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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 January 20, 2005

+ 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: Hebrews 7:25,-8:6 Mark 3:7-12

Although unique ‘priest’ of the New Covenant, he was an itinerant preacher. So are we.

“… and great crowds from Galilee followed him…. great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him.” [Mark 3:7-8]

During this second week in Ordinary Time, the Scriptures assigned for our daily celebration of Eucharist invite us to get to know Jesus again, as if for the first time. I suggest that we erase the blackboard, as it were, and be attentive to the readings as if we have never read or listened to them before. The challenge is not to study the texts as if they were just another course in Christianity but to ponder the texts, especially the gospels, in such a way that they speak not only to the mind but also to the heart. Let them engage you in conversation not only with Jesus but also with the other persons who make their appearance. With the aid of our imagination, we will be able to make significant connections with our ordinary experiences.

Extraordinary things still happen in ordinary times.