Daily Catholic Lectio
Wed, 15 May 2024
Seventh Week of Easter – Wednesday
Acts 20:28-38. John 17:11a-19
Making eternal
Saint Augustine, writing in his ‘Confessions’ about the death of his friend Nebridius, says, “You are temporary. But if I had loved you in God, the eternal, you too would have been eternal now!”
Our human aspiration is for the temporary to be made eternal. In the readings, we see two great individuals who show us the way to make the temporary eternal.
The first reading brings forth the narrative of Paul’s parting words to the elders at Ephesus. Paul never got attached to any place where he ministered. As soon as his mission was completed, he appointed the overseers, or elders, and quit the place. In management, they call it ‘automation.’ We can get our work done through people, events, and instruments, and we will have time for other things. We can shift our attention to some other work. Paul’s freedom of heart is enviable.
“I have never wanted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing. You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions,” says Paul to the elders. These words show us Paul’s integrity, honesty, simplicity, and hard work.
Paul says, “I commend you to God,” and departs from them. Paul, in a way, by saying so, puts them in ‘cloud memory’ – to use a modern metaphor. He saves them in the Lord so that he will be able to retrieve them anytime and in any place.
The gospel reading presents to us the conclusion of Jesus’ high priestly prayer. Jesus, before parting from his twelve apostles, consecrates them to the Father through him: “consecrate them in the truth; and I consecrate myself for them.” Jesus, who had said earlier that he would not leave his disciples as orphans, now commends them to safe hands.
Thus, by commending and consecrating God, Paul and Jesus make the temporary eternal.
What are the implications of ‘commending’ or ‘consecrating’?
(a) Anything that is commended becomes protected.
(b) Anything that is consecrated is respected.
(c) Anyone who is consecrated is set aside as holy and honourable.
By offering our loved ones and our actions to God, we make them eternal.
When we let go, they go to the hands of God. Letting go demands a lot of courage.
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“In this way, we learn to practice a virtue closely linked to hope, namely patience. In our fast-paced world, we are used to wanting everything now. We no longer have time simply to be with others; even families find it hard to get together and enjoy one another’s company. Patience has been put to flight by frenetic haste, and this has proved detrimental since it leads to impatience, anxiety, and even gratuitous violence, resulting in more unhappiness and self-centredness.” Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction, 9 May 2024, no. 4 (Jubilee A. D. 2025, bite 98).
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
# Be M.er.cy.Fool
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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