The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to to recognize the Father through the prompting of the Spirit revealing Christ in our environment.
The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians begins the Gospel teaching about the Resurrection of Christ.
* [15:3–7] The language by which Paul expresses the essence of the “gospel” (1 Cor 15:1) is not his own but is drawn from older credal formulas. This credo highlights Jesus’ death for our sins (confirmed by his burial) and Jesus’ resurrection (confirmed by his appearances) and presents both of them as fulfillment of prophecy. In accordance with the scriptures: conformity of Jesus’ passion with the scriptures is asserted in Mt 16:1; Lk 24:25–27, 32, 44–46. Application of some Old Testament texts (Ps 2:7; 16:8–11) to his resurrection is illustrated by Acts 2:27–31; 13:29–39; and Is 52:13–53:12 and Hos 6:2 may also have been envisaged. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
Psalm 19 praises God’s Glory in Creation and the Law.
* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem. (Psalms, PSALM 19, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus' works manifest the Father.
* [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). * [14:7] An alternative reading, “If you knew me, then you would have known my Father also,” would be a rebuke, as in Jn 8:19. * [14:8] Show us the Father: Philip is pictured asking for a theophany like Ex 24:9–10; 33:18. (John, CHAPTER 14, n.d.)
Gladyce Janky hears a prompting of the Holy Spirit, nudging both Thomas and Philip to question. The questions open the door for her to become more aware of two things. First, she can trust Jesus with all of her questions. Secondly, he knew some 2000 years following his earthly ministry, the world’s darkness would weigh heavily on his followers.
Today I notice the war in Ukraine, human trafficking, and the lack of respect for all persons’ equal dignity, all leading me to ask Master, where are you, and where is the Father?... My question, Where are you, is answered when I take the time to notice the work of everyone committed to building God’s Kingdom. In times of doubt, I have learned to stop, recall the witnesses’ stories, and seek what is life-giving. The risen Christ, who declares, I am the way, the truth, and the life. (Janky, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “All nature serves for our instruction,” by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.
"All nature serves the Word of God for our instruction. Through all the turning points of the year, as if through the four Gospels, we learn from the unceasing trumpet both what we should preach and what we should do... What is there through which the truth does not speak to us? Its voice is heard in the day, it is heard in the night, and the beauty of all things, established by the work of one God, does not cease to put into the ears of our hearts a ruling order, to let us see the 'invisible things of God through those which have been made intelligible to us,' and it is subject not to the creatures but to the Creator of all things." (excerpt from Sermon 19,2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:6-14 comments that the more we step out in faith, the more our understanding will deepen and grow. Offer to pray with someone who is sick. Take on a project that you think God is calling you to do, even if you don’t feel completely qualified. Share an uplifting story about the Lord with a coworker who is struggling.
After the events of Easter and Pentecost, Philip and James understood what God had done in Jesus. They went on to preach the gospel and were eventually martyred for their faith. Like these two apostles, Jesus knows you believe in him, and he can work with that. As he increases your understanding, you can trust that the Lord will open even more doors to build up his kingdom in the world today. “Jesus, I believe in you. Send me out to share your good news!” (The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:6-14, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the possible Scriptural references in the testimony of Paul in 1 Corinthians. In the Last Supper Discourse, Jesus cites the Father as witness to the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Friar Jude reminds us that we receive from Jesus as part of His family Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that in a series of sermons, radio addresses, newspaper articles, and public speeches, Archbishop Óscar Romero (1917–1980) of El Salvador called the people of his church and his nation to return to gospel values, particularly those of justice and love as a way to end violence.
If there were love of neighbor, there would be no terrorism, no repression, no selfishness, none of such cruel inequalities in society, no abductions, no crimes. Love sums up the law. Not only that, it gives a Christian meaning to all human relations. . . . Love gives plentitude to all human duties, and without love justice is only the sword. With love, justice becomes a brother’s embrace. Without love, laws are arduous, repressive, cruel. . . But when there is love—security forces would be superfluous, there would be no jail or tortures, no will to beat anyone. [4] (A Climate of Violence — Center for Action and Contemplation, 2022)
When we are open to the Spirit, we are disposed to experience the Presence of God in the people and events of our day.
References
A Climate of Violence — Center for Action and Contemplation. (2022, May 3). Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://cac.org/a-climate-of-violence-2022-05-03/
Janky, G. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/050322.html
John, CHAPTER 14. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/14?6
1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/15?1
Psalms, PSALM 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?2
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:6-14. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://wau.org/
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