Daily Bread Archive The Lectionary provides a kind of spiritual script for the universal church that keeps us, literally, all on the same page as we journey through the liturgical seasons. These short reflections, written by four authors who meet weekly to share the readings, are intended to help daily preachers and others who pray from the assigned scriptures each day to orient themselves to the Living Word addressed to the church in the world. Authors are identified by their initials, with short bios provided. Daily Bread Authors Patricia Russell graduated from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich., with degrees in English and secondary education. Paige Byrne Shortal earned a bachelor’s degree in theology at Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in pastoral studies at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis. Mary E. Waldron received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from Marquette University in Milwaukee.  She later earned a doctorate in American studies from Saint Louis University. Elizabeth C. Williams has a bachelor’s degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology. ● For 36 years, Celebration, the homiletic resource of The National Catholic Reporter, has promoted worship and preaching tied to justice.  Celebration is now fully electronic. ● Click below to learn more. http://www.celebrationpublications.org/FreeOffer/

Daily Bread – June 2008

 

Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Mon., June 2: 2 Pet 1:2-7; Mark 12:1-12

What then will the owner of the vineyard do? Jesus speaks a parable to the religious leaders of his time and place. God is the vineyard owner; Jesus is the son and the last one of many sent to collect the owner’s share of the produce. Put in our terms, God is the holder of the mortgage and Jesus is the debt collector, the repo man. Not a pretty image. Is the message only for the Jewish leaders of first-century Palestine? We are also debtors. For 2,000 years we have been privileged to hear the teachings of Jesus. Are we paying more attention than those who wanted to kill him? Consider rereading the lovely litany at the end of the first reading. This is the discipline we are called to live, the daily measure of our lives. Lord Jesus, inspire us today to do as you would do. pbs

Whose image and inscription is this? Rabbi Arthur Waskow of The Shalom Center (www.shalomctr.org) offers a helpful commentary on today’s Gospel. The ancient rabbis drew an analogy between the image on a coin and the human being created in the image of God. Waskow imagines Jesus putting his arm around his challenger and asking, "Whose image is on this coin?" We are each created to be a face of God never before shown to the world. In the first reading we are told how to keep our faces clean so that God shines through us. Today we remember 22 such faces, Charles Lwanga and his Ugandan companions in martyrdom. Lord Jesus, help us to see your face in each person we meet and to be your face for another. pbs

Are you not misled because you do not know … the power of God? The Sadducees do not believe in resurrection so they make it ridiculous, posing a silly question to Jesus. Isn’t that exactly what we do when we encounter others who believe what we do not understand? In every belief system there is that which we know and then there is a leap into the unknown — we call it the leap of faith. The great religious task of our time is twofold: first to immerse ourselves in our own faith, living it as fully and completely as we are able. And second, to find common ground with those of other faiths. Dom Bede Griffiths, considered a holy man by Catholics and Hindus, said that we find common ground not on the borders of our different faiths, but in the center. St. Boniface and all you holy saints, pray for us that we may live out our faith with fervent dedication and reach out to others with open hearts and minds. pbs

Charge them before God to stop disputing about words. This serves no useful purpose and harms those who listen. This week each Gospel passage includes a lot of disputing about words." The Pharisees, the Sadducees, and today, a scribe — all want to debate with Jesus. If we love a good debate, we come by it naturally, for our ancestors in the faith were great debaters. Still, St. Paul’s caution to Timothy is one we should heed. Arguing about our faith can be interesting and even fun, but ultimately distracting from our true work: living out our faith, day by day. That’s our true purpose and, ultimately, the most convincing argument we can make. Lord Jesus, as you inspired St. Norbert and all the saints, inspire us to follow you, day by day. pbs

