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Farewells and goodbyes always bring about a certain amount of pain and hurt. The theme of our two readings today is farewell. In the first reading, Paul says farewell to the church of Ephesus. In the gospel, the Lord says farewell to His chosen twelve. The Ephesians never appreciated nor expressed their love for Paul until he was about to board the ship. In the gospel, especially in the account of St. Luke, the apostles also expressed how much they appreciated the Lord only after He was bidding them farewell.
What the Ephesians did not do when Paul was there and what the apostles did not do when the Lord was with them, they were now willing to do, because Paul and Jesus were saying goodbye and farewell.
That is the sad reality of our lives. We realize the impact of our friends, our loved ones and our relatives, only when they are about to depart from us. We realize the influence they have had on us, only when they’re about to die, or when they’re about to leave us and are saying goodbye. It is a sad reality that we appreciate people only when they’re gone.
Let us make it our promise at Mass today, to express our love and appreciation for one another – not only during farewells and goodbyes – but everyday. We should grab every moment of our lives as an opportunity to express our love. Let us learn from the Ephesians. Let us learn from the apostles. Farewells and goodbyes are not the only times to show our love for people we have taken for granted.
TOO LATE
Eph 6:10-23 / Lk 24:44
Jesus In My Heart
