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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 December 20, 2004

+ 4rd Week in Advent

Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14 Luke 1:26-38

The signs are all around us.

“The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign…’ ‘No,,’ Ahaz answered, ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’” [Isaiah 7:10-11]

When I was a kid, I used to look for signs that I would pass a test, win a game, receive certain gifts from ‘Santa Claus.’ I also used to bargain with God, promising to sign up for the’ foreign legion’ if my prayer for success in all my endeavors were granted. Well, not exactly the foreign legion. How about the seminary? When I got to high school and dating, I abandoned that little bargain, at least temporarily.

People light candles, pray novenas, and continue to look for signs of God’s favor.

I no longer look for magic signs and I no longer bargain for favors. Perhaps it is more accurate to state that I look for ‘ordinary’ signs of God’s favors already granted, e.g., the gift of this new day, the strength to go about my life with more modest goals than in my younger years. I ‘try’ to look for signs of goodness in others. Extraordinary things still happen in ordinary ways.

The signs are all around us!