Tuesday 30 April 2013
Do I consider myself as part of the vine or do I regard myself as an individual branch? How will I show that I am part of the vine?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 15:1-6; Jn 15:1-8
John
15:1-17 are the verses for today and the next two days. These verses contain
the final “I am” sayings in the Gospel (vv. 1, 5) and introduce the central
metaphor of this unit: the vine and its branches. Jesus uses, in the first
verse of Chapter 15, a common symbol of the world at that time: Vine. While in
15:1, the relationship with Jesus and the Father is stressed, in 15:5, when the
metaphor is used again, Jesus does so in the context of his relationship with
his disciples. Thus, the focus of the metaphor is interrelationship. If God is
the vine dresser, Jesus is the vine and the disciples are the branches. All
three are required for the production of fruit.
God,
as the vine dresser, is the origin or source and, because Jesus comes from the
Father, he is the true vine. God acts in his capacity as vine dresser and does
what is best for the vine. Those branches that do bear fruit are pruned and
those that do not, are cut away. This means that those of the community who
express their union with Jesus by acting it out in works of love are pruned,
whereas those who do not show their faith in action are cut off. The disciples
have been given an insight into how they must remain in the vine, through the
words that Jesus has spoken to them and through the loving actions that he
performed, symbolized in the washing of the feet. They must learn from these
actions and realize that, without abiding or remaining in Jesus, they can do
nothing. Their own power or effort will never be sufficient for the works they
have to perform. These can only be done if accompanied by the grace that Jesus
gives.
“I
am the vine, you are the branches” in 15:5 is not a repetition of what was said
earlier. Rather it stresses the relationship of the community with Jesus.
Without the vine, the branches are nothing. Mutual indwelling will result in
bearing fruit. If a branch decides that it wants to live apart from the vine,
it is in effect asking for death. Life apart from the vine is not possible for
any branch.
Mutual
indwelling is not merely with a single branch and the vine but with all the
branches in the vine with one another. This unity of the branches among
themselves will result in fruit bearing. This unity will also be a witness for
the world and the glorification of the vine dresser: God. When people see the
works of the disciples, it will lead them to glorify the Father.
All
too often Christianity has been understood as a religion that has only the
individual dimension. The communitarian dimension has been neglected. This is
seen in so many of the Sacraments (which are both individual and communitarian)
being treated and regarded as private devotions. The approach of many
Christians has often been: My God and I. This approach is to misunderstand
Christianity and all that Jesus stood for. The metaphor of today makes explicit
that mutual indwelling is at the heart of the preaching of Jesus, and that
Christianity, while it surely has an individual dimension, just as surely has a
communitarian dimension. I am, as a Christian my brother’s and sister’s keeper.
Their joys and sorrow, their trials and tribulations, their successes and
failures, have to be as real to me as my own if I am to be a Christian in the
true sense of the word. The Christian does make an individual commitment and
choice to follow Jesus but he/she makes it in and through a community.
Monday 29 April 2013
When adversity knocks at your door do you open with dread and fear or hope and courage?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 14:19-28; Jn 14:27-31
A new promise is given to the disciples. This is first
occurrence of “peace” in the Gospel of John. Peace here does not mean simply a
wish, but must be seen as a legacy or bequest that Jesus leaves behind for the
disciples. This peace that Jesus gives is not merely a sense of security, not merely
the end of conflict and strife, but it embraces every aspect of a person’s
life. This peace makes the weak strong and the fainthearted brave. It is a
wholeness which makes one courageous to face all the trials and tribulations of
life without getting overwhelmed. It is a peace which gives them the strength
to face every kind of adversity with equanimity and faith.
Even as he offers this gift to them, Jesus reminds
them of his departure because this is what God wills and it must come to pass.
It is a reality that cannot be avoided and the peace given to them must make
them able to accept it. The disciples must accept this reality, not out of
resignation but, with an active joy. The reason for this joy is that Jesus goes
to the Father after having completed the work given to him. It is the Father
who has sent Jesus and given him the work to do - the work of making the Father
known to the world - and now, after completing it thoroughly, Jesus goes back
to where he has come from.
The foretelling of the events is Jesus’ way of
preparing the disciples for what is to come and also to reveal to them that
Jesus continues to go to his departure willingly and knowingly. It is not as if
some unseen hand or “fate” is responsible for what is to come. Since what will
happen fits in with God’s plan for Jesus and the world, Satan is never in
control. He cannot have any power over Jesus. Jesus does what he does willingly
and in obedience to the will of the Father..
The event of the death of a loved one sometimes shatters
our world. We find it difficult to cope with the loss and wonder if the God we
believe in really is a God of unconditional love. Does our God really care what
happens to us? If he does, then why did he let this misfortune befall us? Where
is he when we need him most? Why does he not answer? The answers to these
questions are provided by Jesus in the Gospel text of today. He tells his disciples, and us, to rejoice at
such happenings because they fit in with God’s plan for us and the world. We
may not be able to see this plan at first glance, like the disciples were not
able to see it when Jesus spoke it to them, but we also know that Jesus’ words
are true because of his resurrection and ascension and because of the
transformation in the lives of his disciples because of these events. We have
to continue to dare to believe.
