Last Sunday, we of humble heart were considered Jesus’s sheep, and Jesus was our shepherd. This Sunday, we do what sheep are supposed to do, follow the way the shepherd guides us.
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be
troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith
also in me.
In my Father's house there are
many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am
going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place
for you,
I will come back again and take
you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the
way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where
you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, I am the way
and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except
through me.
If you know me, then you will also
know my Father.
From now on you do know him and
have seen him."
Philip said to him,
"Master, show us the Father,
and that will be enough for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I
been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the
Father.
How can you say, 'Show us the
Father'?
Do you not believe that I am in
the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do
not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is
doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father
and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the
works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the
works that I do,
and will do greater ones than
these,
because I am going to the Father."
Jn 14:1-12
I just love the metaphor of the dwelling
place. Jesus is leading us to that
dwelling place, where will be our real home.
Week after week I try to find different exegesis for the these Gospel readings,
but it always seems that Dr. Brant Pitre has the most insightful. Here he is again.
This Gospel passage is commonly read at funeral Masses. I think I want it read at my funeral Mass. There is this comical question by Thomas: “"Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?"
.” Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
ReplyDeleteWhat Jesus is trying to explain here is that God is a Spirit. Jesus too is a Spirit who has always existed. He did not begin to exist when He was born as a baby on earth. He always existed.
Jesus and God, and the Holy Spirit are one. The Holy Trinity. Jesus is explaining here that if you have seen Him, (the Spirit incarnate) then you have seen the Father.
The disciples do not understand this until Pentecost, when they receive the Holy Spirit.
God bless.
Thank you Victor.
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