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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

Wednesday March 4, 2009

+ 1st Lent Wednesday

Is there anyone beyond redemption?

Readings: Jonah 3:1-10 55:10-11 Psalm 51:3-4, 12-12, 18-19 Luke 11:29-32

Jonah had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, ‘Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, ’ when the people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small sat on sackcloth. [Jonah 3:4-5]

Jesus said to them, “This is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given except of Jonah. [Luke 11:32]

The Book of Jonah is known among biblical scholars as “didactic fiction.” Some commentators refer to it as a “biblical cartoon,” i.e., an amusing story that teaches a lesson. In any case, it is still considered an inspired book of the Bible.

The lesson is simple. In the first two chapters, despite Jonah’s refusal to preach to the Ninevites, God is merciful to Jonah and saves him from drowning and freed him from the belly of the whale. In the second two chapters, Jonah preaches to the Ninevites and their repentance was so dramatic that even the animals wore sackcloth and ashes and reaped the reward of divine forgiveness.

In the Gospel, Luke compares Jesus to Jonah who traveled such a great distance to ‘save’ the people of Nineveh. Jesus is sent from God for the salvation of all. And whom does “all” include? Is there anyone beyond the pale of redemption? Whom would we exclude?

Jesus is the incarnation of divine wisdom and divine mercy not just for the Jews but for all humanity.