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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 June 21, 2008

+ 11th Week in Ordinary Time – St Aloysius Gonzaga.

Not to worry?

Readings: 2 Chronicles 24:17-25 Psalm 89:4-5, 29-34 Matthew 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the fire tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faithful.” [Matt 6:24. 30]

Anxiety is the plague of our age. There certainly is enough to be anxious about in today’s world—the rising price of gas that has triggered higher food prices that has in turn triggered a new round of inflation with no end in sight. The floods in the plains and the ongoing cost of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan are all conspiring to put our nerves on edge and the end is not in sight.

No matter what the candidates promise, we know that there is no one person or party that has a magic wand or a fail safe solution to the world’s woes all of which impinge on our security.

On the other hand, the crisis is forcing increasing number of people to find creative ways to live more simply. Of a sudden, we are beginning to realize that we do not use half of what we ‘need,’ if you know what I mean.

Yesterday afternoon, I visited with a dear friend and colleague, Sr. Marie, who at the age of 83 has been confined to a nursing home. Sr. Marie’s bones are very fragile due to the ravages of osteoporosis over many years. It takes her almost two hours to put on her braces that stretch from shoulder to ankle so that she can make her way around the nursing home and then outside to her skyline cathedral where she sits and meditates on the beauty of nature. Marie has learned to live each minute of each day with the serenity that follows a long period of letting go of everything except her inner dignity.

As we spoke of days gone by, she reminded me once again that life is a gift that ultimately it is not what we accomplish in life that brings us security but how often we say ‘yes’ to every moment knowing that we are never alone. She spoke about her sharing in the suffering of Christ not as punishment but as passage. And when we embrace whatever life brings without looking for an escape hatch or an easy fix, we arrive at the level of peace that evokes creativity and the determination to give life all we are and all we have.

I was sitting in the presence of a saint yesterday afternoon.

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ was such a person who let go of everything and in the process gained everything.