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Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Readings: Acts 20:17-27 Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21 John 17:1-11

I am in the world no longer, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. [John 17:11]

Shakespeare ‘penned’ the phrase quoted above. I didn’t understand it as a student of Shakespeare in high school but I began to understand it when I waved goodbye to my family as I sailed off to Italy on September 21, 1963 for a three-year stretch in Rome. In fact, it has multiple meanings and applications that I appreciate now more than ever before.

There is another phrase that perhaps gives credence to my thoughts so poorly expressed and it’s this: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Ah, that’s it. At times we need to separate from ‘the source’ in order to appreciate how important it is to stay connected.

The farewell speech of St. Paul in Acts and the farewell ‘prayer’ of Jesus in John’s gospel were more likely composed by the authors of these texts along the lines of the farewell speeches of great leaders of their times in order to attract the attention of Jesus’ followers.

The departure of Jesus and later that of Paul created ‘fallow’ time in the hearts of the neophyte believers that was absolutely necessary if they were to grasp the significance of Jesus’ message and the teachings of St. Paul.

We are once again in ‘fallow’ time as we prepare for Pentecost. It’s a time of discernment during which we are invited to ponder the words and deeds of Jesus so that in his absence, we may come to know his presence in the Spirit that remains within us and around us.

As we ponder, it is important to reflect on the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and reverence of the Lord. And the fruits of the Holy Spirit are qualities that are characteristic of a community living in Christ: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty self-control and chastity.

There is much to ponder as we wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Daily Scripture

Saturday December 30, 2006

+ Christmas Octave 6th Day

But where were the women in John’s life?

Readings: 1 John 2:12-17 Psalm 96:7-10 Luke 2:36-40

“I am writing to you, children…. I am writing to you, fathers…. I am writing to you, young men....” [1 John 2:12-14]

“There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher…. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” [Luke 2:36, 38]

It’s a good question that raises many other questions about women in the lives of New Testament authors. Recent scholars such as Elizabeth Johnson have delved into ancient times and ancient writings and have come up with some astounding data about how women were kept out of biblical writings though, to sure, not out of all. Women were prominent in Luke’s gospel, as it appears that women were prominent in the life of Jesus.

It’s no wonder that in recent times ‘extra canonical’ biblical writings such as the ‘Gospels’ of Thomas, Judas and even Mary Magdalene have created a great deal of curiosity among Christians because they seem to reflect a great deal more of what was going on the early Christian ‘church.’

Several years ago, a biblical commission investigating the role of women in the New Testament Church concluded that there was no biblical justification for the exclusion of women from Holy Orders. The study was quashed. Bishop Sklba of Detroit was a member of that commission prior to his ordination as a bishop. His ordination to the episcopacy was held up until the Cardinal Archbishop of Detroit flew to Rome with Dick Sklba and demanded that his ordination be approved. As with auxiliary bishop Tom Gumbleton, Bishop Sklba was never appointed as the Ordinary of a diocese.

Year 2007 is the year of Luke’s Gospel. Luke was a bit of a maverick among the gospel writers because of his special emphasis on the poor and of course the place of women in the life of Jesus and the early Church.