More and Deeper

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today show a path that leads to greater intimacy in our relationship with God.

Path to more

In the Acts of the Apostles the rejection of the message of Paul and Barnabas by the Jewish leadership precedes the calling of Gentiles to hear the life giving Good News.

* [13:46] The refusal to believe frustrates God’s plan for his chosen people; however, no adverse judgment is made here concerning their ultimate destiny. Again, Luke, in the words of Paul, speaks of the priority of Israel in the plan for salvation (see Acts 10:36).

The declaration of Jesus in the Gospel of John that He and the Father are One challenges the disciples and us to understand what is possible through living in that relationship.

* [14:8] Show us the Father: Philip is pictured asking for a theophany like Ex 24:9–10; 33:18.

Tom Shanahan, S.J. asserts that we need to grow in our understanding of this magnificent truth: our unity with God and His Son as we respond to our calling to be like Christ.

And "poor us!" As we continue to let Christ come ever more deeply into our hearts and lives slowly (like Philip), but we hope surely.  Can we truly believe that The Father is in Jesus and that I am in Christ in the same way – as the source of my own Christ life? I am one with Christ as he was one with the Father, and, like him I am invited to live for and with others as Jesus taught us.

Don Schwager quotes The Father's portrait in the Son, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D. to deepen our exploration.

"By means of this image the Lord showed Philip the Father. Yes, he who looks on the Son sees, in portrait, the Father. Notice what kind of portrait is spoken of. It is truth, righteousness, the power of God. It is not silent, for it is the Word. It is not insensible, for it is Wisdom. It is not vain and foolish, for it is power. It is not soulless, for it is the life. It is not dead, for it is the resurrection." (excerpt from ON THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 1.7.50)

Friar Jude Winkler confirms the pattern used by Paul when his teaching is rejected by the religious authorities. We have not to fear to ask God as a consequence of the intimate relationship into which we are called.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, turns to the prologue to The Spiritual Canticle of John of the Cross (1542-1591) to summarize his contemplation topic of gender and sexuality in our relationship with the Divine.

“it would be foolishness to think that the language of love . . . can be at all explained in words of any kind.” Words fail to describe human and divine intimacy, and yet all mystics, poets, and wisdom teachers use words to point to the ineffable.

The truth, righteousness, the power of God as cited by St. Ambrose are revealed in our relationship with Jesus.

References



(n.d.). Acts, chapter 13 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/acts/13:44

(n.d.). John, chapter 14 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/14

(n.d.). Creighton Online Ministries - Creighton University. Retrieved April 28, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 28, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 28, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/