The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, May 30, 2014

Scripture:

Acts 18:9-18
John 16:20-23

Reflection:

Most of us are familiar with the Global Positioning System.  What does a GPS device do for us?  It gives us directions.  "Take this road; turn here; oops, recalculating; go straight ahead; get ready to turn; avoid cliff; stay the course."  But before the GPS can give us directions, we have to tell it our destination.  So what is our destination?

In John’s gospel, chapter 10, Jesus says, "I came so that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)  Life, abundant life.  That is our destination.  

In John’s gospel, chapter 14, Jesus says, "I will ask the Father and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always…" (John 14:16)The Holy Spirit is called the Paraclete.  Paraclete means someone "called to the side" of another to be guide, protector, comforter, counselor and friend.  In other words, the Holy Spirit is like a GPS to life, to happiness.

During these days before Pentecost we are reminded of the role the Holy Spirit plays in our lives.  If we listen carefully, we will hear the Holy Spirit guide us to our destination.  Among other directions, the Spirit will tell us not to be afraid and to keep on spreading the Good News (today’s Epistle).   The Spirit will lead us to shout to God with cries of gladness (Responsorial Psalm), filled with a joy no one can take from us (Gospel).

Come Holy Spirit, be our guide.  Give us the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do what is right.  Show us the way to abundant life.  And thank you for loving us.

 

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.   http://www.alanphillipcp.com/

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.”