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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 June 12, 2008

+ 10th Week in Ordinary Time

The just one walks in the shoes of Jesus.

Readings: 1 Kings 18:41-46 Psalm 65:10-13 Matthew 5:20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” [Matt 5:20]

The Scriptures are a kind of constitutional document or better put, a constitutional ‘library’ for believers in pursuit of righteousness, i.e., of living rightly. Righteousness is related to the virtue of justice—living with a spirit of fairness to all with malice toward none. It means rendering to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and to God, the things that belong to God.

Some people like to put on a show of righteousness and fair play. We see many examples of this in politics as candidates compete for winning votes. The appearance of justice is unfortunately more important to some candidates and their voters than their firm adherence to justice or their actual performance.

This happens in the Church too when rites and rubrics, vestments and ceremonial trappings become more important than the soul of the preacher and the authenticity of the preacher’s words that is reflected in works of justice.

Government soldiers who later took his life with machine guns as he consecrated the simple bread and wine to be distributed to the assembly, most of them poor and even destitute, stripped Oscar Romero, bishop and martyr of El Salvador naked in the village square to prove his powerlessness. Making the sign of the cross as the villagers covered him with their simple garments, he offered his life for the sake of justice.

He stands as a model for church leaders for all times. In that act of solidarity with the poor, he reconciled the hearts of many with the gospel of Jesus Christ and in the process came to know his true strength.