Sixth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 55
Lectionary: 55
Philip went down to
the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent them Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent them Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm PS 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
R/ (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R/ Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Reading 2 1 PT 3:15-18
Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
but do it with gentleness and reverence,
keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned,
those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.
For it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
but do it with gentleness and reverence,
keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned,
those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.
For it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
Gospel JN 14:15-21
Jesus said to his
disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Scripture Study
May 25, 2014 Sixth Sunday of Easter
Happy Easter! This weekend the Church celebrates the Sixth
Sunday of Easter. Next Thursday is the celebration of the Ascension of the Lord
in most of the world. In the five west coast provinces of North America,
however, this celebration is transferred to the following Sunday. In those
places, the second reading and the gospel reading for the Seventh Sunday of
Easter may be substituted for the second reading and gospel reading of this
Sunday. If you live in one of those place, as I do, be flexible. For the
purposes of this Scripture Series I will use the readings given for this Sunday
(the Sixth Sunday of Easter) this week and those for the Ascension , next week.
First Reading: Acts 8: 5-8, 14-17
5 Thus Philip went down to (the) city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6 With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. 8 There was great joy in that city.
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
NOTES on First Reading:
The episode in this Sunday’s reading reports on the missionary work of one of the newly appointed Seven. The point of the story is not the question of how or when the Holy Spirit is received but rather the link of the church in Samaria with the church in Jerusalem. The Samaritans were considered heretics by the Jews so their acceptance by the Jerusalem church was an important step in the opening up of the church to the non-Jewish world. The Holy Spirit was seen as the unifying power that acted as the bond between the churches. Questions about the mechanics of the giving of the Holy Spirit came up much later and were not intended as the main thrust of this story.
The miracles and healings described here are the signs spoken of in other places (Mt 10:1; Mark 9:26, 16:17,18; Luke 10:17; John 14:12; Heb 2:4) of the New Testament which will accompany the spread of the faith by the disciples. See especially Mt 10:1 and Mark 16:17-18.
Joy (v 8) is one of the signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Here the Spirit is already present in the actions of Philip as a faithful disciple of Jesus.
In verse 16 as in Acts 10:44-48 and Acts 19:1-6, Luke distinguishes between baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus and the reception of the Spirit. In each of these cases, the Spirit is conferred through members of the Twelve (Peter and John) or their representative (Paul). This may be Luke’s way of describing the role of the church in the bestowal of the Spirit. The point may be the Holy Spirit’s presence in the Church and His activity in the growth of the Church. Elsewhere in Acts, baptism and the Spirit are more closely related (Acts 1:5; 11:16) and pretty much inseparable.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3: 15-18
15 Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, 16 but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit.
NOTES on Second Reading:
Lord was the name for God commonly used in the Old Testament. See Isa 8:12-13. Here the title is applied to Christ.
Peter reminds his readers that the only compelling argument about the Christian life is the argument of a life truly lived in a Christian way.
“Better” in verse 17 is meant in the sense of more suitable rather than in the sense of morally better. The writer is aware that some Christians by their conduct may provide grounds for pagan hostility.
Verse 18 begins the section which ends in 4:6 and forms the climax of the letter. It stresses that Christ is the basis for the confidence of Christians. This verse does not refer to the contrast between body and soul but rather to the two spheres of Christ’s existence: earthly human life and as life as Risen Lord.
Gospel Reading: John 14: 15-21
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
NOTES on Gospel:
The gospel reading this Sunday begins by reminding us that faith must affect our lives. Simply believing and holding it in so that it has no impact is not enough. Faith must lead to obedience for it to be real and life changing. This is restated in language more typical of John in verse 23. The next few verses (15-26) deal with the way in which Jesus remains with His followers and the way in which the Holy Spirit works in their lives. They can be divided into three sections according to topic:
the love of or lack of love of Jesus (14:15, 21a, 23a, 24a) reward for such love (14:16-17a, 21b,25-26) opposition between the disciples and the world (14:17bc, 18-20, 22).
Verse 17 provides a partial answer to the question that will be asked in verse 22. The answer lies in the hearer and seer not in what they see and hear.
