Click here for today’s Scripture readings.

Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 12:8-12

Novena in Honor of Saint Paul of the Cross – Day 5

A novena, a nine day prayer, is a way of praying with perseverance, modeled after the nine days period the apostles prayed after Pentecost. We suggest that to make the novena, you reflect on the readings of the day and the daily reflection, then pray the novena prayers linked below.

The twenty first century is unfolding in a context both violent and confrontational. We have moved beyond world wars, but still people die in their millions through the violence of small arms. I suggest we have seen a return to “empire” as the dominant pattern of dealings between nations and between peoples. It can be seen in the economic domination of rich countries over poor ones, or domestic violence as a destructive force that wreaks havoc in the lives of people. If this is the backdrop of the new millennium, should we not have something to say about it and to it?

The psychosocial context in which the vocation of Paul of the Cross unfolded involves war. He enlisted in the Crusade, called by the Pope to battle the Turks, and almost as quickly left the army. To the best of my knowledge no real research of this fact and its meaning has been done.

These are interesting choices made and directions taken in the life of Paul of the Cross, founder and missionary: Paul’s non-choice or un-choosing of the Crusades; his complete absorption in, his magnificent obsession with a crucified God; the lifetime call he recognised to speak the love of God shining through the brokenness of the victim of Calvary. These life choices of Paul focused and shaped not only Paul’s life and spirituality, but the life, mission and spirituality of a whole religious family. Is it legitimate to suggest his choices grew out of the loss of the ‘imperial’ God of the Crusades as the dominant model shaping his life and social action? An imperial, militaristic, masculine image of God yielded place to the image of a humble God who challenges accepted ideas of use of power and dominance. In the person of Jesus we are invited to come to know a God who kneels before his creatures, washing their feet. God enters into and embraces our weak, bruised human flesh to transform it.

Here is the poured-out, the servant, the kenotic Christ. (Phil.2: 5b-11). For Paul, this became one of the foundational texts of our Passionist identity. Perhaps some investigation of these hunches about the shaping influences on Paul’s life and those of his followers could provide some leads as to where we might position ourselves to take part in the public discourse of today. To create a new, more inclusive society in this post-colonial, post-modern world will require our surrender of imperial images of a God who makes arbitrary judgements of individuals’ deserving or worth.

What does this have to say to us about the ways we use our positions of power and influence? Does it challenge the nature of our relationships in ministry? Does it have anything to suggest about our choices, about the use of our time, talent and treasure?

Today is the time of radical re-examination of the relationships of power between, women and men; between country and country; of the power of corporations, through mining operations and unjust work factory work conditions to harm the lifestyles of people living in poverty and indigenous peoples in other countries; of the unequal power relationships within the church and the discounting of women.

Could not the crucified God, who became centering point of Paul’s life, have much to offer us as we face a crucified world now?

- Fr. Kevin Dance, CP is a Passionist from Australia. He represents the Passionists at the United Nations.

More on St. Paul of the Cross: http://www.thepassionists.org/Paul_of_the_Cross.html

Novena Prayers: http://thepassionists.org/reflections/novenas/nine-days-of-prayer-with-st-paul-of-the-cross/