The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate how our relationship with Jesus resonates with the life filled proclamation of Paul and the promise of Truth and Life in following the Way.
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| Way Truth and Life |
The reading from Acts is Paul’s address in the Synagogue.
* [13:31] The theme of the Galilean witnesses is a major one in the Gospel of Luke and in Acts and is used to signify the continuity between the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of the church and to guarantee the fidelity of the church’s teachings to the words of Jesus.1
In Psalm 2, A speaker proclaims the divine decree making the Israelite king the earthly representative of God.
* [Psalm 2] A royal Psalm. To rebellious kings (Ps 2:1–3) God responds vigorously (Ps 2:4–6). A speaker proclaims the divine decree (in the legal adoption language of the day), making the Israelite king the earthly representative of God (Ps 2:7–9) and warning kings to obey (Ps 2:10–11). The Psalm has a messianic meaning for the Church; the New Testament understands it of Christ (Acts 4:25–27; 13:33; Heb 1:5).2
The Last Supper Discourses in the Gospel of John reassure the disciples of Jesus everlasting Presence with them.
[14:4] The way: here, of Jesus himself; also a designation of Christianity in Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22.
* [14:6] The truth: in John, the divinely revealed reality of the Father manifested in the person and works of Jesus. The possession of truth confers knowledge and liberation from sin (Jn 8:32).3
Diane Jorgensen observes that often when we are confused, troubled and fearful...it may be due to conflict in a relationship, weighty decisions to make, or simply anxious about an unknown future...our desire for clarity and security is so strong we reach for the quickest answer and the easiest solution.
Today Jesus tells us our clarity, our security, our safety is only in relationship with him, and through him, with God. At these times we need to be still and listen for the voice of Jesus. Whether in prayer or in the words of a faithful companion, we need reminders just as the disciples did. We need to hear these words frequently. “My dear friend, you know Jesus, you know the way, you know to whom you belong, so trust the process; trust that you will be led and given all you need.”4
Don Schwager quotes “Walk by faith in the truth,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Persevere now in walking by faith in the truth, that you may succeed in coming at a definite and due time to the sight of the same truth. For as the apostle says, 'While staying here in the body, we are away from the Lord. For we are walking by faith, not by sight' (2 Corinthians 5:6-7). We are led to the direct sight and vision of the Father by Christian faith. That is why the Lord says, 'No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (excerpt from SERMON 12.5)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:1-6 notes that today’s Gospel reading is typically used for funeral liturgies. Jesus has ascended to heaven and is preparing a place for us when we pass from this life to the next. But there’s more to this promise than the guarantee of a heavenly home. Jesus is also telling his disciples that he has prepared a place for each of them on earth, in his kingdom, as it breaks out all around them.
Jesus has fashioned a niche all your own where you can flourish and thrive. It’s a spot uniquely suited to your personality, gifts, and abilities. It’s the place where you can become an effective coworker with him in building his Father’s kingdom.
So where is this place? Take a moment to consider where it may be at this time in your life. Whether it’s in your parish or in your workplace or at home with your children, you can rest assured that it has been tailor-made just for you. It’s the place where you can best radiate God’s love and mercy to the people around you.6
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the continuation of the kerygma preached by Paul in the synagogue. Psalm 2 connects Jesus to the Kings of Israel. Friar Jude comments on the Way, Truth and Life in the context of the dualistic style of John’s Gospel.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, observes humans become like the God we worship. So it’s important that our God is good and life-giving. That’s why we desperately need a worldwide paradigm shift in Christian consciousness regarding how we perceive and relate to God.
This shift has been subtly yet profoundly underway for some time, hiding in plain sight. In order to come together in politics and religion, to take seriously new scientific findings in biology and quantum physics, and for our species and our planet to even survive we must reclaim Relationship as the foundation and ground of everything.
In his book “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions”, Thomas Kuhn popularized the phrase “paradigm shift.” [1] Kuhn said that paradigm shifts become necessary when the plausibility structure of the previous paradigm becomes so full of holes and patchwork “fixes” that a complete overhaul, which once looked utterly threatening, now appears as a lifeline..7
Fr Richard provides a conclusion that unfortunately, for the vast majority, God is still “the man upstairs,” a substantive noun more than an active verb. Rational and sincere people wonder, “If God is almighty and all-loving, then why is there so much suffering in the world?” Once you experience God as all-vulnerable, then perhaps God stands in solidarity with all pain and suffering in the universe, allowing us to be participants in our own healing.
References
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(n.d.). Acts, chapter 13 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/13
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(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms2:12
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(n.d.). John, chapter 14 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/14
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(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
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(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
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(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/05/17/
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(2019, May 17). Trinitarian Revolution — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 17, 2019, from https://cac.org/trinitarian-revolution-2019-05-17/
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