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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

Thursday December 23, 2004

+* 4th Week in Advent*

Readings: Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 Luke 1:57-66

We’re all connected—Abraham, Elijah, John, and Jesus.

“Know that I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes, that great and terrible day. He shall turn the hearts of fathers toward their children and the hearts of the children toward their fathers….” [Malachi 3:24]

In a recent article on spirituality, NCR staff writer, Rich Heffern quotes Irish counselor and author, Fr. Diarmuld O’Murchu: “The primary sin is not disobedience but disconnection.” In other words, the disconnection of our soul from God, from our neighbor and from the earth has led to an excessive rationalization of all our relationships. In our search for meaning, we turn to definitions and dogmas, which is simply another form of the will to conquer. Whatever we can define, we have conquered.

Prophets, poets and artists tell us otherwise and Jesus is the one who connects us with God, the universe and all humanity not by explaining the inexplicable but by engaging us in a relationship that makes us vulnerable to the incredible mystery of God present in all things and in all people.

On this day before the Vigil, the prophets speak and nature demands silence as we contemplate the mystery of God’s engagement of humanity in Christ. If you can’t be silent for the day then be silent for one hour. God speaks the loudest in the silence of the human heart.