The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, March 15, 2012

Scripture:

Jeremiah 7:23-28
Luke 11:14-23

Reflection:

As we move further into Lent our scriptures present two questions. From the prophet Jeremiah we are asked how well we are listening to God’s voice. In the gospel Jesus is unmasking the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who attribute his power over demons to the power of the devil rather than God. After demolishing their arguments, he concludes by asking us on whose side we are. Do we stand with him? Do we help gather the lambs of the flock?

How hard is it to listen to God?  From my own experience I have found two ways God speaks to me. The first is in prayer and reflection. The greatest prayer we accomplish is the Eucharist. A full and active participation engages my mind and heart. I am moved by the proclamation of the scripture and its application to my life in the homily. Then I am moved to awe and worship and thanksgiving as the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. The moment of Communion is a moment of love. Jesus and I are one. Personal reflection, or what is called meditation, is also a way to converse intimately with the Lord. We need that peaceful and quiet time for the Spirit to work in our hearts.

The second way we listen to God is by how we respond to our reading of the "signs of the times" and to the invitation of those around us. Reading the "signs of the time" give general direction to my life. For instance if I am aware of the homeless in my community then I will respond to appeals for help. I will support laws that aim to eradicate this problem. I will be concerned that the police treat the homeless with the dignity. Maybe I will serve at a soup kitchen. Next we have people with whom we are friends, neighbors, and family members. They ask for our attention and concern when they battle unemployment, deal with sickness, face the weaknesses of old age, and on and on.

If we really listen to God then we have answered Jesus’ question. We will stand with him and by our actions gather the lambs into his flock.

 

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

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.”