Lord, Show Us the Father
Introduction: May you continue to live out your call
to share in the ministry of Jesus the Priest, the Prophet, and the King!
All of us, by
virtue of our Baptism, share in the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus, the High
Priest of the new and eternal covenant, came not to be served but to serve and
to give His life for others. He has called each of us to be a part of His
mission to lead others back to the house of His Abba-Father, Who happens
to be God. Thus, each of us shares in the priestly ministry of Jesus. We are
called to remind others that they are holy (they have been sanctified by the
Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection). We must never forget our
vocation to be of loving service to others. We must pray for each other so that
all of us can fulfill our role in sharing in the priesthood of Jesus the
Christ.
Today’s readings focus
on ministry. The First Reading gives the account of the apostles choosing individuals
to help them in serving the people. In the Second Reading, St. Peter proclaims that
all who believe have a share in the priesthood of Jesus. The Gospel, which takes
place during the Last Supper, is Jesus’ words to His disciples, reassuring them
that they share in His life and ministry.
First Reading: Acts 6:1-7
‘They chose seven men full of the Holy Spirit.’
Commentary:
This reading is full of intriguing little
hints about the young community. Firstly we learn that there was some division
between two different elements, the Hebrews and the Hellenists. This must be a difference
of culture and possibly of language also. The Hellenistic Greek influence had
been seeping into Jerusalem for the previous two centuries, mistrusted and held
in check especially by the Pharisaic party; they had adopted Greek customs
which in some ways came at least close to idolatry, adopting Greek dress (or
lack of it) for athletic contests. The apparent difference between the
Christian groups was that the Hellenists were neglected in the distribution of
free food. It is therefore odd that all of the seven appointed ministers have
Greek names: one would expect a parity between the two groups, some Greek and
some Hebrew. Is Luke telling us the full story? He is always concerned to
stress the unity of the Church. Were there in fact two hierarchies? The
activities of the Seven go far beyond distributing food: they also teach and
baptise.
A second element is the refreshing simplicity of their
qualifications: they are merely full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom. In contrast
to the Pauline pastoral letters, there is nothing about stuffy good behaviour!
They were inspirational, and the Spirit could be trusted. Interesting also is
their manner of appointment: they were elected by the whole community
(including women?), but who laid hands on them? The apostles approved of them,
but was it the whole community or the apostles that laid hands on them? The
text is unclear.
A third intriguing element is the reason for this delegation: the
apostles were to continue devoting themselves to prayer and to the service of
the word. It has been suggested that this service of the word consisted in
reflecting on the life of Jesus and studying how it fulfilled the scriptures.
Certainly many of the gospel stories about Jesus are shaped in such a way that
they reflect his fulfilment of the scriptures. The most ancient piece of verbal
tradition, quoted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15.3-5, twice stresses that Jesus’
death and resurrection was ‘according to the scriptures’. The frequent
quotation of the Old Testament to explain the meaning and sense of Jesus’
actions must presuppose a lot of study of the scriptures in the light of those
actions.
Responsorial Psalm: 33:1-2. 4-5. 18-19:
May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O LORD.
Psalm 33 is a hymn of joyful trust, calling the righteous to praise God because worship is the proper response to His faithfulness and holiness. The Psalmist reminds us that God’s word is upright and powerful; creation and history are sustained not by chaos, but by His steadfast love and justice. Verses 18–19 shift from cosmic grandeur to personal care: the Lord watches over those who fear Him, not with distant observation, but with saving compassion. In times of famine, fear, or uncertainty, this Psalm assures believers that true security lies not in human strength, but in God’s provident mercy.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9:
‘But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.’
