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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 5, 2009

+ 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

They just didn’t get it!

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

Jesus was a free spirit but he didn’t ignore the Torah and observed the ordinary protocol of his Jewish heritage. He recognized how superficial religion had become over time and how easily the Pharisees could find ways around the law through a very clever interpretation of the law. All laws have their loopholes.

Laws are instituted to protect values and to preserve order for the sake of the common good. And yet we have all observed in recent times how easy it is for experts in the law to get around the law. The more complex laws become, the easier it is for experts to use the law to defeat the law. Corruption in government and in the business community is almost taken for granted and law makers often hold themselves above the law.

Jesus was not holding himself above the law but making the point that the law was made for the believer not vice versa.

I still hear elderly people confessing that they missed Mass on Sunday because they were recuperating from surgery that confined them to bed or to a wheel chair. There are many other examples we could cite from church laws that over time lose their force and become obstacles to growth in grace and in the Holy Spirit.

The Church’s legal system has become far too complex and still needs revision. Not doing so leads to the risk not of ignorance of the law but complete disregard for the law.

Laws must be intelligible, reasonable and well within the realm of common sense.