Sunday 28 April 2013
Do Jesus and the Father dwell in you? How will you show this through your actions today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 14:5-18; Jn 14:21-26
To be a true disciple of Jesus, it is not enough to
make a verbal proclamation of faith in him. One is also required to keep his
commandments. It is important to note here that one does not earn Jesus’ love
by keeping his command to love. It is
because one has already experienced that love that one wants to love and obey
in return.
Judas (not Iscariot) does not appear in any of the
Synoptic Gospels. He is the one who misunderstands here and asks a question
about the revelation that Jesus is to make, not realizing that the revelation
has been made already. If the disciples want to continue to experience the love
that Jesus has made manifest to the world, they must continue to love one
another. It is in the love of one another that they will experience the love of
God and Jesus. This will result in a mutual indwelling. Just as Jesus dwells in
the Father and the Father in him, so Jesus and the Father will live in the
disciples and the disciples in them. This abiding presence of God and Jesus
within the disciples as a community is both the foundation and the result of
love expressed in deeds. Where there is no love shown, Jesus and the Father
cannot be made present.
Though Jesus has made explicit what the disciples are
to do if they are to make him present, it is possible that they may not have
grasped all the implications of the command. The Paraclete or Advocate, only
here in John identified with the Holy Spirit, will “remind” them of Jesus’
teachings. This clearly indicates that the Holy Spirit will not give new or
different teaching, but only reinforce all that Jesus has already taught. The
Spirit will be sent in Jesus’ name and so, like Jesus was the exegesis of the
Father, the Spirit will be the exegesis of Jesus.
To keep the words of Jesus means to live them out in
action. The ones who do that have already experienced the indwelling of God and
Jesus in them. This indwelling will strengthen them and enable them to live out
the word more fully each day. This is not a linear but cyclic process. More
living out means more indwelling and more indwelling means more living out.
Saturday 27 April 2013
MOST OF THE WORDS ARE NAMES OF PLACES IN THE TEXTS OF TODAY
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FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - Who are you that you do these things… and that you do them in this way?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 14:21b-27; Rev 21:1-5a; Jn 13:31-33a,34-35
The Thirty Fifth General Congregation of the Society of Jesus was held at the
beginning of the year 2008. In Decree 2 titled “The Fire that Kindles Other Fires”
a line reads thus: “Our lives must provoke the questions, “Who are you that you
do these things…. and that you do them in this way”?” Through this the members
of the Society of Jesus are exhorted to “manifest especially in the ceaseless
world of noise and stimulation – a strong sense of the sacred inseparably
joined to involvement in the world.” These words can well be used as a summary
of the challenge of the Gospel text of today.
The
background to the verses of the Gospel text is the episode in which Jesus
washes the feet of his disciples. It is a gesture that is not merely symbolic,
or a lesson in humility, but a prophetic gesture. Jesus is showing through this
prophetic act not what his disciples are expected to do but what they are
expected to be. Jesus wanted their actions to stem from their being. Today’s
verses begin after Judas has gone out. He has decided not to be what Jesus
expects him to be. He has decided to opt out. It is in this context and even in
the midst of impending betrayal and deceitfulness that Jesus gives a new
command. To be sure the command per se is not new. It forms part of the Torah
in the Old Testament. What is new about it is that the commandment to love has
its roots in the incarnation. God’s love for the world was so great that God
could only send the Son as a perfect manifestation of that love. The second
reading from the book of Revelation confirms this when it affirms that because
of the incarnation, the dwelling of God is on earth and among mortals. God
dwells with humans and manifests his love to them in wiping away their tears,
and taking away their crying, mourning and pain. The disciples are asked to
enter into that same love. They will show that they have entered into this love
by keeping this command to love. It is a sure and tangible sign of the
disciples abiding in Jesus. This love will also be a sign to the world of who
the disciples are and why they do what they do.
The
first Christian community continued to give this sign because of which many who
experienced it were drawn to their way of life. The first reading of today
narrates how Paul and his companions were able to transform the lives of many
not merely because of their preaching the Word, but because they lived out the
Word they preached. They were unafraid to continue to love even in the midst of
persecution and rejection. What mattered to them was that love be proclaimed. What
mattered to them was that the love that God had made incarnate in Christ be made
known to all. What mattered was that no matter how arduous the road ahead or
how terrifying the terrain, they would continue to persevere and love. They
were thus instrumental in giving a glimpse to those who encountered them of the
new heaven and new earth that the second reading of today speaks of. The first
heaven and earth which was a heaven and earth that had not had the privilege of
witnessing and experiencing the incarnation was no more. It had passed away
because of the coming of Christ and his gift on unconditional love. The new
heaven and new earth inaugurated by Christ’s coming was a heaven and earth that
the first Christian community experienced in Christ and wanted to share with
others. It was a situation in which there would be no sea and therefore no
negatives because all that was negative would fade with the coming of the
positive of unrestricted and unreserved love.
Today
more than two thousand years after the inauguration of that new heaven and new
earth, the challenge remains. The Christian community of today has to waken to
this challenge and call to give a glimpse of what was through the coming of
Christ and so what can be. It will do this when individual members of the
community take on the responsibility of becoming Christ to those who do not
know him or have not yet encountered him. It will do this when the community as
a whole is united in that love which Christ brought with his coming. It will do
this when those who encounter Christians today ask, “Who are you that you do
these things… and that you do them in this way?”
