“So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye.” Remember how the Von Trapp Family, fleeing from persecution, struggled to leave Austria? Scripture and other literary pieces are replete with leave-takings and good-byes. In today’s Scripture readings both Paul and Jesus are talking about their own departure from the people. There is a tinge of sadness because both persons are dearly loved by their people. On the other hand, both are scorned by those who do not understand Jesus’ message.
In John’s gospel, Jesus often refers to the world in negative terms—the world is the Evil One. From his own experience on earth, Jesus observes how people give into bad attractions through lying, stealing, killing. Because of original sin, we all have the tendency to commit sin. Unless we are living in a cave or under a cloud, we also witness the evil carried out on a daily basis. Personality, racial, social, political, religious differences lead to exaggerations, spiteful actions, calumny, and murder. No wonder Jesus pleads with his Father, ”I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One.”
We live in a world of good and evil. Each of us makes the choice of how to respond. In addition to the virtues and fruits of the Holy Spirit that we received in Baptism and Confirmation, we have our own individual relationship with God. We can become embroiled in prejudice, hate, envy, even the desire to kill by engulfing ourselves in all the negativity blared by the media about what is going on in our streets. Or, we can quiet our minds and listen to what God is saying in our hearts. Through this careful, prayerful listening to our God, we create solutions to problematic behavior; we widen our own vision of truth and justice.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who valued Jesus’ teachings, told us: “Prayer requires education, training, reflection, contemplation. It is not enough to join others; it is necessary to build a sanctuary within, brick by brick, instants of meditation, moments of devotion. This is particularly true in an age when overwhelming forces seem to conspire at destroying our ability to pray.”
Like Rabbi Jesus and Rabbi Heschel, let us cooperate with our God in keeping ourselves from the Evil One.