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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 May 16, 2009

+ 5th Week of Easter

Adaptability is a gift.

Readings: Acts 16:1-10 Psalm 100:8-1-3, 5 John 15:18-21

Timothy was the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. The believers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him, and Paul wanted him to come along with him. On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised.

Paul was a more adaptable than he is given credit for. A careful reading of all his writings reveals his sensitivity to both Jews and gentiles. In the case above, despite the fact that it had been decided at the council of Jerusalem that gentle converts did not need to be circumcised, in this situation his sensitivity to the Jews motivated him not to place obstacles to the movement of the Spirit through the preaching of Timothy. Paul was not denying the fact that circumcision was no longer necessary in the new dispensation. Rather he was stating only that sometimes circumstances make it necessary to accommodate the message to the listeners.

There are many applications to the Church of today, not the least of which is the Church’s pro-life position. In a pluralistic country such as our own United States, sometimes we need to adapt the message to the circumstances so as not to place obstacles in the way of life-protecting measures thus reducing the number of abortions. Harsh condemnatory statements and threatening sanctions can have the opposite effect and only alienate those who might otherwise listen more attentively to the pro-life message.

We need to speak the truth with charity and find language that opens the door to understanding rather than division. The late Cardinal Joseph Benrardin in his careful pastoral letter entitled, “The Seamless Garment,” placed the issue of abortion within the context and spectrum of all life issues such as war and capital punishment.

It is all too easy to demonize those who differ with us making it all but impossible for genuine dialogue to take place, a dialogue that could over time reduce the number of abortions significantly.