Friday 26 April 2013
Jesus revealed the Father as unconditional love. How will you reveal Jesus today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 13:44-52; Jn 14:7-14
These verses continue the teachings begun in 14:1. The
one who knows Jesus also knows the Father for Jesus reveals the Father as
Father. In Jesus, one sees the Father as never before because no one has
revealed him like Jesus does. Like Thomas before him, now Philip does not
understand what Jesus is saying and in his ignorance, asks a question. He does
not realize that in seeing Jesus he has seen the Father because of the
revelation that Jesus makes of the Father. In offering himself, Jesus has
offered all the revelation that the disciples need to identify the Father.
Jesus can only do what the Father has told him and so
his works are those of the Father. Philip and the other disciples must be able
to see Jesus as the revelation of the Father, if not in his person, at least
through the works that Jesus does. The works flow from his person and are not
separate from him but an integral part of who Jesus is. The works, too, are
works of revelation. They show that the primary aim of God is not to condemn
but to save and so are works that enhance and build up.
Since it is Jesus who sends the disciples, the works
that anyone who believes in Jesus will do will be the same as those of Jesus.
In fact, these will be able to do even greater works than Jesus. These works
will make known the whole story of Jesus as Word made flesh and so, will be
greater than those which Jesus does. Since these will be done after the whole
Christ event – death, resurrection, and ascension to the Father – they will
continue the glorification of Jesus.
They will continue to reveal Jesus to the world, sitting at the right
hand of God. Jesus will answer every prayer of the disciples made in his name
and he will grant their petitions.
As Jesus made God known to the world through
unconditional, magnanimous love, so the disciples are called to do the same.
The works that Jesus did have to be continued today if Jesus is to be made
present and is to be revealed to a world that does not yet know him. It is the
present community of disciples that has the responsibility to continue the
mission that Jesus began. Whenever an enhancing word is spoken, whenever an
action that heals is done, whenever love is shown in a tangible manner, then
the work of Jesus continues and Jesus continues to be made present.
To be sure, the revelation of God that Jesus made can
also be recognized in the depths of one’s heart, but this is not the whole
story. It is a love that must be shared and revealed to the world if it is to
be complete and whole. The incarnation was not a private revelation given to a
select few, but an earth shattering event made visible to the whole world. So
the revelation of Jesus, today, has to be done visibly and tangibly.
Thursday 25 April 2013
Have you, by your narrow mindedness, prevented others from encountering Jesus? Will you realize that he is bigger than anything that you can ever imagine?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 13:26-33; Jn 14:1-6
Today’s
Gospel reading contains the first of the teachings of Jesus that speak about
his departure and what it means for his disciples. At the beginning of these teachings, Jesus
commands his disciples to stand firm. They are not to let the event of his departure
overwhelm them. They are not to give in to despair, give up, or lose hope. They
must continue to trust and believe. Even though it might seem, on the surface
level, that evil is winning, the disciples must realize that God is always in
charge and in control of all situations.
They must place their trust in God and in Jesus. Since Jesus shares an
intimate relationship with the Father, and since the disciples can do so too,
there will be as many rooms as there are believers. God and Jesus will exclude
no one who wants to share this relationship with them. Jesus goes, but only to
return and so, his going is not permanent. It is a temporary act that must be
done and completed. This going and returning will be evidence of his power over
everything, including death. Nothing and no one will ever be able to separate
the disciples from the love that Jesus has for them. The purpose of Jesus’
returning is to take the disciples to the place where he is: the bosom of the
Father. Even as Jesus points to himself as the one who reveals the Father, Thomas
misunderstands and asks a question. He interprets the words “where I am going”
only as a physical destination and so, protests that, since he does not know
the final destination of Jesus, it is not possible to know how to get there.
Jesus corrects this misunderstanding with an “I am” saying. “The Way” is not a
geographical term or physical road, it is Jesus himself. Thus, to know Jesus is
to know the way and, to know the way is to know Jesus. In his being “the Way”
Jesus is also “Truth” and “Life”. Jesus is the “Truth’ because he has been sent
by God to make God’s word known. He became “flesh” and anyone who recognizes
this and listens to his voice, is of the truth. Recognition of the truth in
Jesus leads to “life” in abundance. Since the fullness of God’s life was
revealed in Jesus, one can only partake of this life through Jesus.
It
is important not to be too fundamental in interpreting the last verse of
today’s reading. All too often, insistence on the exclusiveness of the
Christian way has been responsible for problems in various parts of the world.
The Gospels all agree that the approach of Jesus was all inclusive and excluded
no one who would want to come to the truth. There is no doubt that Jesus
revealed the Father in the most unique of ways, as no one before had ever done.
This is because, in the incarnation, God took on “flesh” in all its weaknesses
and limitations. Jesus did not simply put on human nature but became like us in
every single way and thus, can understand every aspect of our lives. However,
by the fact of the incarnation, Jesus also gave us an insight into who God is
and who we are called to be. He made us aware of our own limitlessness. Though
he limited himself, we must realize that Jesus is much bigger than the narrow
image of him we often have. This narrow image is responsible for our
restricting him and making him as small as we are.