Commentary:
The background of this reading is the covenant
between God and his people of Israel on Mount Sinai. There the mountain was so
sacred that the people were not allowed to approach it. Now the author tells us
that the new people of God, chosen by God, is so sacred that we can huddle
close to the rock that is Christ. In the old dispensation Moses alone was holy
enough to approach the mountain and offer sacrifice; now it is the whole
people. The whole people now constitutes a royal priesthood and a consecrated
people which can offer sacrifice. One of the principal emphases of Vatican II
was that the Eucharistic sacrifice is offered by the whole people, not by the
priest alone. Yes, the priest does have a special function, that of presiding
at the Eucharist, and without this presidency, the Eucharist cannot take place.
Nevertheless, it is the sacrifice of the people as a whole, which the laity
offers just as much as the priest. The reading also uses another Gospel image:
the people of God is a house built of living stones, a living holy Temple,
joined to the foundation stone who is Christ.
Gospel: John 14:1-12:
‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life.’
Commentary: Jesus begins to prepare his followers for his own departure from the world. There are two aspects of this. Firstly, Jesus speaks of the final purpose, union with the Father, and his preparation of a place for us there. ‘There is plenty of room’, he says, suggesting not that there are plenty of separate cubicles for different sets of people (bishops, babies, monks, and maniacs), but that there is no lack of space. No problem of ‘only one wins the prize’ in this case. The second aspect is preparation for the future Church on earth, and the almost shocking promise that in the absence of Jesus – but in the strength of his Spirit – his people will do ‘even greater works’. Paul teaches that believers ‘make up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ’, for in every age the Church fills up the measure of Christ’s sufferings; it is a Church which shares its Master’s trials. In the same way, in every age the Church must carry on the works of Christ. In John, the ‘works’ of Jesus are the marvellous deeds, beyond human powers, which show who Jesus is. We too are called on to perform marvellous deeds, beyond human powers, works of grace and generosity.
Reflection:
Do you allow any troubles to rob you of God's gift of peace? As much as we try
to avoid it, we inevitably encounter challenges and trials that can shake our
confidence and our trust in God. Jesus knew that his disciples would be put to
the test when their Master was taken from them during his suffering and passion
- his arrest, trial, and rejection by the leaders of his own people, and
crucifixion by the Romans. Jesus encouraged his disciples to put their faith
and hope in God the Father and also in himself.
When adversity or trouble comes your way, does it make you lose
hope or give into fear and despair, or does it press you closer to the Lord
Jesus and to the strength and help he offers you? When the people of Israel
became discouraged and grew weary during their 40 years in the wilderness, the
Lord assured them that he would personally bring them safely into the promised
land.
"It is the LORD who goes before you; he will be with you, he
will not fail you or forsake you; do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy
31:8).
This land of promise was a sign that prefigured and pointed to the
true heavenly homeland which God offers to all who accept his gift of salvation
through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus, through his victory on the cross
and his resurrection, has opened the way for each one of us to live in peace
and friendship with our heavenly Father.
A place
for you in my Father's house: During Jesus'
last supper meal with his apostles, he spoke in plain words to them about his
approaching departure. He tells them that he is returning to his Father to
prepare a place for them in the Father's house. Jesus not only goes to secure
for his disciples a place of refuge, peace, and security, he secures for them
the best the Father has to offer - intimate communion, friendship, and joy with
the Father at his table (Luke 12:37, Matthew 8:11) and a place of rest and
refreshment.
Jesus promised his disciples - and each one of us - that he would
return again to personally bring us to the Father's house. Are you ready to
follow the Lord Jesus wherever he wishes to lead you now and in the future? And
do you trust him to bring you safely to your home with the Father in his
kingdom? Paul the Apostle reminds us that nothing in this world can compare
with the glory of feasting with the Father in his house. "I consider that
the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that
is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). Is your hope securely placed in
Jesus and his promise to raise you up in glory with him?
