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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

Friday July 10, 2009

+ 14th Week in Ordinary Time

“Watch out for the barracudas!”

Readings: Genesis 46:1-7, 26-30 Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40 Matt 10:16-23

Jesus said to his apostles: “Remember, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be clever as serpents and meek as doves.” [Matt 10:16]

This was another of the ‘sayings’ of Bishop Casey under whom I served as secretary and vice-chancellor for many years. He was a character, a rare bishop very much in touch with his humanity. His gruff exterior belied his inner sensitivity and compassion for the downtrodden and the underdog.

Though many of his most poignant aphorisms and metaphors were adopted from baseball lingo, he had a few other ‘seaworthy’ maxims such as “Watch out for the barracudas. “ This was a warning to us ‘young Turks,’ as he ‘affectionately’ referred to his administrative staff ranging in age from 26 to 34. In other words, he was warning us that there are some folks out there in the ‘green fields’ who would not take to the new thinking emanating from Vatican II. Indeed, he was correct. There were barracudas waiting for the catch!

In hindsight, many of us ‘Turks’ were more brash than brave in our efforts to implement the reforms and renewal propelled by Vatican II. LBC put it this way: “We stripped a few gears” by implementing change too quickly without engaging the folks in the pew in a sensitive and caring dialogue. I suppose we could be excused for our lack of experience. Ah, the enthusiasm of unseasoned youth.

The greatest challenge of Vatican II was not turning altars around or even in the use of the vernacular. As necessary as these changes were, the greatest challenge was rooted in the need for a more authentic translation of the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus that fostered more genuine expressions of the ‘church’ in the world.

Anyone who preaches the authentic teaching of Jesus will face the barracudas the worst among which are those in sheep’s clothing. To live in Christ is to live the language of love, courage, truth, honesty, compassion, hope, forbearance, peace and joy and of course, integrity.

The current wave of those who want to turn back the clock to pre-Vatican II are the new barracudas—in many cases, a bizarre reaction to the rightful acknowledgment and engagement of the Holy Spirit with the People of God that in the words of Paul VI demanded a ‘novitus habitus mentis’—a new way of thinking.

Though for sure, despite the mistakes of the last forty-five years or so, we cannot go back to the dogmatic authoritarianism prevalent prior to Pope John XXIII. It won’t happen. So, look out for the barracudas even in high places. And there are many lay folks in high economic brackets that are ready to feed the barracudas. In all things, we must defer to the authentic voice of the Holy Spirit that can be discerned only by prayerful reflection on the inspirited Word of God within the context of the living Church – leaders and faithful in an authentic dialogue.