Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 6/28/09

You can find the full scripture readings at http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/062809.shtml


Today's reflection comes from a sermon by Peter Chrysologus (c. 400-50). Peter Chrysologus was born at Imoly in Italy and became bishop of Ravenna. He was highly esteemed by the Empress Galla Placidia, in whose presence he preached his first sermon as bishop. He was above all a pastor, and many of his sermons have been preserved.

Little girl, I say to you, arise.

Every gospel reading, beloved, is most helpful both for our present life and for the attainment of the life to come. Today’s reading, however, sums up the whole of our hope, banishing all grounds for despair.

Let us consider the synagogue official who took Christ to his daughter and in so doing gave the woman with a hemorrhage an opportunity to approach him. Here is the beginning of today’s reading: An official came to Jesus and did homage, saying: Lord, my little daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.

Christ could foresee the future and he knew this woman would approach him. Through her the Jewish official was to learn that there is no need to move God to another place, take him on a journey, or attract him by a physical presence. One must only believe that he is present in the whole of his being always and everywhere, and that he can do all things effortlessly by a simple command; that far from depriving us of strength, he gives it; that he puts death to flight by a word of command rather than by physical touch, and gives life by his mere bidding, without need of any art.

My daughter has just died. Do come. What he means is that the warmth of life still remains, there are still indications that her soul has not departed, her spirit is still in this world, the head of the house still has a daughter, the underworld is still unaware of her death. Come quickly and hold back the departing soul!

In his ignorance the man assumed that Christ would not be able to raise his daughter unless he actually laid his hand on her. So when Christ reached the house and saw the mourners lamenting as though the girl were dead, he declared that she was not dead but sleeping, in order to move their unbelieving minds to faith and convince them that one can rise from death more easily than from sleep.

The girl is not dead, he told them, but asleep.

And indeed, for God death is nothing but sleep. He can restore life-giving warmth to limbs grown cold in death sooner than we can impart vigor to bodies sunk in slumber.

Listen to the Apostle: In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead will rise. He used an image because it was impossible to express the speed of the resurrection in words.

How could he explain its swiftness verbally when divine power outstrips the very notion of swiftness? How could time enter the picture when an eternal gift is given outside of time?

Time implies duration, but eternity excludes time.

(Sermon 34: PL 52, 296-99)

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Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 6/21/09 by Dawn

You can find the full scripture readings at http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/062109.shtml

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
"Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!"
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Mark 4:37-39

If there's one thing I can do well in life, it is that I can worry like a champion. I worry about everything, I even worry about worrying! Once, in college, my mother told me about something I was unaware of that had been happening in my family for a few weeks. Honest to goodness, my first thought was, "Why didn't you tell me before? I wasted all this time not worrying!" Stress management experts say that only two percent of our "worrying time" is spent on things that might actually be helped by worrying. The figures below illustrate how the other 98 percent of this time is spent:
-40% on things that never happen
-35% on things that can't be changed
-15% on things that turn out better than expected
-8% on useless, petty worries

No matter our place in life or who we are, we all face storms. Some seem worse than others and we often wonder how we'll ever make it through. Contemporary Christian Artist, Scott Krippayne wrote a song that refers to today's Gospel:

Sometimes He Calms the Storm
Find out before too long
How quickly blue skies can grow dark
And gentle winds grow strong
Suddenly fear is like white water
Pounding on the soul
Still we sail on knowing
That our Lord is in control

Sometimes He calms the storm
With a whispered peace be still
He can settle any sea
But it doesn't mean He will
Sometimes He holds us close
And lets the wind and waves go wild
Sometimes He calms the storm
And other times He calms His child

He has a reason for each trial
That we pass through in life
And though we're shaken
We cannot be pulled apart from Christ
No matter how the driving rain beats down
On those who hold to faith
A heart of trust will always
Be a quiet peaceful place

I'm sure many of you can attest to the truthfulness of these lyrics. We fear what we can't control. But the answer is to trust in God's loving mercy. In some of the crisis we face, God quiets the problem, other times He quiets us, filling us with His peace.

