Tag Archives: st-johns-shrewsbury

Vulnerability or Shame?

Posted on by Rob Peace
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During the fifth week in Ordinary Time, first readings shift to the creation stories in Genesis, while the Gospel readings continue to follow the actions, prayerful pauses, and corrections performed by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. These readings reflect on God’s love in action, specifically creation, and how these creative powers establish connections with us, made in God’s image. Conversely, the Scripture confirms our all too human tendency to disconnect from God and our truest selves. Yet God continues to reach out and be right in our midst, gently calling us to turn around and embrace what is real and holy.

Think about when you have really messed something up. Was it handled quietly or did you find yourself exposed, there alone to face your shame? Similarly, have you ever been in a difficult situation in which you really needed help, but were afraid to ask? How can we be open to the discomfort of being vulnerable so that we can be free from the burdens of shame?

Here are the readings for Friday, February 14 from the Book of Genesis and from the Gospel of Mark.

(Painting above of “Adam and Eve” by Marc Chagall)

Read “A Description of the Xaverian Charism as Lived by Collaborators.”

Read the appreciation of Brother David Eddy, CFX.

(Above photo of Brother David Eddy, CFX-Xaverian Brothers)

  1. How do we better “mutually help, encourage, and edify” one another? What kind of awareness do we need to possess to succeed in this task?
  2. How can we best use the spaces in our day, including the dull or boring parts, to seek this kind of awareness?
  3. It is often said that the “devil is in the details,” meaning if one doesn’t pay attention to the little things a great plan can go awry. Where have you seen or heard about an action in which the attention to details were made sacred?
  4. How does the story of Br. David Eddy’s life demonstrate how we cannot measure the impact of a person’s vocation based on fame or recognition?

Please consider writing your own responses to the readings or reflection questions below, or to reply to other peoples’ contributions. Also, if you know of a person, either religious or lay person, who has modeled the Xaverian way, and wish to share their story, please feel free to add to the comments section. 

Out of Weakness Made Powerful

Posted on by Rob Peace
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During the fourth week of Ordinary Time, the readings continue to reflect the themes of encouragement to faith communities and challenges to embrace what is new so that we may maintain what is sacred. Being open to the presence of God in uncertain times figure prominently. Please consider writing your own responses to the readings or reflection questions below, or to reply to other peoples’ contributions. Also, if you know of a person, either religious or lay person, who has modeled the Xaverian way, and wish to share their story, please feel free to add to the comments section. 

(Painting below “Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac”)

Here are the readings for Monday, February 3 from the Letter to the Hebrews and the Gospel of Mark.

Reflect on the prayer, “Prophets of a Future Not Our Own” by Bishop Kenneth Untener.

(Above photo of Brother Plunket Doherty, CFX Teaching at Malden Catholic High School in 1970-Xaverian Brothers)

  1. Are we able to be at peace with the idea that our legacy or life’s work may not be remembered by many, or that we may not see the fruits of our labor? How does this apply to anyone charged with forming or educating a young person?
  2. If you were a follower of Jesus who witnessed him healing the man with the unclean spirit, would you judge the events that unfolded as a success? What was the source of the onlookers’ fears?
  3. A former student once remarked that “Brother Plunket Doherty commanded a roomful of boys with just a look and a whisper.” How can our very dispositions around others be an efficacious way of sharing our faith or understanding of spiritual gifts?

Joy and Storm Clouds

Posted on by Rob Peace
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As we begin the fourth week of Ordinary Time, the readings continue to reflect the themes of encouragement to faith communities and challenges to embrace what is new so that we may maintain what is sacred. Please consider writing your own responses to the readings or reflection questions below, or to reply to other peoples’ contributions. Also, if you know of a person, either religious or lay person, who has modeled the Xaverian way, and wish to share their story, please feel free to add to the comments section. 

Images of crucibles and foreshadowing of crucifixions permeate today’s readings from the book of Malachi and Gospel of Luke. These are sobering messages but hopefully not foreboding. Christianity, and the spiritual life in general, are not about glorifying suffering or masochism. Rather, just as Mary carried the sorrowful mysteries with her, the more attentive we are to our present realities, including times of dull or acute pain, the easier it is to accept moments of grace and happiness. What can help us in this journey is a commitment to the present tense with contemplative practices, even simple ones, that can put our lived experience into greater focus. Consider the very active life of Br. Philip Neri Crossen (bio below) that was animated by his commitment to stillness in prayer. This week, continue to reflect on the gentle and sometimes urgent prompting and encouragement in the letter to the Hebrews to follow the ways of Jesus, even when the path forward is not clear. Note also the patterns of activity that Jesus establishes for himself and his friends in the Gospel of Mark, and the tensions that his choices cause among even with people who admire him and his ministry. Like Jesus, may we own these uncomfortable moments with others as a part of revealing who we truly are meant to be, rather than to seem in appearance.

(Fresco below “Presentation of Christ in the Temple” by Giotto)

Here are the readings for Saturday, February 1 from the Book of Malachi, the Letter to the Hebrews, and the Gospel of Luke.

(Above photo of Brother Philip Neri Crossen, CFX-Xaverian Brothers)

  1. Read the appreciation of Br. Philip Neri Crossen by Br. Thomas Ryan. Note the details of Br. Philip’s daily routine and the intentionality of his commitments large and small.
  2. Reflect on the interactions of Mary with Simeon and Anna. How do their omens and warnings fit into a moment that is meant to be both a rite of passage and celebration of life? Remember, the Gospel literally means “Good news!” How can this inform us in our interactions with people we truly love in very active and selfless ways?