesus’ loving concern for the sick and dying.  We hear of the sad situation of the synagogue leader whose daughter had died, his appeal for Jesus’ help.  As Jesus goes to reach out to the daughter, a woman with an ongoing, serious malady boldly reaches out to Jesus and touches his cloak – and she is cured!  Jesus’ words to the woman echo his words to the synagogue leader:  courage!  believe!  Jesus’ love reaches out to all people — young and younger, important and ordinary, poor and rich…and He offers Life that lasts!

As we gratefully celebrate our independence and seek to best partner in promoting the well-being of our brothers and sisters around the world, we do indeed need Jesus’ healing touch and encouraging word.  Sickness and death are all-too-evident today in the world’s violence, injustice, hungers, homelessness, and apathy.  We have been blessed with faith in Jesus and his Crucified Love.  May that Love freely transform each of us and motivate us to proclaim the life and goodness and freedom that is ours as God’s daughters and sons, as sisters and brothers in Jesus in our 21st century world.

We have reason to celebrate:  God is gracious – and merciful – and loving!

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.”