Thankful for full free lives of joy

The Collect (prayer to gather the focus of the Mass for today and introduce the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary) petitions God, the author of our freedom, for life. We often celebrate and are thankful for the fullness of life we may be experiencing or we may witness that another has or is experiencing. The Gospel of John today opens with words frequently used in funeral liturgies. These are comforting to the bereaved. Fulfillment of our life plan is a source of joy for people. Paul addresses the synagogue in Antioch with the proclamation of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets and in the words of the psalmist proclaims Jesus as Divine Son of God. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the mission of Paul was to go first to the Jewish people with the message of joy in the on going Covenant with God through Jesus and then to bring the message inviting all to full life to the Gentiles. Joy is an indicator of full life. Fr Robert Barron, in the Catholicism video series, teaches the joy understood by Thomas Aquinas as freedom from the "addictions" of power, pleasure, honour and possessions. The Gospel of John answers the query of Thomas about living in one of the "many dwelling places". Disciples of Jesus follow Him as the Way or path to intimate relationship with God as growing in this relationship reveals Truth and the freedom from Aquinas four addictions brings the vitality of life of which being in God consists.