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching ... and for training in righteousness. Today’s Gospel lesson is a bit obscure. Jesus poses a question that confounds the scribes, much to the delight of the crowd. (Who doesn’t like to witness the confounding of the know-it-all experts?) Jesus’ point is that he is not the Messiah by virtue of being a descendant of David, but through a greater claim. A lesson for us today is found in St. Paul’s words to Timothy. Scripture is inspired and is for the training in righteousness. And the goal of this training? To be competent and equipped for every good work. Lord Jesus, help us to grow in holiness so that we do only as you would do. pbs

But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship … fulfill your ministry. Our two readings today point to the difference between a good religious leader — one who is persistent, self-possessed, endures hardship, evangelizes, fulfills the call to ministry — and a religious leader to avoid. The latter is one who seeks the privileges and honors of the office while ignoring the duties and sacrifice of ministry. It’s a common and constant temptation to seek comforts and recognition or to envy those who seem to be more comfortable and more recognized. Such ambition and envy are two sides of the same sin, and at some time in our lives most of us are tempted by one or the other — sometimes both. Lord Jesus, help me to be like St. Paul and all the saints, seeking only to run my own race and keep the faith. pbs

You shall drink of the stream, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there. How often timidity and lack of confidence cripple us! Have courage and faith! We need the spirit of the beatitudes if we are to be truly proactive in our "hunger and thirst for righteousness." The Lord will never, never let us down if we are doing God’s will and trust in God completely. Let us reflect on what it means to be poor in spirit, completely without the ability to go it alone, and let us trust ourselves and our life work to our loving Lord, who will see that we receive what we need, when we need it. Lord, we pray for all that we need to live the life you have placed in us and to do the work to which you have called us. mew

Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds. All too often, Christians have understood these words of Jesus as granting a license to use force to spread the Christian faith and even impose Western culture on others. The true Light of the world is Jesus, who enlightened by humbly serving, by proclaiming the love and forgiveness of God for all people, and by obeying the will of his heavenly Father, even though it led to his death. Our acceptance of this role as rays of the one Light can never be grounds for proud and overbearing action. Let us remember always that we glorify God and fulfill our vocation by seeking justice and extending mercy for all. Lord, grant that I may be a worthy vessel of your Light wherever there is darkness, sin and suffering. Mew

For he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. What a simple yet beautiful compliment is contained in these words. Could it be said of each of us that "he was a good man" or "she was a good woman"? It might be time to examine my conscience on this point. Do I testify courageously to my faith, perhaps more in deeds than in words? Do I remain alert to the presence and the promptings of the Holy Spirit? Do I share with others the priceless gift of my faith and offer wherever possible the healing touch of love to people who need help? Lord, grant that others may see my faith in action and be touched by your Spirit through me. mew

we are called is not an abstract, theoretical I-wish-you-well-now-go-away kind of love, but one that desires real peace for my neighbor, whether the neighbor is on the other side of the pew, the street or the world. We may find it difficult or embarrassing, but there it is. We are called to be holy even as God is holy, and that certainly extends to those apparently insignificant, petty, day-to-day differences that can so easily escalate into major battles, or over time solidify into old hatreds as hard and cold as rock. Lord, let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. mew

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. We would like to believe that the heart is a secret, private domain ("No one tells me what to think!"). Today’s readings clearly tell me two things: First, that God easily enters this private domain and speaks in a whisper that is softer than the gentlest breeze, yet is inescapable. And second, that the thoughts of my heart matter very much. Yes, God can and does tell us to exercise discipline over how and what we think — not only with respect to our sexuality but concerning every aspect of our relationship to God, others and our own selves. The thoughts, desires and attitudes of our hearts inevitably affect our "outer" words and actions. Lord, be in my heart and mind that my will may always conform to yours. mew

Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ We are so accustomed to deceit. ("Get it in writing." "Do you really mean it?" "Swear that it’s true.") God calls us to live so that not only our words, but our actions, plans and even our thoughts are of uncompromising integrity, so that we are truly worthy of others’ trust. Think that’s a pretty tall order? Well, you’re right. It is, especially in today’s world. But remember, God never, never asks anything of us without also providing us with the grace to accomplish it. Our model is Jesus, the Word of God, who — St. Paul reminds us — does not vacillate between Yes and No, but is always Yes (2 Cor 1:19). Lord, authenticate us in your Truth, and let it reign over every aspect of our lives. mew

