RBWords

     Farewells are difficult, especially when there is an awareness that a beloved figure is going away (or dying!) and we may never see them again in this life!  In both scriptures today we are presented with two "farewell" scenes.  The first, from Acts of the Apostles, shows Paul, on his way to Jerusalem and a sure confrontation with enemies, saying goodbye to a community that he had established and grown fond of.  The second is from the final words of Jesus at the Last Supper - the part known as the "High Priestly prayer."  He is commending those whom his Father has given to him (the disciples) back to his Father.  In both these scenes we witness the love that a pastor/preacher can have for those whom he or she has served.  The words from the last lines of today's first reading describe it well:  "They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him, for they were deeply distressed that he had said that they would never see his face again."

     I have experienced a number of these "farewells" in my years as a university pastor.  They are not easy!  Even if one returns to visit on a regular basis, the relationship changes when one is no longer the pastor of the flock!  I treasure the friendships that I have taken with me but the loss of the role is a hard one.  This is as close as I can come to understanding how Jesus and Paul may have felt in these scenes.  Perhaps you can call on your own experience of saying a goodbye that has a sense of "forever" to it.  In each case, we need the Lord's comfort.  AMEN