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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 May 26, 2007

+ 7th Week of Easter

Sometimes we need to turn to Caesar in order to achieve justice in the Church.

Readings: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 Psalm 11:4, 5, 7 John 21:20-25

”_I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. After trying my case, the Romans wanted to release me because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty. But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation _.” [Acts 28:17-19]

“There are also many other things that Jesus did but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written” [John 21:25]

Despite the admonition of Jesus that his followers settle their disputes among themselves rather than go to court, Paul found it useful, indeed, imperative to appeal to Caesar to seek judgment in the matter of a religious dispute. Recall that at this point, Christianity was a ‘sect’ within Judaism. Paul was a Roman citizen. Of course there were no authoritative decrees, decretals or canons within this growing sect to deal with religious conflicts arising out of ambiguities associated with Paul’s ‘school’ of theology or Christology.

As we approach the fifth anniversary of the Dallas Charter through which the Catholic bishops of the United States ‘attempted’ to deal with the scandal of sexual abuse by clergy and religious, they reluctantly turned to ‘Caesar’ and acceded to the demands of victims that allegations of sexual abuse be reported to and investigated by the appropriate civil authorities but they stopped short of supporting victims in their pursuit of a change in the criminal and civil statute of limitations that prevented legal redress of crimes that had been committed by priests over twenty years ago and more.

Despite the relentless statements of Church spokespersons, victims were not interested in money at the outset. They asked for restorative justice—an apology and firm purpose of amendment. Instead, bishops hired attorneys who initiated expensive settlements protected by gag orders with the hope that victims would be satisfied and would never tell their story.

Unfortunately and as tragic as it may still appear to many folks in the pew, the Church was unable to meet the demands of justice and continue to blame victims for the 1.5 billion dollars it has had to pay for crimes committed by priests and religious. And the story is far from over because we haven’t even opened the chapter on the abuse of vulnerable adults.

Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s, but sometimes God finds it necessary to work through Caesar.