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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 28, 2010

+ Feast of the Holy Innocents

Readings: I John 1:5, 2:2 Matthew 2:13-18

Like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth. [Isaiah 53:7]

The selection of readings and the designation of special feasts within the octave of Christmas were carefully thought out by Church liturgists and pastors. Although not celebrated this year because it occurred on a Sunday, the feast of St. Stephan, deacon and martyr on the 26th reminds us that Christmas is not only the celebration of Jesus birth but the acceptance of Jesus as the Christ whose destiny from the outset was Calvary. This is not to suggest that God willed the death of Jesus God was not a sadist and Jesus was not a masochist. Rather, Jesus came to show us a new way of life that could lead to fullness of life. It was his unfailing commitment to life that cost him his life.

In his gospel account of Jesus life, John states that eternal life begins in the here and now. For to know Jesus in the biblical sense, is to live Christ in the present and those who live in Christ enjoy a spiritual freedom, freedom from the darkness of sin and eternal death.

The description of the slaughter of the innocent boys is Matthew’s attempt to identify Jesus as the new Moses. Just as Moses was spared from a slaughter of innocent boys by Pharoah, so too Jesus was spared from Herod’s cruel decree. Just as Moses led the Israelites to freedom, Jesus leads us to spiritual freedom.

As disciples of Christ, we will face many challenges that threaten to stifle the life of Christ within us. We are not innocent of sin but in Christ we have been freed from the handicap of sin and empowered to live with greater integrity.