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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

Sunday January 2, 2005

Epiphany

We are people of the Light.

Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matt 1:1-12

“See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory.” [Isaiah 60:2]

Isaiah offers a poetic expression of Judah’s hope that God would not only restore the exiled Jews to righteousness on their return from captivity but would reconcile the Jews to other nations not as their conquerors but as a people who truly reflected the life and love of the one God to all the nations.

On this feast of Epiphany, we celebrate the manifestation of Jesus as the “light” which enlightens the world, or perhaps I might say more accurately, whose light is accessible to all who search for it. Light may be translated in this instance as “wisdom ” or “insight.”

But our call is not to become the light and therefore to convert others to our way of thinking but to allow ourselves to be fully clothed in Christ so that our attitudes and actions are conformed to Christ’s attitudes and actions. Thus it is the light of Christ that is reflected to others. This takes a great deal of familiarity with the Scriptures, participation at Eucharist and a great deal of personal prayer.

In so doing, our destination becomes clearer, our goals more explicit; our life takes on fuller meaning and purpose. As Christians we are channels of grace and signs of God’s presence in our world. Our response to personal challenges and global issues will contribute to the transformation of our world.

No effort is too great or too small.