The Pain of Parting

We've all undergone the pain of saying goodbye to people whom we love dearly, and who may only remain part of our lives through e-mail, Skype, or occasional visits; or of leaving a place where we have invested 150% of ourselves for several years and may never return again..  We look back at the good times, compressing them into a huge collage of images that preview a taste of heaven.  Funny, how in doing so, we minimize the crises or "bad times" we faced in those years and just look at the predominant good things.
We can imagine the disciples' feelings as they anticipate the final departure of Jesus.  They suffered when he was separated from them by death, but then he came back, in "Tabor Mode", and they loved those encounters with him;  treasuring ever moment with him, but knowing these were only temporary, and a point would come when he would be "gone for good."  Jesus knew their hearts and their thoughts, so he took pains to reassure them that he would still be present, in the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who would be with them and enable them to do the work he commissioned them to do.  How sensitive, how thoughtful is our friend, Jesus!  Even in our own cases, we have that same Spirit, and we have loving, faith-filled friends who make Jesus present to us, as if he were right here with us.  Yes, the pain of parting is there, even tears, but they show how much we have loved and are loved.  The presence of the Spirit assures us that such love continues and is not a victim of separation.
Bro. Rene