The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

Daily Scripture, September 14, 2016

Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

Scripture:night-sky

Numbers 21:4b-9
Philippians 2:6-11
John 3:13-17

Reflection:

With their patience worn out by the journey.

How often do we feel that way, with our patience worn out by life’s and faiths journey.. Where do we turn in such times?   Today’s feast reminds us to turn to the cross.  For God so loved the world He gave His only son.  There is no greater love. He didn’t come to take away our suffering or challenges, He came to share in them with us, to be fully with us in life’s difficult moments.  In our times of struggle and strife, in difficulty and challenge may we turn to the Lord on the cross and allow His unfathomable love and mercy to pour over us.  In the cross we find our hope.


Steve Walsh is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, and a good friend of the Passionist Community.

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.”