Room to Grow

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary Friday, May 16, invite us to ponder the many rooms that Jesus references in His Father’s House both as our eternal resting place and our mission to our brothers and sisters who occupy different rooms physically and spiritually in our environment today.

Many Rooms in The Father's House

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles continues 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. (Acts of the Apostles, n.d.)

Psalm 2 is a royal Psalm.

* [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). (Psalms, PSALM 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John begins the Last Supper Discourses.

* [14:1] You have faith: could also be imperative: “Have faith.”

* [14:3] Come back again: a rare Johannine reference to the parousia; cf. 1 Jn 2:28.

* [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). (John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)

Edward Morse comments that the reading from John 14 reminds us that Jesus is the bridge to the Father, allowing us to cross the chasm to the transcendent and going ahead to prepare a place in that transcendent reality for us to dwell.  Jesus tells his followers that they will dwell in the Father’s house, with the implication that this house will be our Father’s house, too.

Lord, help us to live in a state of holy respect and awe for your name, rejoicing in the love, goodness, and mercy that you have so liberally administered to each of us, and which we celebrate in this holy Easter season.  Thanks be to God. (Morse, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Walk by faith in the truth,” by 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) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:1-6 asks how can our heart be at peace when our problems aren’t solved and our needs aren’t met?

If doubts arise about what to do next, hear Jesus as he says, “I am the way” (John 14:6). Perhaps he knows that your habit of walking another “way,” of looking for security, happiness, or healing, has left your heart troubled. Perhaps your “way” is some plan for your future, some relationship, or a yearning for worldly success. But it still leaves you anxious, while Jesus’ way leads to peace and freedom. Jesus is a faithful Savior; he will not fail you. He stretches out his hand and says, “Come, follow me. I am the way.” Offer your ways to Jesus and proclaim, I will follow you, Lord!

“Jesus, I believe in you. I hope and trust in you!” (Meditation on John 14:1-6, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Paul is speaking to the synagogue about Abraham and the god fearers and Jesus' declaration of the truth by rising from the dead. The Last Supper Discourse begins with Jesus' reference to the many rooms in His Father’s house. Friar Jude notes the resonance with realized eschatology in Luke and John.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a profound image of the divine feminine, an archetype of maternal love and protection.

God speaks through the “Mother of the true God through whom one lives,” whom the Spanish called María. But she is dressed in the clothes of the Indians, speaks their Nahuatl language and calls Juan Diego, one of the poorest, to “repreach” the gospel back to the Spanish colonizers who thought they had the gospel in the first place. In one generation, under this mother symbol, almost all of the native peoples of Mexico accepted Christianity. People of Indigenous and Spanish ancestry (mestizos) were born, and I might say a new mestizo Christianity unfolds. We are slowly learning that there is no other kind of Christianity. Christ takes on the face and features of all people, whoever they are and no matter their circumstances. In this case God knew that the face and features had to be feminine and compassionate. No other sign could transform both the Spanish machisimo and the matriarchal religion of the Indians at the same time. [1] (Rohr, 2025)

We seek the fortitude and humility to follow the prompting of the Spirit to celebrate the community of humanity that God sustains in many places and cultures in our environment.

References

Acts of the Apostles. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/13?26 

John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/14?1 

Meditation on John 14:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/05/16/1278708/ 

Morse, E. (2025, May 16). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/051625.html 

Psalms, PSALM 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/2?6 

Rohr, R. (2025, May 16). Our Lady of Guadalupe — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/our-lady-of-guadalupe/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled! Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 16, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=may16 

Blessing and Rejoicing

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, inspire our search for the signs today of the continuing call to conversion and surrender to truth, love, and compassion.

Call to Conversion

The readings from the Prophet Zechariah shares themes of the First Three Visions.

* [2:15] Many nations…my people: a way of expressing God’s relationship to people in covenant language. The covenant between God and Israel (see Jer 31:33; 32:38) is here universalized to include all nations.

* [2:16] The holy land: the Lord’s earthly territory, a designation found only rarely in the Old Testament. (Zechariah, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)

The response is from the Book of Judith.

* [13:12–20] Elements from chaps. 8–9 are echoed here. The assembly of the people at Judith’s return parallels the meeting of the town officials summoned by Judith in 8:10. Uzziah blesses Judith in 8:5 and again in 13:18–20. (Judith, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke proclaims the announcement of the Birth of Jesus and relates Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth.

* [1:26–38] The announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus is parallel to the announcement to Zechariah of the birth of John. In both the angel Gabriel appears to the parent who is troubled by the vision (Lk 1:11–12, 26–29) and then told by the angel not to fear (Lk 1:13, 30). After the announcement is made (Lk 1:14–17, 31–33) the parent objects (Lk 1:18, 34) and a sign is given to confirm the announcement (Lk 1:20, 36). The particular focus of the announcement of the birth of Jesus is on his identity as Son of David (Lk 1:32–33) and Son of God (Lk 1:32, 35).