John
was writing about his community’s experience of seeing God in Jesus incarnate
and was not concerned with showing the superiority of this revelation over any
other or with the fate of believers of other religions. We must keep this in
mind when interpreting the last verse of today’s text. We must, however,
rejoice because we are privileged to receive such a unique revelation of God in
Jesus Christ.
When
one brackets out the questions that contemporary Christians falsely import into
these verses, there is nothing outrageous or offensive about the claims made
here. Rather, at the heart of Christianity is this affirmation of the decisive
revelation of God in the incarnation. John 14:6 can thus be read as the core
claim of Christian identity; what distinguishes Christians from peoples of
other faiths is the conviction given expression in John 14:6. It is, indeed,
through Jesus that Christians have access to their God.
Wednesday 24 April 2013
How do you as a Christian show that you are part of community?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 13:13-25; Jn 13:16-20
These verses contain the second part of the discourse
spoken by Jesus after he washes the feet of his disciples. In the first part
(13:12-15), Jesus teaches his disciples about the meaning of his washing their
feet, and the implications that this action has for their lives as his
disciples.
In the second part of this discourse (13:16-20), Jesus
teaches about discipleship in general and the relationship that the disciples
share with him. The double Amen at 13:16, and at 13:20, forms an inclusion and
so brackets and highlights what Jesus says in between. The disciples must
remember that their role, in their relationship with Jesus, is that of servants
to their master. If they understand this and act on it, then they will be
blessed. They must, at every stage, know where their authority ends. The
sayings which are highlighted by the inclusion are in 13:18-19 and contain a
prediction of betrayal. Jesus is aware of who the betrayer is and also knows
that it is not an outsider, but one who has eaten at table with him. Ps 41:9 is
quoted here to accentuate the intimacy of the betrayal. The betrayer is someone
whose feet he has washed, one with whom he has broken bread and one whom Jesus
has loved to the very end. This foreknowledge of the betrayer also means that
Jesus is in control of the events that lead to his death and is not taken by
surprise. Another reason for informing his disciples about his betrayal, in
advance, is so that they may realize who Jesus is: Son of God. Even as he is
betrayed, he will reveal himself as God for us.
Since Jesus has been sent by God, he has God’s stamp
and authority. The disciples, who are in turn sent by Jesus, have the authority
and stamp of Jesus. Thus, if anyone accepts the disciples, they are in effect
accepting Jesus. Just as Jesus shares fully in God’s work, so the disciples
share fully in Jesus’ work of giving life to all and giving it in abundance.
Jesus’ act toward us, in love, manifested symbolically
in the washing of the feet and sharing of bread, presents everyone who sits at
his table with a choice: One can embrace Jesus’ gift to us and embody one’s
embrace of that gift through one’s own acts of love or, one can turn one’s back
on Jesus’ gift of love. This means that merely sitting at Jesus’ table, and
even eating the bread that he gives, is not the full story. It has to be
continued in the giving of self to others and is only completed when this is
done. We then enter into community with Jesus and with one another.
Tuesday 23 April 2013
Have you decided “for” or “against” Jesus? How will you show the choice that you have made?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 12:24-13:5; Jn 12:44-50
Today’s
Gospel reading contains the last public discourse of Jesus in the Gospel of
John. It serves as the epilogue to, and summarizes the main themes of Jesus’
public ministry. The words are a proclamation, as indicated by the words “cried
out” in 12:44, which begin the discourse. Jesus has been sent as the revelation
of God and, though no one has ever seen God, the one who sees Jesus, sees God.
Jesus makes God known in a way never known before. He is the unique revelation
of the Father as Father since he is Son. His reason for coming into the world
was not to hide but to reveal and hence, he came as light. All are invited to
come to this light so as not to stay in darkness any longer. Since the
invitation that Jesus gives is free, one is not compelled to accept it. Every
individual is free to make his/her choice. There is no coercion or force or any
kind of pressure to accept. One will not be judged, even if one rejects the
invitation, since the prime purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world is not to
judge, but to save. Though this is true,
the ones who do not accept the true word spoken in Jesus will have to accept
responsibility for the choice that he/she makes. Jesus keeps revealing all that the Father has
asked him to reveal.
These
verses are a call to decision and commitment. One has to decide for or against,
one has to make a choice. If one does not make a choice “for”, one is, in
effect, making a choice “against” because with Jesus, there is no middle way.
SEE THE READINGS OF TODAY TO FILL IN THE BLANKS
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Across
4.
To which place besides Cyprus and Antioch did those who were scattered because
of the persecution of Stephen go?
5.
To which group besides the Jews was the Word spoken?
6.
To which place did Barnabas go to look for Saul?
Down
1.
Whom did the Church in Jerusalem send to Antioch?
2.
Which feast took place in Jerusalem in winter?
3.
By what name were the disciples known in Antioch?
7.
In the portico of which Old Testament king was Jesus walking?
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Monday 22 April 2013
Do you believe that God always wants what is best for you? How will you respond if things do not go the way you wish them to go today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 11:19-26; Jn 10:22-30
The
verses that begin today’s reading inform us that Jesus is in Jerusalem at the
Feast of Dedication which was celebrated in December each year. This feast is
the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. It celebrated the liberation of Jerusalem from
the reign of the Syrian (Seleucid) king Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus had
defiled the Jerusalem Temple in 167 BCE by building an altar to his own gods
within the Temple sanctuary. In 165 BCE,
Judas Maccabeus and his brothers regained control of the Temple and rededicated
it to the God of Israel. The eight-day feast took place in the month December
and was marked by the lighting of lamps and rejoicing.
