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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

Tuesday December 21, 2004

+ 4rd Week in Advent

Readings: Song of Songs 2:8-14 Luke 1:39-45

God has a highly developed right brain!

“Come then, my love, my lovely one, come. My dove hiding in the clefts of the rock, n the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear yoru voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is beautiful.” [Song of Songs 2:14]

I often incorporate this phrase about God’s ‘right brain’ in my pre-marital counseling for couples engaged to be married. God is romantic. How do I know? Because the Song of Songs says so! It’s a love song between God and humanity. The authors of the Sacred Scriptures do not hesitate to use sexual images and even erotic phrases to describe the desire of God to be one with humanity in Christ.

As we near the feast commemorating that brief moment in time when God and humanity joined in a living covenant that would bind God forever, we need to sing the songs of love and allow our love to permeate our every endeavor. Though not the primary feast of our salvation (Easter is the feast of feasts) Christmas is an emotional feast which tugs at the heart and move us to look beyond our differences and break down the barriers which divide us as family, as a church and as a nation.

God also has a highly developed ‘left brain’ in which the ‘technology’ of love resides. It’s a daily effort to make love work in the market place and in a hostle world but that’s what the incarnation is all about.