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| Disciples on the journey |
The Acts of the Apostles describes the suspicion of the Jerusalem disciples toward Paul and the rejection of his teaching by the Jewish Hellenists who sought to kill him.
* [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18.The First Letter of John calls us to be confident disciples.
* [3:19–24] Living a life of faith in Jesus and of Christian love assures us of abiding in God no matter what our feelings may at times tell us. Our obedience gives us confidence in prayer and trust in God’s judgment. This obedience includes our belief in Christ and love for one another.In the Gospel from John, Jesus reminds us of the intimacy with Him that brings us Life.
* [15:1–16:4] Discourse on the union of Jesus with his disciples. His words become a monologue and go beyond the immediate crisis of the departure of Jesus.Fred Hanna asks what keeps us from being courageous?
The unknown. Disappointment. Fear of finding out what we don’t really want to know. Failure. This is the time to be courageous, and I find it best to ask the Lord to do his best work on me.Don Schwager shares a quote by Basil the Great, 329-379 A.D., on being cleansed by Jesus' word.
"So the world - life enslaved by carnal passions - can no more receive the grace of the Spirit than a weak eye can look at the light of a sunbeam. First the Lord cleansed his disciples' lives through his teaching, and then he gave them the ability to both see and contemplate the Spirit. He says, 'You are already made clean by the word I have spoken to you' (John 15:3). Therefore 'the world cannot receive him, because it neither sees him nor knows him... You know him, for he dwells with you' (John 14:17). Isaiah says, 'He who settled the earth and the things in it; and gives breath to the people on it, and Spirit to them that tread on it' (Isaiah 42:5). From this we can learn that those who trample earthly things and rise above them become worthy to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 22.53)Friar Jude Winkler is reminded of the awe we should have at the mystery of the action of the Spirit in the growth of the Church. He cites Augustine and notes how obeying the Commandments is done in the attitude of respecting the dignity of the One who Loves. He connects the nourishment we receive and need connected to the Vine to the Eucharist.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) to note that the physical structure of the universe is love.
St. Bonaventure (1221-1274) called the Trinity a “fountain fullness” of love. [2] God is unhindered dialogue, a positive and inclusive flow, an eternal waterwheel of self-emptying and outpouring love—that knows it can completely self-empty because it will always be filled back up. This is the very definition and description of divine love; all human love merely imitates, approximates, and celebrates this same pattern.The deep commitment of the disciple is the consequence of the decision to remain in Love connected in the Vine.
References
(n.d.). Acts, chapter 9 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/acts/9:26
(n.d.). 1 John, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1john/3
(n.d.). John, chapter 15 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/john/15:1
(n.d.). Creighton's Online Ministries - Creighton University. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
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