The
Jewish religious authorities begin the dialogue by asking Jesus whether he is
the Messiah. They are annoyed that Jesus is not being explicit. This is the
only place in the Gospel of John where Jesus is asked explicitly whether he is
the Messiah. Jesus responds that he has been explicit and that he has told
them, in no uncertain terms, the truth about himself and yet, they do not
believe. Jesus then points to his ‘works” as indicators of this claim. “Works”
here does not refer to miracles alone, but to the broader scope of Jesus’
ministry and includes the revelation of himself as having been sent by God.
Belief
in Jesus determines whether one belongs to the fold of Jesus. Since the Jewish
leaders do not believe, they cannot and do not belong to the fold. Those who
belong to the fold hear the voice of the Shepherd and follow trustingly.
Following Jesus leads to eternal life which he alone can give. The reason why
Jesus can do this is because he has received this gift directly from the
Father. What is more is that Jesus and the Father are one. This means that
Jesus and God are united in their work of salvation and Jesus shares completely
in God’s work.
We
are privileged, as Christians, to have as our God one who is Good Shepherd, one
whose primary interest and concern is to care for the good of the sheep. Our
God is a God who wants to lead us to safety and to places where there is
abundance. He wants what is best for us at all times and will do anything to
protect us from any kind of harm. Though this is the case, we do not always
listen to his voice and we prefer to go our own way. The only result that we
can expect, after such a choice, is destruction and death.
Sunday 21 April 2013
What is the shepherd calling you to do today? Will you listen to his voice?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 11:1-18; Jn 10:1-10
These verses contain part of the Discourse on Jesus,
the Good Shepherd. This Discourse appears in the Gospel of John after Jesus has
healed a blind man on the Sabbath, because of which, the Jews are upset
(9:1-41). It is the last full discourse of the public ministry of Jesus. The
Farewell Discourse from 14:1-16:33 is exclusively given to the disciples and
not to the public.
The focus in the first part of the Discourse (10:1-5)
is on the shepherd and his relation to the flock. A contrast is made between
the authorized shepherd and the bandit. The authorized shepherd enters by the
gate, but the bandit climbs in another way. The reason for this is because the
gate keeper opens the gate for the authorized shepherd but not for the bandit.
Since he is the authorized shepherd, the sheep hear and recognize his voice.
When he calls, they answer. There is an intimate bond between the shepherd and
his sheep. They recognize and know each other. The shepherd walks ahead of the
sheep and leads them out. The sheep are confident in his leadership and thus,
follow him trustingly. They will not follow a stranger but will rather run away
from him. The comment of the evangelist serves two purposes. The first is that
the reader must understand that Jesus is using a “figure of speech” and thus,
not take the metaphor literally. The reader must realize that many meanings are
possible and therefore, must go below the surface, to the deeper meaning. The
second point is that the listeners did not understand this figure of speech. If
seen in the context of the miracle, and the healing of the blind man on the
Sabbath, and the Pharisees objection because the healing took place on the
Sabbath, then it seems clear that the authorized shepherd is Jesus and the
bandits are the objectors. Jesus has the
good of the sheep at heart and the bandits do not.
In the second part (10:7-16), while pastoral imagery
is still used, the Discourse moves in a new direction. Jesus is also the “Gate”
for the sheep. The gate has two functions: one is to give access to those who
are legitimate and have a right to enter, and the other is to prevent those
whose intention is to cause destruction. Rightful entry into the fold is only
through Jesus, who is the gate.
The text of today concludes with one of the most
beautiful and comprehensive statements of the mission of Jesus. Jesus is the
Good Shepherd and Gate. He has come to give life and give it to the full. All
who listen to his voice will receive this life in abundance.
As the gate, Jesus is the way to life, but he is not
merely that. He also leads the way and
so, is the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the way to life because he is himself life
and he leads the way to life because he lays down his own life. These are
non-transferable attributes; they derive from the heart of Jesus’ identity as
one sent by God.
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Saturday 20 April 2013
ALL THE ANSWERS ARE IN THE READINGS OF TODAY
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Across
2. What kind of branches did the
multitude have in their hand?
5. What gift does Jesus give the
sheep in the text of today?
6. On What day did Paul and Barnabbas
go to the Synagogue at Antioch?
8. What colour were the robes of
those who had come out of the great ordeal?
Down
1. Where did Paul and Barnabbas go
after shaking the dust off their feet?
3. What is another name for the Book
of Revelation?
4. To which group did Paul and
Barnabbas turn when the word of God was rejected?
7. From which Gospel is
the Gospel reading taken?
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FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - Will you be an instrument of God’s unconditional love?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 13:14,43-52; Rev 7:9,14b-17; Jn 10:27-30
All
three readings of today centre on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. If
in the first reading Paul includes Gentiles as those who are also called to be
disciples, in the Gospel text, Jesus speaks of disciples as those who listen to
the voice of the shepherd. The second reading speaks of showing in action
rather than in words that one is a disciple.
