Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BIBLICAL IMAGERY

(Fr Michael Boakye Yeboah: Vice Rector of St Gregory Seminary, Kumasi-Ghana)

LEAVING….

            Leaving can invite mixed feelings, some good, others can create sad feelings but there is a “leaving” that some holy people look forward to. I have created three scenarios of leaving: in the case of the first one, members of the group may feel that a member of their group should leave in order for them to have their peace; secondly, at times one’s departure can sadden the hearts of members when a member of the group leaves on a journey or permanently; and thirdly, we should all look forward to leave one day to heaven. The three readings given to us for our reflections represents each of the above scenario.

            The Gospel account nuances the first scenario. From the look of things, the disciples did not like the company of Judas Iscariot. St. John for instance at the opening accounts of his Gospel indicated that Judas was a thief and it seems that any time a gospel writer wrote something about Judas it was something unpleasant. It is not surprising therefore that in today’s Gospel account St. John tell us that: “When Judas had left them, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified…” Jesus after the departure of Judas turned his language from one of betrayal to one of love for he told his disciples: “My children…I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

            This scenario may give the indication that there are some people whose departure does not create sadness but rather happiness. One person can be a nuisance to a whole group. Have you experienced a scenario whereby the day that a guest in your house decides to leave everybody becomes happy? If you are a Christian and others rejoice on your departure then it is not good at all. The saddest thing in life can be some people who celebrate the death of some evil/bad people. I have heard some non-Catholics say a prayer that nuances the above; in fact, they beg God to come and take an “evil person” in their life away so that it may pave way for their happiness or blessings. Wishing others to die in order to make oneself happy is not a good wish that should come from a Christian let alone be entertained by a Christian. Praying for someone to die so that it may bring peace to the world or to a family is not a Christian spirituality. This type of “theology” can be credited to the High Priest Caiaphas, who made the famous statement that: “it is better for one man to die than for a whole nation to perish.” Remember never wish for the death of a sinner but rather his/her conversion.

            The second scenario is painful feeling of seeing a love one depart after sharing good company with him/her. Has a love one visited you and you wished that his/her stay should never come to an end? When one is seeing off a loved one after his/her visit, the journey to the train station or the airport no matter how long, can seem very short and at times how one wishes to drive on and on. In 2019, when I was leaving Danbury after my two months’ summer vacation, I could see in the eyes and the voice of my two friends who drove me to the JFK airport, how they wished I could stay longer. The only words that one of them could utter was “please come soon.”

            Such was the feeling of the inhabitants of Lystra, Iconium and Antioch when Paul and Barnabas were leaving their cities to go elsewhere to preach the Gospel. We should learn to leave good impression in the life of others so that when the time come for us to depart they will wish that we stay longer. When you leave a good life on earth, when the time comes for you to go to heaven, you will not feel sad because you know that you are departing to a better place. Learn to leave a good impression in the lives of people you stay with. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR US.