The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, October 29, 2012

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:32-5:8
Luke 13:10-17

Reflection:

Today’s reading from Luke describes Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath.  After Jesus heals the woman the leaders at the synagogue become indignant saying Jesus should not have healed her because it was the Sabbath.  In their opinion Jesus broke the rules.  Luke tells us that Jesus won this debate concerning healing on the Sabbath.  According to Luke we don’t need "fact checkers" or an instant poll to determine who was right and who was wrong.  Luke says "all his adversaries were humiliated".

Jesus seems to have a clear bias toward breaking the rules when it comes to compassion and kindness.  Our reading from Ephesians today also emphasizes the primacy of kindness and compassion over all else.  "Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ."  This seems to be so clear.  Yet at times I admit my own attempts to maintain control in situations turns out to be the rule which blocks my urge to be compassionate.

I use the rule of control in my life to moderate my compassion and keep the urgings of the Holy Spirit in the "safe" range.  Perhaps my own need for control could be called the sin of risk management.  I manage the risk in situations which clearly call for speaking out against injustice, poverty and hatred by measuring my words and actions in a way which keeps me safe against the reactions of others.  I’m probably not what you would call a great "risk taker".  You won’t find me joining the courageous man who recently parachuted from a balloon at the speed of sound! 

On the other hand, if I am not ready to take a risk for the sake of the Gospel, am I much different from the leaders who complained about Jesus healing on the Sabbath?  My reflection on today’s scripture readings leads me to a rather humbling examination of conscience, an old but definitively relevant practice in today’s world!

 

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.”