* [1:32] Son of the Most High: cf. Lk 1:76 where John is described as “prophet of the Most High.” “Most High” is a title for God commonly used by Luke (Lk 1:35, 76; 6:35; 8:28; Acts 7:48; 16:17).

* [1:34] Mary’s questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to lead to the angel’s declaration about the Spirit’s role in the conception of this child (Lk 1:35). According to Luke, the virginal conception of Jesus takes place through the holy Spirit, the power of God, and therefore Jesus has a unique relationship to Yahweh: he is Son of God.

* [1:36–37] The sign given to Mary in confirmation of the angel’s announcement to her is the pregnancy of her aged relative Elizabeth. If a woman past the childbearing age could become pregnant, why, the angel implies, should there be doubt about Mary’s pregnancy, for nothing will be impossible for God.

* [1:43] Even before his birth, Jesus is identified in Luke as the Lord.

* [1:45] Blessed are you who believed: Luke portrays Mary as a believer whose faith stands in contrast to the disbelief of Zechariah (Lk 1:20). Mary’s role as believer in the infancy narrative should be seen in connection with the explicit mention of her presence among “those who believed” after the resurrection at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:14).

* [1:46–55] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker. (Luke, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Maureen McCann Waldron comments that the difference between what God asked of Mary and what God asks of us is our response - Mary was willing to turn her life over completely to God. She said Yes. We tend to squirm, to hedge, fight for control and insist on doing it alone, on our own, without help from God. It is our independence from God, our rebellious streak that makes our lives more of a struggle. What would it take for us to put aside our own fears about how we will look and how well we might succeed and to take up the request Jesus has given us - to follow his example in caring for the poor, to love the unlovable and to invite the marginalized into our lives?

Mary, on this feast of Guadalupe, help me to remember how much I am poor and powerless. Help me to fall into the loving embrace of your son and to turn my life over to him. Let me open my eyes to those around me who need me and not be afraid to respond with my whole life. Come, Lord, Jesus, and fill my heart. (McCann, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “Mary conceives the Creator of all things,” by an anonymous early author from the Greek church

"Gabriel flew down from the vault of heaven and came to Nazareth; standing before the virgin Mary, he cried to her, 'Rejoice! You shall conceive a son more ancient than Adam, the Creator of all things and Savior of those who cry to you. Rejoice, pure virgin!' Gabriel brought from heaven good tidings to the Virgin, and he cried out to her, 'Rejoice! You shall conceive him whom the world cannot contain; he shall be contained within your womb. You shall bear him who shone forth from the Father before the morning star!' (Psalm 110:3).

"The co-eternal Word of the Father who has no beginning, not being parted from the things on high, has now descended here below, in his boundless love taking pity on fallen humankind. He has assumed the poverty of Adam, clothing himself in a form strange to him." (excerpt from STICHERA OF THE ANNUNCIATION) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Zechariah 2:14-17 comments that to prove she was real, Mary had Juan Diego gather flowers into his ordinary cloak, or tilma, for the local bishop. When Juan Diego opened the garment, the flowers fell to the floor, revealing an image of Mary emblazoned on the cloth. Amazingly, that image was full of Aztec symbolism, from the royal color of her gown to the ribbon around her waist, from the stars and rays of sun on her mantle to the flowers on her robe.

As we celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe today, let’s pray that all the nations will join themselves to the Lord as his people. Let’s ask Mary to bless missionaries all around the world with the wisdom and grace to win over the hearts of those Jesus is calling to himself!

“Lord, may all nations be joined to you!” (Meditation on Zechariah 2:14-17, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the connection between “daughter Zion” and Mary in the action of God to come and rescue His People. The perfect tense of the greeting of the angel to Mary is the scriptural basis for her Immaculate Conception. Friar Jude reminds us of the Ark of the Covenant imagery for Mary and her role as the “Queen of the anawim”.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés who writes of enduring comfort found through images of the Divine Mother.

She is known by many names and many images, and has appeared in different epochs of time, to people across the world, in exactly the shapes and images the soul would most readily understand her, apprehend her, be able to embrace her and be embraced by her. 

She wears a thousand names, thousands of skin tones, thousands of costumes to represent her being patroness of deserts, mountains, stars, streams, and oceans. If there are more than six billion people on earth, then thereby she comes to us in literally billions of images. Yet at her center is only one great Immaculate Heart…. (Rohr, n.d.)

We reflect on the role of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the transformation of faith for the people of Mexico and implore the Spirit to guide conversion in our time and within our environment.

A short clip from episode 4 of Rev.. Robert Barron's superb "Catholicism" series. This episode is called, "Our Tainted Nature's Solitary Boast - Mary, the Mother of God".

References

Judith, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/judith/13?18 

Luke, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?26 

McCann, M. (2024, December 12). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from  https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/121224.html 

Meditation on Zechariah 2:14-17. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/12/12/1150088/ 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Our Divine Mother. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/our-divine-mother/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). For with God Nothing Will Be Impossible. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=dec12a 

Zechariah, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/zechariah/2?14