The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, June 4, 2019

Scripture:

Acts 20:17-27
John 17:1-11

Reflection:

Love, Love, Love!

We’re deep in the home stretch of the Easter Season, with the celebration of Pentecost just days away.  Today’s Scriptures challenge us to let the Good News of Jesus Risen come alive in us and through us to meet the challenges of life in the 21st Century…the Church on the grow.

The Gospel selection is part of the beautiful priestly prayer of Jesus as presented by John the Evangelist.  Jesus is in heartfelt prayer to His Father, with love and devotion flowing forth in His words.  That love overflows into Jesus’ tender love for all of us…those He came to love and serve.

No doubt St. Paul did his human best to follow Jesus’ example of selfless love and service.  The reading from Acts shares a sermon Paul preached to the leaders of the Church he founded at Ephesus.  Paul speaks of his bold yet humble service of the Good News of Jesus…not valuing his own life but fulfilling the mission given him as a disciple.  As he says:  the future?  Who knows?

Both Jesus and His disciple Paul witness dedication to God and service of God’s people…love in the best sense!  It’s our ideal and goal for all of us, whatever our vocation:  Love God…and Love Neighbor.

Jesus is Love personified, and these days He invites us to follow Him…in good times and not-so-good times, in health and in sickness, and never for selfish motives but always in service of God’s glory and the good of our sisters and brothers.  The “vision” of Jesus in the Eucharist and on the Cross of Calvary inspire us to hold nothing back as we “run the race” of Christian life in the 21st Century.

As the Passionists of Holy Cross Province gather these days for the 35th Provincial Chapter and seek to shape their Vision and Program for the coming years, may we join in prayer that the Holy Spirit may fill us with generous love and a heartfelt enthusiasm for credibly sharing the Good News of Jesus Crucified.  May God be glorified in our thoughts, words and deeds!


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.”