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Daily Scripture

+ Ascension Thursday

There is no proof; there are only witnesses.

Readings: Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:14-23 Luke 24:46-53

You are witnesses of all these things. And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high. [Luke 24:50-51]

In an age of technology and scientific progress, we have an explanation for everything or at least the promise of the same. Yet, there are still truly human experiences – both positive and negative—that defy human explanation. Death is one such experience. Doctors know the medical reasons for death but an autopsy doesn’t tell the whole story. Conversely, who can explain the field of energy that binds lovers for life?

During his life on earth Jesus created a field of energy that changed the course of history and it did not cease at his death or even at his resurrection. It continues to this day – locally and globally. Or else how explain the heroism of the saints of yesterday and the saints of today? Women and men, energetic witnesses who have said ‘yes’ to unconditional love under any and all circumstances continue to change the course of history in the face of those who attempt to chain the Word of God. No, most of them are not formal preachers or even religious teachers per se, but people who live the message of the Gospel of Jesus day in and day out.

The gospel today is typical of the departure of a hero. We might even consider it the conclusion of a hero story. Jesus assures his disciples that he is not abandoning them. Not only that but he will send an advocate who will empower them to continue his mission. “You will be clothed with power from on high.” They will be clothed with the mantle of Christ just as the ancient Elijah was clothed in the mantle of Elias before Elias departed in his chariot to the heavens. It’s metaphor and allegory, of course but the underlying truth of Jesus mission will continue to be proclaimed as Good News for all.

But hang in there until Pentecost when the gifts of the Spirit will be renewed and we will be empowered once more to preach the Good News—using words only when necessary.

Deep Beneath the Surface

Thursday December 28, 2006

This article was first published as a cover article in St. Joseph Parish Bulletin in 2003. As the saying goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
_______

In my cover article in the bulletin on the first weekend of Advent, I mused about the need stand at the bow and the stern of the ship of life.

Advent is the Church’s new year of grace and it seemed appropriate draw our attention to the past so that we may place the future in the perspective of the possible. If we can be honest about the past then we can be better prepared for the future. We need to stand at the bow of the ship to let go of the hurts that have lowered our self-esteem and of the wounds we have inflicted on others but for which we have long repented and been forgiven. More importantly, we need to recapture the memory of special people and events that have contributed to who we are today. None of us can lay claim to fame or take full credit for whatever success we have enjoyed in life. In our weaker moments we may tend to take all the credit for our success and blame others for our failures. In truth the successful pursuit of our call and career takes a cast of thousands to say nothing of God’s ordinary and extraordinary interventions.

That having been stated, we now stand at the conclusion of the calendar year. Several news reports and TV documentaries are already conducting guided tours through the year 2002. The anxiety over Y-K-2 at the turn of the century was nothing compared with the anxiety of impending war in Iraq. The president states that war is a real possibility, even a preemptory strike may be necessary in order to reduce the treat of terrorism. I suppose this will be called a ‘preventative war,’ a new title to be explored by political scientists, religious moralists and even secular ethicists. The secretary for defense has stated that it is definitely not about oil but folks in the oil business suggest that oil is a real issue. Of course, war is never clean and the real reasons never seem to surface until long after the dead are counted.

The church crisis has taken its toll on the faith of millions of Catholics who have discovered that even in religious institutions, integrity can be illusive. Sex, power and money can even derail those in high places and discredit not only their personal credibility but also their office. Despite some evidence of the intent of reform, there are strong indicators that further entrenchment in clericalism — both ordained and lay clericalism — will dominate the response of Church leadership. Secular and religious institutions seem to have this in common that they maintain their commitment to the status quo at all costs — even at the cost of truth. I think it is accurate to state that despite our individual commitment to total objectivity, we tend to maintain a stronger commitment to our own opinion to protect our perks and privileges.

What will the New Year be like? Your guess is as good as mine. With the help of the same news commentators, we can only conjecture at this time. Is war with Iraq inevitable? Will our Church resist reform?

The answer to both is, “Not necessarily.”

Editorial Comment 2006: Now we are fast approaching the fourth anniversary of a preemptive war on Iraq and the Church has become even more resistant to reform!]

“Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them!” But first we need to ‘listen’ carefully to the lessons of history. I expect that is the most significant challenge that all of us will face in the coming year. Who wants to listen when everyone has the answer?

Radio and TV documentaries are interested primarily in sound bites that increase ratings. Even the Lehrer Report and the BBC News probably are subject to political correctness on occasion.

Listening takes a great deal of patience and much homework. The front-page news is not always the most significant. Delving into an issue will inevitably expose at least a few uncomfortable truths that may force us to alter our perspective on any issue.

However, there is a unique perspective that faith can bring to history. Although the Bible contains some documentary history, most of the history contained in the Bible is faith history.

Notice that it was not the weapons and unholy alliances with other nations that enabled the Jews to survive it was the intervention of a just God. That same justice caused their defeat and their victory. God’s justice is absolute.

Notice too that Jesus was not into the distribution of clerical perks and privileges. He demanded instead that his apostles and disciples divest themselves of power, status and titles. Their authority was vested in service.

I hope I am not being too simplistic to suggest that in the face of global turmoil and religious crisis that it is time to get serious about prayer and worship. I’m not referring to prayers that petition for the defeat of the enemy but prayers that plead for our own conversion of heart — to God. We Catholics have a long list of prayers to recite but we also have a tradition of contemplative prayer that can push us far beyond words. It is the more disciplined prayer of the heart that forces us to listen carefully to God before we speak to anyone.

To arrive at this form of prayer, we need to surrender to the sea and dive deep below the stormy surface. It is the solitude of God’s presence and in the silence of our own heart that we will ultimately find the courage to face the truth about ourselves, about our church and about our nation and the guts to change what needs to be changed within our own lives before we set about changing everyone else’s life.

Several years ago, I heard a professional counselor remark that most people do not find wellness in their lives because it’s too much trouble. It’s easier to live in misery than to work toward wellness.

Shall we work on this together this year to prove her wrong?

Editorial Comment 2006: The more things change, the more they stay the same!]

Fr. Lasch