Prayer of nine days

The passage from the Book of Acts in the Roman CatholicLectionary describes the difficulties of Paul with the Jewish community in Corinth which eventually lead to inspiration for him from the Spirit to leave for Ephesus. The Christian Community in 2013 enters today the nine days of preparation for Pentecost. Some religious commentators identify this as the first Novena (nine days) of the Church. The scriptural background  (Luke 24:51-53) is found in the text proclaimed on the feast of the Ascension of Jesus which in many parts of the Christian world is celebrated on the Thursday nine days before Pentecost. FriarJude Winkler comments on the passage today from Acts as something which Luke reports the Roman authorities saw as a dispute among the members of the synagogue about “words, names and your own law”. Friar Jude notes that Luke wished to present the Christian community within Judaism as good citizens. The attention of the Roman authorities who might see possible insurrection in the followers of the Way would certainly bring the pain which Jesus advises His disciples in the text from the Gospel of John that they will know as they grow toward the full intimacy to which He invites them. We may still find ourselves in arguments within our communities about “words, names and our law”. Friar Jude reminds us that the pain which we know as separation from Jesus through our bad self serving habits can be addressed with the motivation of the Holy Spirit and the prayer of nine days for the traditional seven gifts.