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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

Monday February 19, 2007

+ 7th Week in Ordinary Time

With all due respect, wisdom is still rare among us men.

Readings: Sirach 1:1-10 Psalm 93:1-2, 5 Mark 9:14-29

”_The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom and her ways are everlasting. To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed? And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways _?” [Sirach 1:4-5]

“When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, ‘Why could we not drive the spirit out?’ He said to them, ‘This kind can only come out through prayer.’” [Mark 9:28-29]

As a priest and pastor, I have learned a great deal more in the pasture than I learned in the seminary ‘hot house.’ It’s not that my seminary education was a waste of time—even before Vatican II! But the seminary of our days was an all male environment, somewhat sterile. I assume now that it was designed this way to keep us isolated from the ‘ways of the world.’ Some would say from the ‘women of the world.’

In an all male environment one can come to the conclusion that the world function very nicely without the influence of women. That sounds ludicrous now but alas, that mentality still exists in the world and in the Church!

How come it took us so long to acknowledge the fact that ‘wisdom’ is the feminine attribute of God? I mentioned this in a talk to a rather sophisticated group of Catholics a few years ago and several ‘women’ even challenged me. It was a relief to read recently that even the Pope was willing to concede to this biblical truth.

At any rate when women pray, they ponder. When men pray they ask God to acknowledge their wisdom and strength. Do you see the difference?

Okay, let’s not go overboard on this subject. Not all women are wise and many men ponder when they pray.

Jesus chastised his disciples because they thought they had the power to cure. The wise man (and woman) acknowledges that true wisdom comes from above and tempers the will to power in everyone.

Men still tend to function as warriors in a wayward world. Women tend to function as midwives in a new world coming to life.