Meditation: The Counselor will be with you
for ever
What makes us both fully human and truly like God? Is it not
unconditional love which is unselfish, undying, and wholly directed to the good
of others? The love of God unites us in an unbreakable bond of fidelity,
friendship, and community with others. Jesus loved his own until the very end
of his passion and death on the cross (John 13:1).
The nature of love
From the very beginning of creation God said: it is not good that man should be alone (Genesis 2:18). We were created in love for love - to be a community of loving persons, just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are inseparably united in a community of unbreakable love.
From the very beginning of creation God said: it is not good that man should be alone (Genesis 2:18). We were created in love for love - to be a community of loving persons, just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are inseparably united in a community of unbreakable love.
John Henry Newman (1801-1890) said: We love because it
is our nature to love, and it is our nature because God the Holy Spirit has
made it our nature. Jesus speaks to his disciples of the inseparable
bound of love between himself and the Father, and of their love for humankind.
In Jesus we see the fulness of God's love and how God's love is directed to our
well-being. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that
God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him (1
John 4:9).
Knowing God's love
How do we know that God truly loves each one of us? In the cross we see the proof of God's love for each of us and the incredible price God was willing to pay to redeem us from slavery to sin, death, and Satan. Jesus gave up his life that we might have life - abundant, everlasting life with God - a life of love and unity with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever.
How do we know that God truly loves each one of us? In the cross we see the proof of God's love for each of us and the incredible price God was willing to pay to redeem us from slavery to sin, death, and Satan. Jesus gave up his life that we might have life - abundant, everlasting life with God - a life of love and unity with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever.
Through the cross Jesus opened a new way of relationship for us
as the adopted sons and daughters of God - his beloved children (Romans
8:14-17). Jesus calls his disciples to walk in his way of love through
obedience to the will of the Father. True love is more than sentiment, emotion,
or good intention. As important as these may be they are not the proof of
sincere love. True love for God is expressed in obedience and obedience is expressed
in love.
Jesus' best gift for us
Jesus promised to give his followers the best of gifts, the Holy Spirit as their Counselor and Helper. How does the Holy Spirit help us as the counselor? Counselor is a legal term for one who defends someone against an adversary and who guides that person during the ordeal of trial. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Helper who guides and strengthens us and brings us safely through the challenges and adversities we must face in this life.
Jesus promised to give his followers the best of gifts, the Holy Spirit as their Counselor and Helper. How does the Holy Spirit help us as the counselor? Counselor is a legal term for one who defends someone against an adversary and who guides that person during the ordeal of trial. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Helper who guides and strengthens us and brings us safely through the challenges and adversities we must face in this life.
The Holy Spirit is also the Giver of life - the abundant life
which comes from God and which sustains us forever. The Holy Spirit also guides
us in the way of truth, wisdom, and goodness. We can never stop learning
because the Spirit leads us more and more into the knowledge of God's love,
truth, and goodness. Jesus also promised his followers the gift of peace. Peace
is more than the absence of conflict or trouble. Peace includes everything
which makes for our highest good. Trust in God, faith in his promises, and
obedience to his word lead us to peace and security in God's presence. That is
why a Christian need not fear or be troubled by anything. The love of Christ
brings immeasurable joy and consolation even in the midst of our trials and
suffering. Paul the Apostle states,
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?... For I am
sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in
Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35,38-39).
Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the knowledge of Christ's
immense love and with his gift of peace.
"O God, you are the unsearchable abyss of peace, the
ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings and the bestower of affection,
who sends peace to those who receive it. Open to us this day the sea of your
love and water us with abundant streams from the riches of your grace and from
the most sweet springs of your kindness. Make us children of quietness
and heirs of peace; enkindle in us the fire of your love; sow in us your fear;
strengthen our weakness by your power; bind us closely to you and to each other
in our firm and indissoluble bond of unity." (ancient prayer from
Syrian Clementine liturgy)
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Intimacy with God
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John 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my
commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world
cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him,
because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I will not leave you
orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see
me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will
know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my
commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will
be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, as I begin this prayer I offer you my
whole self: my thoughts, desires, decisions, actions, hopes, fears,
weaknesses, failures and petty successes. I open my entire being to you,
aware that you know everything already. I’m certain of your mercy and of the purifying
power of your penetrating, loving gaze.
