Readings for Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33
In the passage from Acts today we find Paul on his first missionary journey to Asia. He is speaking to a mixed crowd of Jews and Gentiles, explaining that Jesus came to fulfill what was written in the Hebrew Scriptures. He concludes his discourse with a quote from Psalm 2 which is used as our psalm response.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
Psalm 2 is a “royal psalm”. The proclamation of adoption is set in legal terms of the day to establish the relationship between people and God. We hear in this language the baptismal adoption we received, making us God’s children and favored above all creation.
Gospel Jn 14:1-6
We jump backward from yesterday’s passage about the request from St. Philip to see God, the Father. This dialogue with the disciples is taking place at the Last Supper. Jesus has already responded to Peter and now Thomas chimes in with; “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” To which Jesus responds with a phrase known to all Christians “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He ends with another phrase that has been used and twisted throughout the history of Christianity; “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Reflection:
Today we should examine the words of Christ as he tells us, in answer to St. Thomas’ question, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Don’t we also have in our hearts the same question St. Thomas asked? Don’t we also ask in our holiest prayers “God what do you want me to do?” adding at least in the recesses of our minds; “I do not know the way.”
Were he standing here he would say, as he said to St. Thomas; ““I am the way and the truth and the life.” What did he mean, "I am the way..."? To our discerning hearts and to those early Christians who defined themselves as followers of “The Way” it means following Jesus teachings. The way must be living as Jesus himself has commanded, loving God and loving neighbor. In the passage from St. John’s Gospel just before this one, in Chapter 13; 34, we are told; “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." It is “The Way.”
What did he mean when he said, “…and the truth”? Truth has a unique quality about it. Truth is perpetual, eternal. It exists as a fundamental reality, predating time and indelible, unchanging and unchanged. By stating this one fact, the Lord gives us a glimpse into his nature and his message because, as we said just a few days ago, the Lord is both messenger and message. Jesus is the Logos, the living Word of God and the ultimate truth.
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33
In the passage from Acts today we find Paul on his first missionary journey to Asia. He is speaking to a mixed crowd of Jews and Gentiles, explaining that Jesus came to fulfill what was written in the Hebrew Scriptures. He concludes his discourse with a quote from Psalm 2 which is used as our psalm response.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
Psalm 2 is a “royal psalm”. The proclamation of adoption is set in legal terms of the day to establish the relationship between people and God. We hear in this language the baptismal adoption we received, making us God’s children and favored above all creation.
Gospel Jn 14:1-6
We jump backward from yesterday’s passage about the request from St. Philip to see God, the Father. This dialogue with the disciples is taking place at the Last Supper. Jesus has already responded to Peter and now Thomas chimes in with; “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” To which Jesus responds with a phrase known to all Christians “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He ends with another phrase that has been used and twisted throughout the history of Christianity; “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Reflection:
Today we should examine the words of Christ as he tells us, in answer to St. Thomas’ question, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Don’t we also have in our hearts the same question St. Thomas asked? Don’t we also ask in our holiest prayers “God what do you want me to do?” adding at least in the recesses of our minds; “I do not know the way.”
Were he standing here he would say, as he said to St. Thomas; ““I am the way and the truth and the life.” What did he mean, "I am the way..."? To our discerning hearts and to those early Christians who defined themselves as followers of “The Way” it means following Jesus teachings. The way must be living as Jesus himself has commanded, loving God and loving neighbor. In the passage from St. John’s Gospel just before this one, in Chapter 13; 34, we are told; “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." It is “The Way.”
What did he mean when he said, “…and the truth”? Truth has a unique quality about it. Truth is perpetual, eternal. It exists as a fundamental reality, predating time and indelible, unchanging and unchanged. By stating this one fact, the Lord gives us a glimpse into his nature and his message because, as we said just a few days ago, the Lord is both messenger and message. Jesus is the Logos, the living Word of God and the ultimate truth.
What did he mean when he said, “…and the life.”? We can only understand this statement one way, Jesus, who has defeated death so that we might have life in him, refers to life in and of the spirit. The mortal bodies we have will die. God does not violate his own physical laws. What the Lord refers to is the new life in heaven (“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.”). We have that promise, the promise of the one who is “ the way and the truth and the life”.
The chain of logic is complete. To receive “the life” we must follow “the way” and we only do that by adopting “the truth” and acting upon it. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, we were never told this would be easy.
Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The image today is “Many Mansions” by Suzann Ricky, contemporary artist.
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