The
final verse of the Gospel text of today, “The Father and I are one” summarises
beautifully what discipleship means. It explicates and explains the
relationship of Jesus and God as well as the relationship of disciples with
Jesus. The oneness which Jesus shares with God is acted out in the whole
Gospel. He speaks God’s words, he does God’s deeds and he makes God known as no
other has ever done before. Jesus is thus the manifestation of God’s
unconditional love for the world. God sent Jesus and gave him to the world to
show on the one hand that God would hold nothing back from the world and to
show on the other that it was possible for every human being who encountered
Jesus in any way to share in such a relationship with God because of Jesus. In
Jesus, the world was able to witness who God is and what God is like. Disciples
of Jesus who walk the same path can also reveal Jesus and so God.
This
revelation of Jesus is what Paul invites the people in the Synagogue to.
However, here like in the case of Jesus’ voice there is no coercion, pressure
or force from without. The response has to be free. Like the sheep of Jesus
hear his voice and follow him the people in the synagogue must decide if they
are willing to follow. Since those to whom the voice was first addressed reject
the Shepherd, others are invited to follow. Thus it is not primarily external
identification marks that will determine a disciple of Jesus, rather one who
shows in action that he/she wants to follow.
This
action is narrated in the second reading of today which speaks of those who dared
to follow unconditionally and had to pay the price of such following. These are
people from every nation, tribe and language, which is a clear indication that
discipleship is not exclusive nor determined by one’s background, but by having
the courage to follow even in the midst of all odds. These are the ones who
have undergone all kinds of persecution and maltreatment and have persevered.
They have shown not in words but in action what it means to follow and be a disciple
of Jesus.
Thus
discipleship as brought out in the readings of today is not merely a matter of
saying “Lord, Lord”. It concerns living out such a confession. To live out such
a confession means to live as Jesus did and to manifest God as he did. The unique
way in which Jesus revealed God is as unconditional forgiveness and love. This
is why God is not a God who needs merely external worship and praise but a God
who looks at the internal at the heart. This is because it is God who loves
first. God does not need one to do anything to gain the love, because it is a
love that is given gratis. One cannot acquire such a love or ever be worthy of
it. One cannot earn such a love or merit it. However, one can show that this
love given freely has been received and accepted only if one shares that love
with everyone.
The
sharing of such love was what the incarnation, mission, life, death and
resurrection of Jesus was all about. God realised that the best way to show
this love was through becoming an integral part of creation. In Jesus, this
love reached the highest point and was manifested as pure, unadulterated love.
It was a love that was shown when things were going well, but it was also a
love that was revealed when things were not going as well. In fact, it was a
love that was revealed even on and from the Cross. The multitude from every
nation, tribe and language that followed the lamb realised this and that is why
they too were able to go through the great ordeal and withstand all kinds of
persecution. Thus like Jesus they too revealed God and thus like Jesus they too
were able to see the face of God and stand before God.
The
world today is hungering for such a love. There is too much of hate,
indifference, apathy and coldness. There is too much of selfishness and
self-centredness. Those of us who profess to be disciples of Jesus are
challenged through the readings of today to bring about the change that is
needed. We have to dare like Jesus and the first Christian community to first
open our hearts to receive the unconditional forgiveness and love that God
keeps pouring and to share that love with all. In this we too make no
distinction between nation, race, tribe and language. In this we do not
discriminate between them and we, for all are invited to partake of this
gracious love of God made manifest and revealed in Jesus.
Friday 19 April 2013
Will you opt for Jesus today? How will you show this in your actions?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 9:31-42; Jn 6:60-69
The text of today begins with the disciples grumbling
after hearing what Jesus has said. The sayings are too difficult for them to
accept. Jesus responds to their grumbling by issuing a challenge to them. If
this affects them, they will be even more affected when they experience the
death, resurrection, and ascension of the Son of Man. Jesus takes the disciples
beyond the specific event of becoming and giving bread. He takes them to the whole of the Christ
event and its mystery. Jesus, as Bread
of Life, must be seen in the larger context of God’s plan of salvation through
his Son.
The flesh, as flesh, and without the Spirit, is
nothing. It cannot give live, nor does it have life. It is the Spirit that
gives life and makes the flesh what it is. This means that simply eating the
flesh of Jesus, without the right disposition, will not lead to life. Thus,
those who eat and drink are not merely eating Jesus’ flesh and blood but the
Spirit filled flesh and blood of Jesus. Even as Jesus offers the gift of life,
through becoming bread, the gift is rejected because most prefer death. There
are still those who will not believe. They have made their choice. God offers
the gift of his Son to all, but not all will accept him. This is why many
disciples drew back and no longer went with Jesus. This rejection leads Jesus
to turn to the Twelve and ask them about their stand. They must choose whether
they will accept or reject the offer of life that God makes in Jesus.
Simon Peter responds on behalf of the Twelve and at
least verbally accepts that offer of life. He acknowledges that Jesus has the
words of eternal life and that he is the Holy One of God, the one set aside by
God.
Life always offers us choices. The choices that we are
sometimes faced with might not always be what we desire, but the fact remains
that we are free to choose. We can choose to be miserable or to be happy, we
can choose to fear or to love, and we can choose to say No or to say Yes. Every
choice that we make has its own consequences and we must be prepared to face
them since it is we who have made the choice.