Petition: Lord, I want to believe in your personal and passionate love
for me.
1. Intimacy with Jesus: When we gaze at the
cross, we need to remind ourselves that he died there for each one of us, for
“me”. He died to forgive my sins and to pour his divine life into my soul. He
wants there to be no divisions between us, barriers caused by sin. He wants
us to be united in all things. This is why he says, “If you love me, you will
keep my commandments.” He wants our wills to be united, for his will
represents our true good. He asks for our obedience out of love, not fear.
There is a tendency in today’s society to separate love from obedience. Love
of God gets reduced to some kind of vague feeling of goodwill toward God and
others. Love requires sacrifice. Love is self-donation. Ask Jesus for the
grace to love as he has loved us.
2. Intimacy with the Holy Spirit: Jesus promised his
disciples another advocate, one who would remain with them forever. The
disciples were upset to hear Jesus speak of his death and departure. They
were distraught to think of themselves alone in the world, with all their
hopes and plans crashing down around them. Jesus didn’t want to leave them
alone, nor does he want to leave us alone. He does not leave us orphans in
the world; he sends us a helper, a gift of love. In the Holy Spirit we find a
guide and friend, another person who abides within us. We are never alone. He
is always with us, even when we feel abandoned by others.
3. Intimacy with the Father: “Whoever loves me, will
be loved by my Father.” Now we turn to the Father, and we come to him through
Jesus Christ. The Father’s plan from all eternity was to love us in his Son.
He wants to love us with a fatherly love, to love us with the same love he
has for his only-begotten son from all eternity. How much God loves us! He
wants to draw us into his living and eternal relationship of love. In a
thousand different ways he is calling us, inviting us, pulling us towards
himself. Jesus reveals a Triune God, and he invites us to share in the
communion of life and love that is the Holy Trinity.
Conversation with Christ: Jesus, help me to believe
in you and your love. Imprint your love very deeply onto my heart. I want to
remain in your love always. I want to remain in the love of the Father and
the Holy Spirit, but I need your strength and grace. Help me to set aside
anything that displeases you.
Resolution: I will make three spiritual communions with Jesus during the
day.
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IXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER,
MAY 25, JOHN 14:15-21
(Acts 8:5-8,14-17; Psalm 66; 1 Peter 3:15-18)
(Acts 8:5-8,14-17; Psalm 66; 1 Peter 3:15-18)
KEY VERSE: "I will ask the Father and he will give you another Paraclete - to be with you always" (v 16).
READING: As Jesus prepared to return to the Father, he comforted his fearful and bewildered disciples about his impending departure. The disciples were afraid that Jesus was abandoning them, but he reassured them that he would not leave them orphans. He and the Father would send another "Advocate" (Greek, parakletos ) who could be called on to give help in time of trouble or need. A paraclete is legal terminology for a defense attorney, "one who stood beside another" as a spokesperson, witnessing in a law court in someone's favor. This "Spirit of truth" is a teacher who would remain with Jesus' disciples to instruct them about the realities of God's realm and intercede for them before God. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit would be sent to all believers to continue Jesus' saving presence on earth.
REFLECTING: In what ways am I an instrument of the Spirit in my community?
PRAYING: Holy Spirit, stand beside me as I testify to God's saving truth.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Covenant of Love
By its very nature, marriage was instituted by God as a lifelong
covenant. Its purpose is the well-being of the spouses and the procreation and
upbringing of their children. Christ elevated marriage to the dignity of a
sacrament.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy
Today, John speaks to us of the intimate life of the blessed
Trinity and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.Often, in our prayer, we address God as distant from us, a way, perhaps, of acknowledging the mystery and incomprehensibility of God, who eludes our efforts to understand him. This passage from John tells us to look at our relationship with God, particularly in prayer, in a different way. ‘You know him because he abides with you and will be in you ... And I am in my Father and you in me and I in you.’ These words speak of a God within us and are an invitation to share in the intimate life of the Trinity, a quiet and listening kind of prayer.
