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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 30, 2004

+ 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas

Readings: I John 2:12-17 Luke 2:36-40

“It’s ‘blue time.”

“There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel… She was well on in years… and never left the Temple, serving God, day and night with fasting and prayer.” [Luke 2:36-37]

When my brother-in-law came home from work, he would shout out to his seven kids, “Okay, gang, it’s blue time!” This was in invitation, indeed, an order to go to their quiet space and settle down before dinner so that civility would reign.

In the face of this terrible tsunami tragedy, the details of which continue to unfold, there seem to be two extremes to be avoided. On one hand, we can rush into troubled waters without knowing how or whom to help; on the other hand, we can become preoccupied with a voyeuristic need to watch the endless video replay of every wave that carried tens of thousands to their deaths.

Most of us have neither the expertise nor the physical wherewithal to travel to Southeast Asia but all of us can give of our material resources to whatever agency appeals to our generous instincts.

Beyond that, we may need to enter a quiet zone. The prophetess, Anna, was one of what scripture commentator, William Barclay, has called “the Quiet in the Land.” When our faith is tested as severely as it has been in the face of this tragedy, we need to run to the source not for simplistic answers but for meaning. There is no way our Christian God could sanction such devastation. Far better that such a god did not exist!

In our utter confusion, after we have done all we can do to help, we need to enter the sanctuary of our heart, our personal quiet zone in our search for meaning. When the towers fell on 9/11, churches and temples were filled. For many, it was simply a form of religious patriotism but for others, it was an honest and earnest attempt to return to our origin and search for our destiny as members of our global village.

It’s blue time; time to enter the quiet zone.