Thursday 18 April 2013
When someone places a new idea in front of you, is your first reaction one of rejection?
If you wish to read the texts click on the texts: Acts 9:1-20; Jn 6:52-59
The first verse of today’s text, which contains the
question that the “Jews” ask, is occasioned by the statement that Jesus makes
in the previous verse. The agitation in their hearts is because Jesus has
identified himself with the bread of life. Jesus replaces the manna that their
ancestors ate.
Jesus addresses this protest in the verses that
follow. The bread that is to be eaten is the flesh and blood of the Son of Man.
Refusal to do this means death or non-life. Eating the flesh and drinking the
blood results in life and resurrection on the last day. By not mentioning bread
and wine and thus, not equating them with the flesh and blood of Jesus, John
focuses on the corporeal and not only on the sacramental representations. He
also wants to stress that Jesus gives his whole life to all who are willing to
receive him. The flesh that Jesus gives is life giving and so is his blood. It
is real food and drink that will end all hunger and thirst.
Eating of the flesh and blood of Jesus leads to a
mutual indwelling. The one who eats and drinks abides in Jesus and Jesus abides
in that person. This relationship is an extension of the relationship between
Jesus and the Father. Just as Jesus lives the Father’s life, so all who eat and
drink will live Jesus’ life. The penultimate verse concludes the Bread of Life
Discourse and repeats a theme that has been prevalent throughout. The bread
which Jesus gives has indeed come from heaven and will give life forever and
give it permanently, unlike the manna which could offer only temporary life.
The reference to the synagogue in Capernaum is to
highlight the difference between Jesus’ teaching and that of the Jewish teachers
and the difference between the manna eaten by their forefathers and the Bread
of Life that Jesus gives.
It is not always easy to accept ideas which challenge
our old way of thinking. Often our first reaction is rejection of that idea. We
refuse to think outside the box, and are content with stereotypes with which we
are comfortable. We are comfortable with them because they do not threaten us
or call on us to change. We prefer that our boats not be rocked. However, Jesus
continues to rock the boat and challenge our ways of thinking and being. He
continues to wake us from our stupor and keeps inviting us to see more and be
more.
Wednesday 17 April 2013
How will you show that you have accepted the gift that God gives in Jesus?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 8:26-40; Jn 6:41-51
The symbol of “bread” is misunderstood by the people.
They respond with unbelief. They grumble at Jesus’ claim that he is the bread
of life and has come down from heaven. They protest that they “know” where
Jesus comes from, they are aware of his antecedents. Even as they make such a
statement, they are unaware of its error. They “think” they know, but in
reality do not know.
Jesus addresses the crowd and asks them to stop their
grumbling and then repeats the promise made earlier of resurrection on the last
day for the ones who will believe. To reiterate the point that he makes, Jesus
appeals to scripture and specifically to the prophets. “And they shall all be
taught by God” refers to the initiative that God takes. The emphasis is on God
who does the teaching. This means that Jesus’ commission is divinely ordained
and not from humans. If the ones who hear realize this, then they will come to
Jesus and they will have learnt correctly. This means that, while God does take
the initiative, humans are responsible for responding accurately.
Jesus shares a unique relationship with the Father and
is the only one who has seen Him. Those who learn have to learn to see the
Father in Jesus. They have to learn that it is in Jesus that they have eternal
life and that he is indeed the Bread of Life.
By using the distancing “your ancestors”, Jesus makes
a contrast between the manna that they ate and the bread of life that he gives.
The manna their ancestors consumed could not result in saving them from death,
but the bread that Jesus gives results in a person living forever. This is
because the bread that Jesus gives is living bread, a life giving bread. The
bread that he gives for the life of the world is his flesh. This can mean, on
one hand, the incarnation, where the Word became flesh, but on the other, can
refer to his death on the cross, when he will give his life for the life of the
world.
The purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world was to
reveal the Father as God who wanted to save all people. This results in God
taking the initiative in the tangible way of sending his son to become flesh
for all. Even as God takes the initiative, he leaves humans free to respond to
his act of love. Humans always have a choice when it comes to the gifts that
God gives. They can accept them or reject them. Acceptance means life,
rejection means death. There is no middle way.
Tuesday 16 April 2013
What is preventing you from receiving the gifts that Jesus gives?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 8:1-8; Jn 6:35-40
Today’s text begins with the last verse that was read
yesterday in order to place what follows in context. Jesus has stated that he
is the Bread of Life and he invites all who are willing to come to him to be
fully satisfied. The words “seeing’ and “believing”, which appear at 6:36 and
again at 6:40 form an inclusion. The crowd has seen and yet has not perceived.
They have not seen rightly and thus, cannot come to faith. This lack of proper
vision is surprising when one realizes that Jesus’ primary purpose is not to
hide but to reveal. He will welcome all who come to him. They will not be
driven away. The purpose of his coming down from heaven is for the sake of
revelation. This is the Father’s will and Jesus will do only what the Father
commissions him to do. The Father’s will is inclusive and no one is to be
excluded unless they want to exclude themselves. If one sees rightly and thus believes,
what is gained is eternal life and resurrection on the last day. This promise
combines both the present and the future.
These verses bring out powerfully the balance between
divine initiative and human response. God takes the first step and remains open
to anyone who is willing to come and receive the gifts that he wants to pour
out. However, there will not be any coercion or pressure on the part of God.