May
25
St. Bede the Venerable
(672?-735)
St. Bede the Venerable
(672?-735)
Bede is one of the few saints honored as such even during his
lifetime. His writings were filled with such faith and learning that even while
he was still alive, a Church council ordered them to be read publicly in the churches.
At an
early age Bede was entrusted to the care of the abbot of the Monastery of St.
Paul, Jarrow. The happy combination of genius and the instruction of scholarly,
saintly monks produced a saint and an extraordinary scholar, perhaps the most
outstanding one of his day. He was deeply versed in all the sciences of his
times: natural philosophy, the philosophical principles of Aristotle,
astronomy, arithmetic, grammar, ecclesiastical history, the lives of the saints
and, especially, Holy Scripture.
From the
time of his ordination to the priesthood at 30 (he had been ordained deacon at
19) till his death, he was ever occupied with learning, writing and teaching.
Besides the many books that he copied, he composed 45 of his own, including 30
commentaries on books of the Bible.
Although
eagerly sought by kings and other notables, even Pope Sergius, Bede managed to
remain in his own monastery till his death. Only once did he leave for a few
months in order to teach in the school of the archbishop of York. Bede died in
735 praying his favorite prayer: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Spirit. As in the beginning, so now, and forever.”
His Ecclesiastical
History of the English People is commonly regarded as of decisive
importance in the art and science of writing history. A unique
era was coming to an end at the time of Bede’s death: It had fulfilled its
purpose of preparing Western Christianity to assimilate the non-Roman barbarian
North. Bede recognized the opening to a new day in the life of the Church even
as it was happening.
Comment:
Though his History is the greatest legacy Bede has left us, his work in all the sciences (especially in Scripture) should not be overlooked. During his last Lent, he worked on a translation of the Gospel of St. John into English, completing it the day he died. But of this work “to break the word to the poor and unlearned” nothing remains today.
Though his History is the greatest legacy Bede has left us, his work in all the sciences (especially in Scripture) should not be overlooked. During his last Lent, he worked on a translation of the Gospel of St. John into English, completing it the day he died. But of this work “to break the word to the poor and unlearned” nothing remains today.
Quote:
“We have not, it seems to me, amid all our discoveries, invented as yet anything better than the Christian life which Bede lived, and the Christian death which he died” (C. Plummer, editor of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History).
“We have not, it seems to me, amid all our discoveries, invented as yet anything better than the Christian life which Bede lived, and the Christian death which he died” (C. Plummer, editor of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History).
Patron Saint of:
Scholars
Scholars
LECTIO DIVINA:
6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER (A)
Lectio:
Sunday, May 25, 2014
The promise of the Spirit
The commandments as the way of love in Christ
John 14: 15-21
The commandments as the way of love in Christ
John 14: 15-21
1.
OPENING PRAYER
Father, Christ your Son is already pleading for us, but through
your Word, which is life for us, you also grant us the grace of opening our
hearts to you in deep, intense, true and enlightened prayer. Send us the
Consoler, the Spirit of truth, not only that he may dwell beside us, but that
he may always dwell within our hearts. He is the fire of love that unites you
with Jesus, the kiss that you exchange always. Grant that, through your Word,
we too may enter into this love and live by it. Touch our spirit, our mind and
all our being that we may welcome the commandments, hidden in these few verses;
that we may keep them, that is, live them fully and in truth in your presence
and that of our brothers and sisters. Amen.
2.
READING
a) To place the passage in its context:
These verses lead us to the holy place where Jesus celebrates
the last supper with his disciples: the place of his revelation, of his glory,
of his teaching and of his love. Here, we too are invited to sit at table with
Jesus, to lean on his chest, receive his commandment and thus prepare ourselves
to enter with Him into his Passion and resurrection. After the passage of 13:
1-30, which tells us of the actions, words and feelings of Jesus and of those
with him during the paschal meal, in 13: 31 we hear the words of the great last
discourse of Jesus, which ends with the priestly prayer of chapter 17. Here,
then, we are still at the beginning. In 14: 1-14 Jesus presented and offered
himself as the way to the Father, whereas in these few verses he introduces the
promise to send the Holy Spirit, as Consoler, as sure presence, but also the
promise of the coming of the Father and of himself in the depths of the
disciples who, through faith, will have believed in him and kept his
commandments.
b) To help us in the reading of the passage:
vv. 15-17: First, Jesus clarifies to his disciples that for Him, love, if
it is to be true love, must absolutely mean also the observance of his
commandments. In brief, He wants to tell us that if we do not keep the commandments
then there is no love; this is an essential and indispensable consequence,
which reveals whether we really do love or only deceive ourselves that we love.
Jesus also says that the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Father is the fruit
of this love and observance that give rise to the prayer of Jesus, thanks to
which we can receive the Spirit. Jesus explains that the Spirit is the
Consoler, the Spirit of truth, the One whom the world does not see, does not
know, but whom the disciples will see and know, the One who dwells with them
and in them.
vv. 18-20: Jesus promises his coming, his return, which is about to happen
in his resurrection. He says that he will no longer appear in his passion,
death and burial, but that he will reappear to his disciples, who will see him,
because he is the resurrection and the life. He also reveals his relationship
with the Father and invites them and us into that relationship; in fact, he
says that we shall know, that is we shall experience this relationship in our
depths. Jesus and no one else could ever promise a greater consolation than
this.
v. 21: Here
Jesus’ discourse includes everyone; he moves from the “you” of his
disciples to the “anyone” who begins to love him, enter into a
relationship with him and follow him. That which took place for the disciples,
the first chosen ones, takes place for anyone who believes in him. Here Jesus
opens to us and to all his relationship of love with the Father, because by
remaining in Christ, we too are known and loved by the Father. Finally, Jesus
promises again his love for anyone who loves him and the revelation of himself,
that is, a permanent manifestation of his love for us.
c) The text:
15 If you love me you will keep my commandments. 16 I shall ask
the Father, and he will give you another Paraclete to be with you for ever, 17
the Spirit of truth whom the world can never accept since it neither sees nor
knows him; but you know him, because he is with you, he is in you. 18 I shall
not leave you orphans; I shall come to you. 19 In a short time the world will
no longer see me; but you will see that I live and you also will live. 20 On
that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you. 21
Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and
whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal
myself to him.'
3.
A MOMENT OF PRAYERFUL SILENCE
so that the Word of God may enter into us and enlighten our
life.
4.
SOME QUESTIONS
a) This
passage begins and ends with the same words: the proclamation and invitation to
love the Lord. I know that, through this lectio divina, he wants to prepare me
for a powerful meeting with love; perhaps I am frightened a little, I know that
I am not used to this, perhaps I am ashamed, perhaps I feel superior towards
these sugary words. But he insists and keeps on repeating only this, only Love.
So what am I going to do? Am I going to stay and enter into this relationship,
so involved, so upsetting? Or shall I go away, run away, because I am afraid,
because I don’t feel like committing myself? Shall I choose Love, that is, this
relationship, this confrontation, this exchange, this reciprocal giving, this
giving of myself? Or shall I choose to be closed, remain alone in an absurd
isolation of one who does not want to stay with his God and with his equals?
Jesus says: “If you want”; He does not force. However, I know that he is
waiting for me and has been so for a long time… why wait any longer?
b) I read and read
again this passage, so that these words, so full of meaning, may be better
imprinted on my mind and descend into my heart. I note that Jesus insistently
says “you”, when referring to his disciples, those then with him
but also those of today, that is us, each one of us seen and looked at by Him
with a unique, personal, unrepeatable love that cannot be given away or
substituted. I know that I too am included in that “you”, which seems generic
but is not. I try to read again Jesus’ words and allow myself to be involved
more directly; I place myself face to face, eyes to eyes with Jesus and let him
tell me all, using that “you” full of love, using my name that only he really
knows…. If you love me, my Father will send you another Consoler; you know him;
he dwells near you and will be within you; I shall not leave you an orphan, I
shall come back to you; you will see me; you will live; you will know that I am
in the Father and you in me and I in you.
c) Now we meet an
important expression of Jesus, repeated twice: “keep my commandments”.
This is an important and fundamental fact, because the authenticity of my love
relationship with the Lord depends on it; if I do not keep his commandments,
then I do not love him. But I try to ask myself more carefully what does the
verb “keep” mean, which looks so cold, so distant. I find it for instance in Mt
27: 36, where we read that the soldiers kept watch over the
crucified Jesus; it is then a matter of close and scrupulous watching, an
untiring watchfulness. On the other hand in Jn 2: 10, it appears with the
meaning ofkeeping in store, reserving, as Jesus says of the good wine
kept until last. 2 Timothy 4: 7 uses the verb in that wonderful verse on faith:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the
faith”. This emphasises the effort, the great care used to safeguard and
watch over that precious thing, faith. In Jn 17: 15, Jesus prays the Father to
keep his own from the evil one, that is to preserve, protect, so
that nothing and no one would harm or disperse them.
This is not simply a cold and external keeping of the commandments of God or of Jesus, but much more; this is a relationship of love, a being careful, protecting, keeping in life. Fundamentally it is realising that which I am told or asked, in my day to day life, every moment and in every situation.
This is not simply a cold and external keeping of the commandments of God or of Jesus, but much more; this is a relationship of love, a being careful, protecting, keeping in life. Fundamentally it is realising that which I am told or asked, in my day to day life, every moment and in every situation.
5.
A KEY TO THE READING
The following are the people I meet in the passage: the Father,
Jesus, the Spirit, the disciples, the world.
The Father. The presence of the Father immediately appears as the point of
reference of Jesus, the Son. It is to the Father that he addresses his prayer.
He says: “I will ask the Father”. It is this very special and
intimate contact that makes of Jesus the Son of his Father, that confirms him
all the time as such. The relationship of love with the Father is nourished and
maintained by prayer at night, at different times during the day, in times of
need, in requests for help, in suffering, in the most distressing trials. If we
scan the Gospels several times, we shall find Jesus thus, deeply involved in a
relationship with the Father through prayer. Here are some relevant passages:
Mt 6: 9; 11, 25; 14: 23; 26: 39; 27: 46; Lk 21: 21ff; 6:12; 10: 21; 22: 42; 23:
34. 46; Jn 11: 41ff; 17: 1. I feel that this is also the way for me; Jesus
followed this way in depth, leaving me his enlightened and certain footsteps so
that I may have no fear in following him in a similar experience. I too am the
child of the Father, I too can pray to him.
Immediately after this, Jesus shows us the Father as the One who gives. In fact, giving is the main characteristic of God, who is uninterrupted, measureless and countless gift to all and at all times. The Father is Love and Love gives itself, gives everything. It is not enough that he gave us Jesus, his beloved Son, he still wants to bless us with and offer us life by sending the Holy Spirit. Indeed it is written: “He who has not spared even his own Son but has delivered him for us all, how can he fail to grant us also all things with him?” (Rm 8: 32).
Still more: the Father loves us (Jn 14: 23; 16: 27)! And this love of his allows us to pass from death to life, from the sadness of sin to the joy of communion with Him, from the solitude of hatred to sharing, because the love of God inevitably takes us to the love of our brothers and sisters.
Immediately after this, Jesus shows us the Father as the One who gives. In fact, giving is the main characteristic of God, who is uninterrupted, measureless and countless gift to all and at all times. The Father is Love and Love gives itself, gives everything. It is not enough that he gave us Jesus, his beloved Son, he still wants to bless us with and offer us life by sending the Holy Spirit. Indeed it is written: “He who has not spared even his own Son but has delivered him for us all, how can he fail to grant us also all things with him?” (Rm 8: 32).
Still more: the Father loves us (Jn 14: 23; 16: 27)! And this love of his allows us to pass from death to life, from the sadness of sin to the joy of communion with Him, from the solitude of hatred to sharing, because the love of God inevitably takes us to the love of our brothers and sisters.
Jesus the Son. In these few verses, the figure and presence of Jesus appear
forcefully and with enormous clarity. He is immediately seen as praying, the
one who prays to the Father for us; he raises his hands in
prayer for us, just as he raises them in oblation on the cross.