It's also important to remember that we don't face the storms of life alone. The Latin word for "boat" is "nave." In the architecture of the church, where we sit is called the "nave." That means we are all in the boat together. We know that it's not a cruise ship or a yacht and sometimes it feels as if it's listing or a little leaky, but we are together, with Jesus at the helm. In those days when you feel "tossed about", lean on others and trust in God.




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Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 6/14/09 by Dawn

You can find the full scripture readings at http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/061409.shtml

[Jesus] took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, gave it to them, and said,
"Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
"This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many..."
Mark 14:22-24

Our story of redemption is a constant unfolding and deepening of God's presence and self-gift to us. It begins with the sprinkling of the blood of bulls on the Israelites as a sign of their acceptance of the covenant that Moses brought from the Lord, as we hear in the first reading. For hundreds of years God then reveals himself to the Hebrew people in many ways. In today's Gospel, we hear of this new covenant which is shown through the blood of Jesus. For us, by consuming the body and blood of Jesus we accept this covenant of divine self-gift and personal presence. The catch is, it doesn't end there. We are asked to be that presence for the world, giving of ourselves in the way Jesus did.

Eucharist is more than a gift for us; it is a gift through us for others. It sends us forth to a life of self-giving, modeled by Jesus. We are to bring the presence of the risen Christ to others. Anything less than this is to lessen the mystery of it's depth - if we eat and drink Christ's true Body and Blood we should become what we eat and be Christ for others.

In reflecting on today's readings I have been thinking about former Archbishop Oscar Romero. In 1977 he was installed as the Archbishop of San Salvador and from that point on spent his life trying to bring hope to the poor and vulnerable of his country. This meant challenging both the government and the people of the Church to care for the least among them. Many, many people died a martyrs death in this fight, including Oscar Romero. On March 24, 1980, as he was saying Mass, he said these words: "That this immolated Body and this Blood sacrificed for humankind, may nourish our bodies and our blood in suffering and in pain, like Christ, not for its own sake, but rather to give the concepts of justice and peace to our people. Let us join together then, intimately in faith and hope in this moment of prayer for Dona Sarita [the person for whom the Mass was being offered] and for ourselves..." at that moment, as he lifted the Precious Elements, a single shot was fired and Oscar Romero died. In his lifetime Oscar Romero strived to become what he received - to be Christ for others. How do you do the same?



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Reflections on the Sunday Readings for 6/7/09 by Ellie

You can find the full scripture readings at http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/060709.shtml


Today’s readings touch on the same message in three different ways. This message, I would summarize as God has done great things for us. He has made us especially His own, and He in turn asks us to observe all that He has commanded us. Importantly, the message has a different twist each time, characteristic of the differences between the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Letters and others writings of the apostles in the New Testament.

Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? (Deut 4:33-34)

From the Letter to the Romans, we read again, God has made us especially His Own.

… you received a Spirit of adoption,
through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!"
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ
(Romans 8:15-16)

Adding the reading from Matthew’s gospel, all three passages this special relationship places a special responsibility on us. We are to; “keep his statutes and commandments”(Dt. 4:39-40); “suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him” (Rom. 8:14); and, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Mt. 28:16-20)

From the time of creation, God sees us as especially His Own. In many ways, the entire Old Testament and the New seek to awaken in us this one most significant awareness. We are made for Him. If you have come to realize that your life is made whole in the Connection God has already offered you, take time in the next few days to examine how your life is enriched by this being His beloved.

And, what response does this Special Relationship seek from you? First, keep His commandments and statutes. As you engage more in this relationship, suffer with Him, live His journey as it is offered to you. And, lastly, if you have it in you, or when you accept the Spirit’s presence in you, speak of Him, be His example in the world, teach Him to others.

Clearly, this is the call Brian Carpenter accepted this weekend by his ordination. However, it is not his alone, but it is the call for all of us. We will respond to that call in different ways. Some will teach, some will serve, some will minister, some will offer continuous prayer. All are parts of one Body, one Calling.

Just as Brian spent some time in retreat before his ordination, examining his call, so I invite you also to continue examining the reflections of these readings to find your blessings, your hopes, your life of meaning. Actually, these readings offer us a lifetime worth of prayer and promise. Let us begin. If you are interrupted, begin again. And, again.


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