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“The Face of Jesus”
artist and date are unknown |
Readings for Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Acts 13:26-33
When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you."
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Commentary on Acts 13:26-33
In this passage from Acts 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 2:7: "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you." For the Jews this proclamation by the psalmist would have seemed a natural continuation of the understanding of the Hebrew people in salvation history, that the "chosen people" should enjoy God's promised salvation (in the resurrection). For the Gentiles the adoption by God, implicit in the quote, would have been seen as an invitation.
CCC: Acts 13:27-28 597; Acts 13:29 601; Acts 13:31 647; Acts 13:32-33 638; Acts 13:32 653; Acts 13:33 445, 2606
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
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.
CCC: Ps 2:6-7 745; Ps 2:7-8 2606; Ps 2:7 441, 653, 2836
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Gospel: John 14:1-6
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."
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Commentary on John 14:1-6
This dialogue with the disciples is taking place at the Last Supper. Jesus has already responded to Peter and now Thomas continues to question 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 throughout the history of Christianity, from an evangelical perspective as an invitation, and negatively as a statement of exclusivity: “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
CCC: Jn 14:1 151; Jn 14:2-3 2795; Jn 14:2 661; Jn 14:3 1025; Jn 14:6 74, 459, 1698, 2466, 2614
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Reflection:
For the past several days we have been very focused on our faith in Jesus and how that faith leads us in life. Today we are given a glimpse of the reward. John’s Gospel is so full of familiar phrases and sayings. Today we get two:
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
These two concepts are linked within this Scripture. First, the heavenly reward for living a life of faith: the Lord goes on before us to prepare a place for us. If we are faithful to what he has asked of us, we are given a home. This Scripture is frequently used as our consolation at wakes and funerals because of the great need for hope at these times. We get it here today and are grateful because we who struggle with our mortality need to be given this hope as well.
The second half of the second quote: “No one comes to the Father except through me” is problematic for many Christians and non-Christians alike. It tells us, if we look at it from the other direction, that unless you accept Jesus as God and Savior, you cannot get to the Father. That’s pretty unambiguous. It also begs the “Gandhi Question” as it has been called. (Thanks for that label, Nic.)
This one statement is frequently used by biblical literalists to say that Jesus excludes any who do not, upon hearing of the existence of Christ, convert to Christianity. They point to this as an absolute doctrine of faith. (Ironically many in this same group also reject the equally unambiguous statement: “My body is real food and my blood real drink” (John 6:55) and say that is somehow symbolic.)
Just as we disagree with some who believe that the earth must have been created in six twenty-four hour days (because we disagree about God’s time-sense) we also remember that God’s perspective about time and ours are different when it comes to looking at eternal life.
All Christians believe that they will, in the end, come before the judgment seat of Christ. He will look at our faith and actions and decide if we are to come to him. As Catholics, our belief is more complex. We believe that before we can take our place with the Father and his Son, we must be washed clean of the earthly burden we take with us when our mortal bodies perish. (Would we go before Christ in filthy rags?)
This cleansing takes place in a state (not place) we call purgatory and thank God for it. In this state we have time/space to recant our earthly sins and become once more justified, that is just as if we had never sinned. With this in mind, the next statement should feel right. As we understand Jesus, true God and true Man, the Only Begotten Son of God who came into the world to save all mankind, he was perfect love and forgiveness. We look at very good people who do not believe in him because of geography or circumstance and say, Jesus would understand, Jesus would love, Jesus would forgive and give another chance. As someone very dear to me has said; “Gandhi may not have believed in Jesus, but Jesus believed in Gandhi.”
We, as Catholics, say each time we attend Mass: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”(Matthew 8:8) We receive Christ and he receives us, not by some merit on our part, but because of his great love for us. We cannot be perfect in this life, but we believe we will see him, in his glory, face to face, when we are perfected in the new resurrection.
Pax
[1] The picture used is “The Face of Jesus” artist and date are unknown.
[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.
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