The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, June 29, 2013

 

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Scripture:

Acts 12:1-11
2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18
Matthew 16:13-19

 

 

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the Solemn Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.  As I look at today’s readings I am humbled by the greatness and holiness of these two giants.  The first reading tells the story of Peter being freed from prison by an angel; the original "get out of jail free" card!  The second reading is a tribute to the great St. Paul and his willingness to "complete the race to the finish line" in his preaching of the good news.  The final gospel reading describes Jesus telling Peter that he is the "rock" upon which the Church will be built.  Wow!  How can I identify with the courage, selflessness and grace of these two giants?  Giants are a hard act to follow!

I am reminded of my childhood reading about the tales of the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan and Babe, his great blue ox!  The closest I have to a great blue ox is Gabriel, my not so great black cat.  So how do I handle a reflection on these two great saints and giants of the early Church, Peter and Paul?

Maybe a giant Louisville sunset will help.  A couple of evenings ago, a classic Kentucky storm rolled through our area at sunset.  When it was over I was sitting and watching the sun go down through the windows.  The sun poured through small openings in the clouds and bounced off the leaves of the trees.  The green of the leaves glimmered like silver.  It was gorgeous in a way only God can provide.  I was touched by the sight and the remembrance of how much God loves me.  I guess I don’t have to be Saint Peter, Saint Paul or even Paul Bunyan to experience the joy of being loved by God!

God loves me completely, just as I am, without reserve, in a most beautiful, remarkable way; and, like most of us, I’m not even a giant.  But I am a child of God; and that’s enough for me and for us all!

Happy Feast Day Saints Peter and Paul!

 

Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family who volunteers at the Passionist Assisted Living 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.”