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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

Saturday December 22, 2007

+ December 22nd in Advent

Wisdom knows when to speak and when to be silent.

Readings: 1 Samuel 1:24-28 Response: 1 Sm 2:1, 4-8 Luke 1:46-56

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord.” [1 Samuel 27-28]

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his lowly servant.” [Luke 1:46-47]

For many of us now in our sixties, seventies, eighties and yes, nineties, we remember the days when children were to ‘seen but not heard’ especially if guests were present. Though my dear mom was surely compassionate when my disappointments or tears warranted a sympathetic response, we were expected to be at our best when the situation demanded it—in school, in church and wherever our behavior would reflect on our ‘upbringing.’

The pendulum swung to the other extreme after the war years. Baby boomers and their children were told that they are special and that indeed, they had a right to be heard. Seminars on leadership placed a heavy accent on assertiveness training and getting one’s way in the public sphere.

I’m not convinced that being seen and not heard should be considered a character quality but neither am I convinced that getting one’s way is always healthy. The missing ingredient in character development is a healthy dose of humility. Keeping one’s mouth shut when the occasion calls for a voice of reason and sanity does not contribute to humility but neither does shooting one’s mouth off just to be heard or worse, to gain power or prestige.

As we draw near to the feast, the Scriptures draw our attention to the ‘lowliness’ of the great biblical figures who recognized who they were in God’s sight. Indeed, they provide a balance and a perspective that surely provide a corrective for the least and the greatest among us.

Last week we celebrated the 100th birthday of my oldest relative, a second cousin. We asked her to account for her longevity. She responded, “Knowing when to speak and when to listen.” She is a wise woman. Her name is ‘Mary.’

Her namesake, Mary, of course is the preeminent model of humility. She and Joseph modeled that rare quality for their son, Jesus.