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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

Friday December 31, 2004

+ 7th Day in the Octave of Christmas

Readings: I John 2:18-21 John 1:1-18

The end is just the beginning – again!

“In the beginning was the Word; the Word was with God and the Word was God…” [John 1-1]

Read the entire Gospel prologue of St. John; read it slowly, then read it again. It is a literary masterpiece on the mystical theology of John.

This passage used to be called “the last Gospel” because it was read – in Latin— just after ‘the last blessing’ and before the ‘foot prayers’ at the very end of Mass.

Many ‘worshippers’ left Mass after the last blessing. Occasionally, an irate pastor would introduce the foot prayers with this injunction, “We’ll say an extra ‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’ for all those who left Mass early!”

On this concluding day of the calendar year, we are invited to reflect on how our faith has impacted on our lives over the past year. When and under what circumstances have you experienced the intervention of Christ? And on what occasions or set of circumstances were you a conduit of God’s grace for someone else?

The first reading today makes reference to the ‘anti-Christ’ who was to appear ‘n the last days.’ This figure would be an imposter, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, as it were. One who lays claim to truth but who in fact is an enemy of the light and the truth. Depending on one’s theological or spiritual persuasion, several names might come to mind. We would do well not to jump to conclusions, however. God dwells among saints and sinners and sometimes it is difficult to know who is who.

Some folks are still ‘leaving the table’ before the whole story has been told and therefore missing what life is really all about. God comes in subtle ways, every day and his impact is always positive, never negative. In the midst of darkness, Christ is always light.