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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 June 4, 2007

+ 9th Week in Ordinary Time

It takes guts to say and do the right thing.

Readings: Tobit 1:3; 3:1-8 Psalm 112:1-6 Mark 12:1-12

“I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my life on the paths of truth and righteousness. I have performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my people who have been deported with me to Nineveh in Assyria.” [Tobit 1:3]

The Book of Tobit is listed among the Deutero-canonical books of the Catholic Bible and among the ‘apocrypha’ in the Jewish and Protestant Bibles. Although listed among the historical books, biblical scholars admit that there are too many discrepancies in the facts to consider it truly historical. It is probably closer in style to the Wisdom literature of the Bible.

In any event the story of Tobit is similar to that of Job though much less dramatic. The story is located within the context of the political strife of the seventh or eighth century B.C.E. when Palestine was the victim of the conflict between Egypt and Assyria, but it was more likely written some time in 2 B.C.E. during another time of political strife and unrest.

Tobit remains faithful in the face of the cultural influence of the Greeks (Hellization). Though many of his contemporaries were questioning God’s faithfulness, Tobit remained steadfast and would maintain a rigorous observance of the law, fidelity to the rule of justice, almsgiving and respect for family. Despite the pressure to abandon his roots, he remained steadfast in prayer and non combative in his attitude toward others.

In the midst of a world in political turmoil, we are tempted to adjust our deepest convictions and succumb to political convenience—to the right or to the left. That tension was very much in evidence last evening during the political debate among Democratic presidential candidates on CNN.

I have never been a fan of Al Gore but I must say that an early review of his book on the assault on reason is enticing me to read the whole book. It’s refreshing to know that there are still some folks in the public arena who are willing to stick to their moral convictions in the public sphere in the face of the mockery of the crowds.

Political correctness has its privileges but integrity will do more to further the cause of democracy here and abroad than raw political power and shallow political rhetoric.