Those who come to receive from him must come freely and without reservation.
The gift is ever available and free. It
is not for a select few but for all.
Monday 15 April 2013
Will you dare to become bread for at least one person today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 7:51-8:1; Jn 6:30-35
The
invitation that Jesus issues to the crowd, to believe in him who was sent by God,
results in the crowd asking for a sign. This demand is a clear indication that
they have not grasped the meaning of Jesus’ words. They have been fed at the
miraculous feeding but were not able to see it for the sign that it was meant
to be. The crowd goes further in this demand by looking back at what happened
in the desert during the Exodus and how their ancestors were fed. This seems
strange, and even absurd, because they have been fed even more abundantly than
their ancestors. This also points to how ignorant and even closed the crowd is
to the revelation that Jesus continues to make.
Jesus
does not remind them that he had already given them bread, but first corrects
their misunderstanding. It was not Moses who gave their ancestors bread but his
Father. This bread is not merely bread that was given in the past but it
continues to be given in the present. It, and not the manna, is the true bread
from heaven. It is true bread because it gives life to all who eat it.
Like
Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman before them, the crowd does not fully
understand what Jesus is really offering and so, make a request for this bread.
They are convinced that this bread is better than the bread their ancestors
ate, but do not understand how or why. Jesus is available to them and yet, they
cannot see. He gives the bread once for all and, in doing so, gives the bread
always. This is why Jesus can assert that He is the bread of life. This is the
first time in the Gospel of John that the “I am’ saying is followed by a predicate
nominative “the bread of life”. John’s Gospel often uses this distinctive way
of revealing who Jesus is. The symbols that are used by Jesus in these sayings
come from human and Near Eastern religious experience. The use of these common,
everyday symbols results in conveying to all who will hear that Jesus can
satisfy both the base and higher needs of people everywhere. These symbols
indicate that the mystery of Jesus cannot be captured by any one symbol and
that Jesus cannot be put into a well defined category.
The
saying also contains an invitation to come to him and be sated. Though, on the
one hand, the invitation refers to a physical eating and drinking and so
satisfying human hunger and thirst, on a deeper level, the invitation is to
listen to Jesus’ teaching and see in him the revelation of God and so, the
fulfillment of all human needs.
Bread
is the staple of many people all over the world and is used to represent the
basic needs of people. By use of this symbol, Jesus reveals that his mission is
to be available to all and for all. He does not belong exclusively to any one
group and no group can ever capture him fully. He is available to all who are
open to the revelation that he continues to make. The primary form that this
revelation will always take is the form of love.
Sunday 14 April 2013
ALL THE WORDS ARE FOUND IN THE READINGS OF TODAY
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| Unscramble each of the clue words. Copy the letters in the numbered cells to other cells with the same number. |
Will you express your faith in Jesus through one loving action today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 6:8-15; Jn 6:22-29
The first three verses of today’s text, which appear
immediately after the miracle of walking on the water, serve as transition
verses for the dialogue with the people and the discourse on the bread of life
that follow. They also serve to bring the crowd, which had eaten at the
miraculous feeding of the five thousand, back into the story and so, link
Jesus’ words that follow with the feeding miracle and the miracle of walking on
the water.
Since the crowd has not been privy to the miracle of
Jesus walking on the water, they wonder how he got to the other side. Jesus does
not answer their question but draws attention to their reason for seeking him.
Though they have seen the sign that Jesus gave at the miraculous feeding, they
were not able to perceive it because their attention was directed to the
earthly and temporary, not to the heavenly and permanent. Even as they seek him
for temporary food, Jesus invites them to a higher seeking. He asks them to
seek for the food that only he can give, the food that endures forever. Jesus
is competent to give this food because the Father himself has approved and set
his seal on Jesus. In response to Jesus’ statement to not work for food that
perishes, the crowd interprets the word “work” to mean certain actions that
they must perform to acquire this food. Jesus corrects this misunderstanding by
explaining what is meant by “work”. They must believe in Jesus who has been
sent by God.
Believing in Jesus does not only mean a verbal
profession of faith. In the Gospel of John, the term believing is, most often,
used to describe faith that shows itself in action. This is why believing is
akin to work. Jesus does not provide merely physical nourishment, but also
nourishment of the mind, heart, and spirit. To know and believe in Jesus is to
be sated in every aspect of life. It is to never lack or want anything, because
all things are provided in him.
Saturday 13 April 2013
READ THE READINGS CAREFULLY
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Across
1.
Which appearance in number was the one at Lake Tiberias?
3.
What kind of fire had been lit by Jesus?
5.
To which meal did Jesus invite the disciples?
7.
To which side did Jesus ask the disciples to cast the net?
9.
Whom did Jesus ask Peter to feed first?
10.
By which sea did Jesus show himself to the disciples?
12.
What were the last words that Jesus said to Peter in the Gospel text of today?
13.
Besides Simon Peter and Thomas he is the only one of the seven named in the
Gospel text of today?
Down
2.
Who questioned the disciples in the First reading of today?
4.
With what term did Jesus address the disciples?
6.
Which of the disciples jumped into the Lake?
8.
Which place had the disciples filled with their teaching?
11.
Besides fish what else was there to eat?
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