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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 December 3, 2004

+ 1st Week in Advent

Hope is the primary characteristic of the Christian…

Readings: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26; Matt 9:35, 10:1,6-8

“As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.” [Matt 10:7-8]

… but hope without help can lead to despair.

We are social beings. We need one another to reach our individual destiny and our communal destiny. That’s what Jesus was talking about in today’s gospel. The message is subtle. He sent his disciples “two by two” to proclaim the good news, using words only when necessary, which is an alternate reading of that ancient axiom, “actions speak louder than words!” Indeed they do.

If God has invited us into a partnership in Christ, then we need to partner with one another in the work of the kingdom, freeing the oppressed, feeding the poor, curing the sick; you know the rest.

No one of us can do it alone but all of us working together can make a difference but we need to respect our individual differences in the midst of it all, not competing with one another but complementing one another.

I don’t have all the answers; you don’t have all the answers but together we can search for new truths and find new ways to solve old problems.

There are reasons for hope!