When someone strikes you on [your] right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. For many of us, this is among the hardest of Jesus’ sayings. We recoil at the thought of "doing nothing" in response to an assault; and, when it comes to acts of terrorism, some even champion the polar opposite of Jesus’ teaching — "pre-empting" possible attacks by striking first and striking fiercely. But Christian pacifism is not passivism. While Jesus exhorts us to offer no resistance, he also instructs us to be active and untiring in generous service to others. Let us devote ourselves to building the kingdom that we may see our world transformed from a place of terror to one of peace and goodwill among all peoples. For the grace to follow Jesus in all things, we pray. ecw

But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. We are generally more disposed to curse and plot against those who make life hard for us than to pray for them. But when by grace we do pray for our enemies, remarkable things happen. We step out of the narrow perspective of our anger to see the other as a child of God. We may be humbled to see our part in the problem or that our efforts to control things have actually made them worse. Let us entrust all difficult people to God, recognizing that we, at times, are among them. May our prayers for our enemies put us on the road to forgiveness and reconciliation. For the grace to pray for our enemies, we pray. ecw

But take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. Jesus warns us sternly: We may receive a reward when we pray, fast or give alms with less than pure motives, but it won’t be God’s reward. The slip into hypocrisy can be subtle. We work our way into certain circles and try to impress certain people; meanwhile, growth in holiness gets put on the back burner. Humility, on the other hand, opens us to God and God’s will for us. Humility fills us with wonder and gratitude. It helps us to see everything as gift. Let us rout out hypocrisy from our practice of faith and open our hearts fully to Love. For unwavering devotion to God, we pray. ecw

Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. God knows what we need. The problem is that all too often, we don’t know. We fall prey to the pervasive enticements of a prosperous, overconsuming culture until we fairly drown in our supposed "needs." We have to rent storage space for the overflow! More than ever, we need Jesus, who leads us to pray as we ought, with humility and complete trust in the One who provides for all we really need: daily bread, forgiveness of sin, strength in temptation, deliverance from evil. May prayer become the spiritual discipline that brings about not only personal conversion, but the transformation of our culture and our world. For God’s kingdom come, we pray. ecw

The lamp of the body is the eye. Our eyes take in many sights. Are we mindful of how these affect us mentally, emotionally and spiritually? Is what we are reading, watching on TV or viewing at the movies good for us? We also view life with other "eyes," the eyes of the heart. Do we have these fixed on heaven? Or are we eyeing the lottery? Possessions? Our reputations? While we think of eyes as functioning primarily to take in images and light, they also reflect quite effectively what is inside of us. Let us be more discerning about what we take in and about where we have set our sights. May we also be more conscientious about conveying the goodness and light of Christ. For eyes that look only for the good in others, we pray. ecw

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. I recently told my mom not to worry about something we had been discussing. "I know," she replied." Whatever will be, will be.’ " She thought a moment, then added: "But that’s what I worry about — what will be!" How hard it is to let go of our concerns about the future! Yet the vast majority of things we worry about never come to pass. Most of our worrying is a complete waste of time and energy. It robs today of its joys and pleasures. Let us be done with it and vow to live fully and well in the present, one day at a time. For freedom from worry, we pray. ecw

Stop judging, that you may not be judged. While we take these words as an admonition for how we view our fellow human beings, we often reserve our harshest judgments for ourselves. Indeed, we’re our own worst critics. We continually beat ourselves up for our shortcomings and develop a very negative view of ourselves. We must, however, remember the singular fidelity of the Lord. God doesn’t delight in our failings, just as we shouldn’t feel the need to point out weaknesses in others or ourselves. What we must do is continually accept the challenge to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord and to find hope in the redemptive power of Christ. God knows what’s in our hearts. We shouldn’t be harder on others or ourselves than God in his infinite compassion will be. For the grace to recognize that God will look upon us with mercy and love, we pray. PR

Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Upon naming his son John, Zechariah, mute in his previous disbelief, regains his voice and uses it to proclaim God’s glory. What a fitting start for the arrival of John the Baptist, whose own voice heralded the coming of the Messiah. On this solemnity of John’s birth, we’re challenged to examine how we use our own words and actions. Even if we don’t speak ill of others, if we do not use our voices to proclaim the greatness of the Lord, then we are likewise mute. We must look at what keeps us silent and embrace the miracles that can free our tongues. That we may listen to the call of the prophets, we pray. PR

By their fruits you will know them. We have all been graced with models of true Christian living. Be they priests or other religious, teachers, friends or family members, their examples show us what our words and deeds can and should be. While we rightly tend to admire such people, we should also recognize that they don’t possess any gift or quality that we lack. We are all called to be prophets. We are all charged as Christians to speak and act in God’s name. How we do that — or fail to do it — will mark us. What impression do our words and actions leave? Let us speak and act in ways that allow others to know us as children of God. Merciful God, guide our words and actions so that others may know you through us, we pray. PR

Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ Jesus’ words are a wakeup call for every Christian. They are a stern reminder that if we’ve been fortunate enough to hear God’s word, then we’re charged with the responsibility to act on it. We cannot simply sit off to the side and listen. We must take ownership of our mission and do something. We must examine how and why we prophesy. If our acts don’t bring glory to the Father, then our works are corrupt. We are no better than the false prophets and we remain strangers to God. Loving God, help us to do your will and lead us to the kingdom, we pray. PR

I will do it. Be made clean. How often do we wallow in our misery rather than seek a cure? We suffer alienation and anxiety because we’re too proud, stubborn or embarrassed to seek healing and reconciliation. No matter what our afflictions may be or how unworthy we may feel of forgiveness, it is Jesus’ will to heal us and to make us whole. He will transform any of our sufferings if we simply turn to him and ask. We would do well to take a lesson from the leper; though scorned and miserable, he humbly sought relief from the only source that could make lasting respite possible. May the Lord’s healing touch deliver us from our burdens, we pray. PR

He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. Both the leper and Peter’s mother-in-law receive Jesus’ healing touch. It’s easy to overlook how much a simple gesture like a squeeze of a hand or a pat on the back can mean. While we may not cure crippling disease, we have the power to ease various pains and afflictions with the gift of our attentiveness and human contact. Our lives are busy, but we can all slow down and give a smile or a gesture of consolation to someone who is lonely or suffering. Loving God, guide our hands to offer your comforting touch to all who need to feel your presence, we pray. PR

Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. Easier said than done, as they say. Some have the idea that the suffering part of being a Christian was taken care of by Jesus on the cross, and the glory part — the pastel Easter eggs, soft bunnies, good weather, parking-place-for-the-asking part — that’s what we have now. But then there are folks like those we remember today: the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church. They were burned alive. There are those who are living witnesses — whether in big ways, like those who dedicate their lives to the service of others, or in small ways like anyone who sacrifices the purchase of some doodad in order to give more to the truly poor. We don’t want to be one of the people Amos condemns: one who sells out the poor man for a pair of sandals. No wonder we want the glory without the cross. Lord Jesus, give us the courage, the strength and enough love to really follow wherever you go. PBS

• Patricia Russell graduated from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich., with degrees in English and secondary education.

• Paige Byrne Shortal earned a bachelor’s degree in theology at Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in pastoral studies at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.

• Mary E. Waldron received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from Marquette University in Milwaukee.  She later earned a doctorate in American studies from Saint Louis University.

• Elizabeth C. Williams has a bachelor’s degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology.