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“Triumph of Christ with Angels and Cherubs”
by Bernardino Lanino, c. 1570s |
Readings from Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Acts 19:1-8
While Apollos was in Corinth,
Paul traveled through the interior of the country
and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples.
He said to them,
"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"
They answered him,
"We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
He said, "How were you baptized?"
They replied, "With the baptism of John."
Paul then said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus."
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.
He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.
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Commentary on Acts 19:1-8
While Apollos stays in Corinth, strengthening the church there, Paul goes east to Ephesus. In this passage, he describes the difference between the baptism of John the Baptist, which was for repentance, and the baptism of Jesus (for forgiveness). It is important to note that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given in the sacrament of baptism of Jesus (“In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”) is a principal difference between the baptisms of the “Voice” and the “Word.”
CCC: Acts 19:5-6 1288; Acts 19:6 699
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;
as wax melts before the fire.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab
Psalm 68 gives praise and thanksgiving for God’s salvation. In its historical context, the reference to the homeless and prisoners refers to the Diaspora. It is from God alone that salvation comes, replacing the losses suffered by the poor (widows and orphans) with his justice and presence.
CCC: Ps 68:6 238
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Gospel: John 16:29-33
The disciples said to Jesus,
"Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God."
Jesus answered them, "Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world."
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Commentary on Jn 16:29-33
Here, in St. John’s Gospel, we see the disciples presume the hour the Lord predicted is already upon them, and they are already prepared in fullness. Jesus must dissuade them from this notion. He tells them that they will fail in their faith but even in doing so he gives them great solace as he essentially forgives them in advance for deserting him when he is confronted in the garden. Even as they confess that they believe in him, Jesus knows they will flee when he is taken prisoner.
CCC: Jn 16:28 661, 2795; Jn 16:33 1808
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Reflection:
“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world."
We have been given this interesting statement made by the Lord from the Gospel of St. John. He makes this statement almost as an afterthought. The disciples think they have finally understood Jesus. They think he is coming into his power, and that they are prepared to take up the tasks he has set before them. The Lord sees this as a two-fold danger. First, his disciples have not seen what must come for Jesus to ascend to the throne of heaven. They still believe that he will defeat the forces that conspire to kill him. When they see this apparent defeat a short time later, as Jesus predicts, they will flee to their homes, afraid, their faith tested and found wanting.
While they certainly would not want to hear this prediction, Jesus must tell them in advance so that when it happens, they will understand that it is not the end of his mission, but theirs beginning.
The second danger the Lord sees is the disciples’ overconfidence in their own preparation. Jesus knows, and in fact has been trying to tell them, that they will not be ready to take on what he has asked of them until they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. They are asked to take the Word of God, the Good News, the Gospel of Christ, into the world. How can they do this without having the counselor and guide indwelling? How can they know the mind of Christ without the Lord being in them?
All of this leads to that final verse: “I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." They will find peace when the Holy Spirit calms their fears, and they will finally understand the resurrection. But what must the Savior mean, “I have conquered the world”?
Many other translations of Sacred Scripture say, “I have overcome the world.” There is a difference using these two similar words. But rather than focus on the intent of the translators, let us ask what was meant by the phrase. The Vatican Council said of that statement: "The Lord Jesus who said 'Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world' (John 16:33), did not by these words promise complete victory to his Church in this world. This sacred Council rejoices that the earth which has been sown with the seed of the Gospel is now bringing forth fruit in many places under the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, who is filling the world" (Presbyterorum ordinis, 22).[4]
By the Lord’s act of preparing and sending his Word into the world, he has already overcome, indeed has conquered, the physical world, replacing the desires of mankind for what is of the world with the promise of salvation and eternal life. The world cannot withstand what it cannot touch.
Today we pray that, like those early disciples, we will not be overcome with fear when our efforts on the Lord’s behalf seem to be defeated. And we also pray that our dependence on the Holy Spirit will give us the humility and strength to accomplish the work God places before us.
Pax
[1] The picture today is “Triumph of Christ with Angels and Cherubs” by Bernardino Lanino, c. 1570s.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 672.
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