Jesus is the one who does not go away for ever, who does not leave us orphans, but who will come back: “I shall come back”. If it seems as though he is absent, I must not despair, but go on believing in him because he will really come back. “It is true, I come quickly!” (Ap 22: 20). He will come back and, as he said, he will take us with him so that we may be where he is (Jn 14: 3).
Jesus is the living one forever, the conqueror of death. He is in the Father and in us, with an all-powerful force that nothing can ever destroy. He is in the Father, but also in us, he dwells in us, he stays with us; there is no possibility of true and full life for us other than that con-penetration of being which Jesus offers us. He says yes, always, and is never sorry for, nor does he ever withdraw from his commitment of love.
On the contrary! He loves us, as the Father loves us and reveals himself to us. He gives himself, offers himself, allowing us to know him, to experience him, to touch and taste him. But this is a revelation that is accompanied by love, as Paul says (2 Tim 4: 8).
Jesus is the one who does not go away for ever, who does not leave us orphans, but who will come back: “I shall come back”. If it seems as though he is absent, I must not despair, but go on believing in him because he will really come back. “It is true, I come quickly!” (Ap 22: 20). He will come back and, as he said, he will take us with him so that we may be where he is (Jn 14: 3).
Jesus is the living one forever, the conqueror of death. He is in the Father and in us, with an all-powerful force that nothing can ever destroy. He is in the Father, but also in us, he dwells in us, he stays with us; there is no possibility of true and full life for us other than that con-penetration of being which Jesus offers us. He says yes, always, and is never sorry for, nor does he ever withdraw from his commitment of love.
On the contrary! He loves us, as the Father loves us and reveals himself to us. He gives himself, offers himself, allowing us to know him, to experience him, to touch and taste him. But this is a revelation that is accompanied by love, as Paul says (2 Tim 4: 8).
The Holy Spirit. In this passage the Spirit of the Lord seems to be an emerging
figure that embraces everything. He unites the Father to the Son, he brings the
Father and the Son into the hearts of the disciples; he creates an indissoluble
union of love, of being. He is called the Paraclete, that is the Consoler,
the one who stays with us always, who will not leave us alone,
abandoned, forgotten; he comes and gathers us from the four winds, from the
dispersion and blows within us the strength for our return to the Father, to
Love. Only he can work all this within us; he is the finger of God’s hand who,
to this day, writes on the sand of our hearts the words of a new covenant,
which can never again be forgotten.
He is the Spirit of truth, that is, of Jesus; in him there is no deceit, no falsehood, only the certain light of the Word of the Lord. He has built his dwelling place within us; he has been invited and goes from being close to us to being within us. He has become one with us, accepting this nuptial union, this fusion; he is all good, the friend of men and women, he is Love itself. That is why he gives himself thus, filling us with joy. Let us beware of making him sad, of sending him away, of substituting his presence with other presences, other covenants of love; we then would be the ones who would die, because no one could ever console us in his place.
He is the Spirit of truth, that is, of Jesus; in him there is no deceit, no falsehood, only the certain light of the Word of the Lord. He has built his dwelling place within us; he has been invited and goes from being close to us to being within us. He has become one with us, accepting this nuptial union, this fusion; he is all good, the friend of men and women, he is Love itself. That is why he gives himself thus, filling us with joy. Let us beware of making him sad, of sending him away, of substituting his presence with other presences, other covenants of love; we then would be the ones who would die, because no one could ever console us in his place.
The Disciples. The words Jesus addresses to his disciples are words that
challenge me more directly, more forcefully; they are addressed to me, they
impinge on my day to day life, they touch my heart, my thoughts, my most
intimate desires. They challenge me to a true love that I must transform into
concrete actions, keeping in mind the Word and the wish of the one I claim to
love, the Lord. A love that can be verified by my observance of the
commandments. The disciple, then, here appears as one who knows how to wait
for his Lord on his return; at midnight, at cockcrow, or early in the morning?
It does not matter; He will come back and so I must wait and be ready. What
kind of love is it that will not wait, that will not watch, not protect?