I am the
Way, the Truth, and the Life: The disciples
were surprised that Jesus was going to his Father's house and would return to
take them with him. And they were even more surprised when Jesus said he
expected them to know the way to the Father's house. Jesus' answer to their
question, "show us the way", was both a reminder that his disciples
should trust their Master and Teacher to show them the way, and a challenge for
them to recognize that Jesus had intimate knowledge of God and where God came
from. Jesus made a statement that invoked the very name which God had revealed
to Moses, "I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14), and he made three claims
which only God could make. He stated unequivocally to his disciples: "I am
the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6)
Jesus proclaims: I am the Way (John 14:6). He alone knows the way
to the Father because he has been with the Father from the beginning - before
time and creation ever existed. The Lord Jesus gives us more than a road map
and a guidebook. He personally is the way to the Father's kingdom, and we cannot
miss it if we follow him. He accompanies us on our daily journey and watches
over us as the good shepherd who leads and sustains us each and every step of
the way. Are you in step with the Lord, and do you trust in his guiding hand for
your life?
Jesus proclaims that he is the Truth (John 14:6). Many can say,
"I have taught you the truth." Only Jesus can say, I am the Truth. He
possesses in himself the fullness of truth. Jesus claims to be one with the
Father and to speak the truth which proceeds from the Father. Jesus promised
his disciples that if they continued in his word, they would learn the truth
and the truth would set them free" (John 8:31). The truth which Jesus
proclaims has the power to set us free from ignorance, deception, and sin. The
words which Jesus speaks are true because there is no lie or falsehood in him.
Moral truth requires more than mere words or ideas because the person who
speaks them must be true - true in thought, speech, deed, example, and action.
Jesus embodies the truth in his person.
Jesus proclaims that he is the Life (John 14:6). He not only shows
us the path of life (Psalm 16:11); he gives the kind of life which only God can
give - an abundant life that lasts forever. Is there any trouble, fear, or
distraction that keeps you from the perfect peace and joy of a life surrendered
to Jesus Christ?
Knowing
God personally: One of the greatest truths of the
Christian faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not
simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally.
The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and other
religions, is the knowledge of God as our Father. Jesus makes it possible for
each of us to personally know God as our Father. To see Jesus, the only
begotten Son of the Father, is to see what God is like. In Jesus, we see the
perfect love of God - a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and
women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the
Cross. Jesus is the revelation of God - a God who loves us completely,
unconditionally, and perfectly for our good. Jesus also promises that God the
Father will hear our prayers when we pray in his name. That is why Jesus taught
his followers to pray with confidence, Our Father who art in heaven... give us
this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:9). Do you pray to your Father in heaven
with joy and confidence in his love and care for you?
Doing
the works that Jesus did: Jesus told his disciples that they
would do the same works which he had done - and even greater works! While Jesus
was physically present to his disciples in Galilee and Jerusalem, he was
subject to the physical limitations of time, space, and circumstances. Now, as
the Risen Savior who is glorified and seated at the right hand of the Father in
heaven, the Lord Jesus makes his presence and power known to every place on
earth through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit who lives and works through
all the members of the body of Christ on earth.
Theresa of Avila (1515-1582) wrote: "Christ has no body now
but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through
which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks
to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours
are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ
has no body now on earth but yours."
Wherever we go, the Lord Jesus wants us to bring the good news and
blessings of his kingdom to as many people as we can. The Lord Jesus calls us
the salt of the earth. He wants us to bring the flavor of his goodness and
holiness into every area of society in which we are engaged. Christ calls us the light
of the world. He wants us to make him known and loved by helping people to see
the radiance of his love and truth and the beauty of his kingdom. That is why
Jesus continues to commission his followers throughout every age to "make
disciples of all nations"(John 17:18, Matthew 28:19).
"Lord Jesus, you fill us with the joy of your saving presence, and you give us the hope of everlasting life with the Father in Heaven. Show me
the Father that I may know and glorify him more fully."
The
temptation to do good: “This will permit us to concentrate on prayer
and the ministry of the word.” —Acts 6:4
“There is no chaining the
word of God” (2 Tm 2:9), but the messengers of God’s Word can be chained. We
are often chained through sin, selfishness, or fear. However, we can be chained
in more subtle ways. For example, the devil tried to chain the apostles by
making them think they needed to cut back temporarily on prayer and the
ministry of the Word to deal with a disagreement in the early Church (Acts
6:2ff). He tempted them by encouraging them to do a good and needed work.
