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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 February 10, 2007

+ 5th Week in Ordinary Time

Remember, it’s only a story!

Readings: Genesis 3:9-24 Psalm 90:2-6, 12-13 Mark 8:1-10

“The Lord God banished him from the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he had been taken. When he expelled the man, he settled him east of the garden of Eden; and he stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword, to guard the way to the tree of life.” [Genesis 3: 23-24]

The image of God portrayed in the Book of Genesis is not very flattering. Quite frankly, the author depicts a mean God who acts more like an angry feudal lord than a loving parent.

I think scripture scholars agree that this portion of Genesis was written during trying times for the Israelites, quite likely during their exile in Babylon. Why were they being punished? The prophets tell us it was because of their infidelity. But what in their psyche and genealogy made them so rambunctious as to have suffered so dire a dire consequence as to have been uprooted from their homeland and carried off to a pagan country? Were they predestined to live in such a state of alienation by God?

Remember, it’s only a story and a primitive one at that.

We in the Christian world still cannot fully explain the rebellious nature of humanity. Our arrogance and our will to power as individuals, as a nation and as a global ‘civilization’ still wants to do battle with the divine cosmology of the universe. We suffer the consequences in devastating wars over oil and other natural resources. We still can’t leave that ‘tree of life’ alone, preferring instead to live in a state of alienation.

So, I reckon it cannot be the ugliness of an angry God that gets us into trouble but our own arrogance that convinces us that we can have and do anything we want, when we want it and however we get it. But the truth is, ‘we just don’t get it!’

But the psalm response and the gospel story today are more revealing of the heart of God. “O Lord, you have been our refuge. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.”

“My heart is moved with pity for the [hungry] crowd because they have been with me for three days and have had nothing to eat. Then taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute. They ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over—seven baskets!”

The point is that God is really on our side but we need to get on God’s side.
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