The disciple is also one who knows; this is a knowledge given from above and which takes place in the heart, that is in one’s most intimate being and personality, where we make decisions to act, where we comprehend reality, formulate our thoughts, see and love. This is knowledge in the biblical sense, born of a strong, long and intimate experience, from a deep union and from reciprocal giving. This happens between the Spirit and the true disciple of Jesus. An unstoppable ever expanding knowledge that leads us to Christ, to the Father, and places us within their eternal and infinite communion of love: “You will know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you”. The disciple is also someone who lives, who is in, that is within, in an unbreakable union with his Lord; it is not a superficial, distant, spasmodic union, but is always within the relationship of love. The disciple goes willingly, goes and comes back, allows him/herself to be held, entertained. And so realises the word of the Gospel: “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father”.
The disciple of Jesus, in fact, is one who is loved, one chosen, from the beginning and forever.
The disciple is also one who knows; this is a knowledge given from above and which takes place in the heart, that is in one’s most intimate being and personality, where we make decisions to act, where we comprehend reality, formulate our thoughts, see and love. This is knowledge in the biblical sense, born of a strong, long and intimate experience, from a deep union and from reciprocal giving. This happens between the Spirit and the true disciple of Jesus. An unstoppable ever expanding knowledge that leads us to Christ, to the Father, and places us within their eternal and infinite communion of love: “You will know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you”. The disciple is also someone who lives, who is in, that is within, in an unbreakable union with his Lord; it is not a superficial, distant, spasmodic union, but is always within the relationship of love. The disciple goes willingly, goes and comes back, allows him/herself to be held, entertained. And so realises the word of the Gospel: “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father”.
The disciple of Jesus, in fact, is one who is loved, one chosen, from the beginning and forever.
The World. The passage says little about the world, which we know to be
very important in the writings of John: the world cannot receive the
Spirit, because itcannot see or know him. The world is immersed in
darkness and error; it does not see or know and cannot experience the love of
God. The world stays at a distance, turns its back, closes itself and goes
away. The world repays with hatred the love that the Lord has for it: the
Father has so loved the world that he gave his only Son. Perhaps we too must
also love the world, created by God; love it by uniting ourselves to the
offering, the sacrifice of Jesus for it.
Could it not be precisely thus, in Christ’s offering, that we come to our full and brilliant truth as children of the Father, as disciples, as lovers? Is not this the end of this lectio divina, of this meeting with Christ, with the Father and the Spirit? May be it is really thus; we must come to the fullness of love, which is the keeping of the commandments and especially the one commandment of Jesus: love as I have loved you.
Could it not be precisely thus, in Christ’s offering, that we come to our full and brilliant truth as children of the Father, as disciples, as lovers? Is not this the end of this lectio divina, of this meeting with Christ, with the Father and the Spirit? May be it is really thus; we must come to the fullness of love, which is the keeping of the commandments and especially the one commandment of Jesus: love as I have loved you.
6.
A MOMENT OF PRAYER: PSALM 22
Ref. You are with me, Lord, there is nothing I want!
Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger,
for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me
under the eyes of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice
as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger,
for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me
under the eyes of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.
7.
CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, you fill me with your love; I abound with joy and deep
peace. Through your Word, You have loved me much during this meeting. You have
given yourself to me fully; you have neglected nothing in me, my person, my
whole life history. Lord, I am because you are; you are with me, within me.
Today you have given me a new birth from above, you have renewed me; I know, I
see, I feel your own life in me. This is a real Pasch, a true passing from
death to life. Thank you, Lord, for your inexpressible love, which covers me,
overpowers me and yet relieves and uplifts me!
Lord, I leave behind here my empty, useless, incapable jar and
run into the city to call my friends, those whom you love, to tell them: Come
you too that you may know Love!
Lord, one final thing: let me never betray you. If Love is not freely given, shared, then it fades into the distance, disappears, becomes sick and lonely. Please help me that I may be love.
Lord, one final thing: let me never betray you. If Love is not freely given, shared, then it fades into the distance, disappears, becomes sick and lonely. Please help me that I may be love.
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