Moreover, the devil didn’t tell them to completely quit their ministry of the
Word, but only to cut back just for a little while. However, once we deviate
even slightly from our God-given call (even if we do it by performing good
deeds), we are no longer doing God’s will. When we give an inch, even for a
moment, our inch turns into miles that can last forever.
Therefore:
Do God’s deeds, not good deeds. Do nothing but
His will. Don’t interrupt or postpone God’s work. Do it now. Don’t let up at
all in proclaiming His Word in season and out of season (2 Tm 4:2). Be a witness for the risen Christ full-time and forever.
Prayer:
Father, by Your grace I will live my vocation to the full. “Do not let
your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God and faith in Me.” —Jn 14:1. Alleluia!
Praise Jesus, “the Resurrection and the Life” (Jn 11:25). He holds “the keys of
death and the nether world” (Rv 1:18). Alleluia forever!
The personal question/action for today: What do I see as my role of ministry within
my community? How do I share in the ministry (service) of Jesus, the Priest? How
can I help lead others to the Way? What can I do so that the Truth can be known?
Is there anything I can do today so that someone else can share in the Life that
leads to the place prepared for them in our Abba’s House?
Saints Philip and James: James, Son of Alphaeus: We know nothing of this
man except his name, and, of course, the fact that Jesus chose him to be one of
the 12 pillars of the New Israel, his Church. He is not the James of Acts, son of
Clopas, “brother” of Jesus, and later bishop of Jerusalem and the traditional author
of the Letter of James. James, son of Alphaeus, is also known as James the Lesser
to avoid confusing him with James the son of Zebedee, also an apostle and known
as James the Greater.
Philip: Philip
came from the same town as Peter and Andrew, Bethsaida in Galilee. Jesus called
him directly, whereupon he sought out Nathanael and told him of the “one about whom
Moses wrote” (Jn 1:45).
Like the other apostles,
Philip took a long time coming to realize who Jesus was. On one occasion, when Jesus
saw the great multitude following him and wanted to give them food, he asked Philip
where they should buy bread for the people to eat. Saint John comments, “[Jesus]
said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do” (Jn 6:6).
Philip answered, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for
each of them to have a little [bit]” (Jn 6:7).
John’s story is not
a put-down of Philip. It was simply necessary for these men who were to be the foundation
stones of the Church to see the clear distinction between humanity’s total helplessness
apart from God and the human ability to be a bearer of divine power by God’s gift.
On another occasion,
we can almost hear the exasperation in Jesus’s voice. After Thomas had complained
that they did not know where Jesus was going, Jesus said, “I am the way. If you
know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have
seen him” (Jn 14:6a, 7). Then Philip said, “Master, show us the Father, and that
will be enough for us” (Jn 14:8). Enough! Jesus answered, “Have I been with you
for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has
seen the Father” (Jn 14:9a).
Possibly because Philip
bore a Greek name or because he was thought to be close to Jesus, some gentile proselytes
came to him and asked him to introduce them to Jesus. Philip went to Andrew, and
Andrew went to Jesus. Jesus’s reply in John’s Gospel is indirect; Jesus says that
now his “hour” has come, that in a short time he will give his life for Jew and
gentile alike.
As in the case of
the other apostles, we see in James and Philip human men who became foundation stones
of the Church, and we are reminded again that holiness and its consequent apostolate
are entirely the gift of God, not a matter of human achievement. All power is God’s
power, even the power of human freedom to accept his gifts.
“You will be clothed
with power from on high,” Jesus told Philip and the others. Their first commission
had been to expel unclean spirits, heal diseases, and announce the kingdom. They learned,
gradually, that these externals were sacraments of an even greater miracle inside their persons—the
divine power to love like God. Philip and James, like all of the apostles, show
us how the Word of God can heal and unite if only we as a collective are brave enough
to listen.