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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 September 6, 2008

+ 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

“Keep holy the Sabbath.”

Readings: I Corinthians 4:6b-15 Psalm 145:17-21 Luke 6:1-5

Some Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’ [Luke 6:2]

“In the old days” when life was simpler, Sunday was a day of rest. Stores including ‘package’ (liquor) stores were closed. Though we were ‘observant Catholics,’ we didn’t adhere to all the rules without reason. In other words, since my mom was a ‘working mom’ during World War II, she did at least one load of wash and my dad did not shrink from his share by ‘pressing’ trousers. (My dad worked for a tailor in Jersey City during high school and learned how to do press pants and do alterations.

However, Sunday was different. We all attended Mass together, stopped at the newspaper store and the bakery and then settled into a long breakfast—cooked by dad. Lots of storytelling accompanied our breakfasts. That’s where we learned about our ‘ancestors’ not all of who were paradigms of virtue. We learned that life is a mixed bag and we learned most of all to count our blessings.

Sunday dinner was a combination of lunch and dinner. Roast beef (eye-round) was always the main course with potatoes and at least two veggies and more stories.

Well, you can be sure that I have idealized this just a bit but not too much.

Though times have changed, I think we can still keeping ‘holy’ the Sabbath. Liturgy is essential because that’s where our ‘family stories’ start. But the ‘table talk’ must continue at our table at home and those tables must always be connected.

My only regret is that many folks today have to travel a distance to find a parish in which they feel truly connected.