Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

Gospel: John 13:31-33a,34-35
When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. God will glorify him, and he will glorify him very soon.My children, I am with you for only a little while; you will look for me, but as I already told the Jews, now I tell you: where I am going you cannot come.I give you a new commandment: Love one another! Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Lectio Divina
READ: Jesus has a different reading of his betrayal. Jesus positively views this as the beginning of his glorification. For him to be glorified, he must undergo sufferings and death. Death spells out his departure from this earthly life and his physical presence to his disci- ples. At this point, it is not yet clear to them what he means. At any rate, Jesus challenges them to love one another.

REFLECT: What do I make out of the betrayals of my friends? What is my attitude towards people who are very negative to me? Many times I react. I do not see the value of enduring insults and depriva tions.

PRAY: Lord, help me change the way I perceive negative things around me. They may be your ways to purify me, to test how much I love you, how much I can take hold of my faith. Those who bother me may be your instruments in making me stronger in cha- racter.

ACT: Focus on the positive side of things. Learn to be strong in the midst of criti- cism. Cope with difficulties by taking recourse to your com- munity or family that should be loving one another.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: John 14:7-14
If you know me, you will know the Father also; indeed you know him, and you have seen him.”Philip asked him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that is enough.” Jesus said to him, “What! I have been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever sees me sees 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? All that I say to you, I do not say of myself. The Father who dwells in me is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence of these works that I do.Truly, I say to you, the one who believes in me will do the same works that I do; and he will even do greater than these, for I am going to the Father.
Everything you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Indeed, anything you ask, calling upon my name, I will do it.

Reflections
“Whoever sees me sees the Father.”Jesus is the revelation of the Father. He makes the Father vi- sible to us. Whatever Jesus says and does comes from the Father. Jesus represents the Father. If we know Jesus very well, we will also know the Father.Jesus reminds his disciples, especially Philip, when they de- mand that he makes known the Father to them, that it is not ne- cessary to do so. They have been following him all the time. By now, they should have figured out who the Father is through his teachings and actuations.Jesus reminds us not to separate him from the Father. Extreme devotion to the Father can make Jesus disappear in our lives. This happens when we do not anymore care to read the Gospel or listen to it. We do not take seriously listening to the homilies of the priests which should teach us how to apply God’s Words concretely into our daily lives.Jesus reminds us of the im- portance of our belief in him. We are called Christians because we believe we come to know and love God more when we believe in his Son.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: John 14:1-6
“Do not be troubled! Trust in God and trust in me! In my Father’s house there are many rooms; otherwise, I would not have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. After I have gone and prepared a place for you, I shall come again and take you to me, so that where I am, you also may be. Yet you know the way where I am going.”Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.

Reflections
“I am the way, the truth and the life.”Many people do not have direction. They do not know where they are going. They do not know what to do with their lives, their money and their time. This causes fears and frustrations.Jesus assures his disciples as he bids farewell to them that they will be able to follow him in heaven. They will go into his direction. They should not worry what to do and where to go. Their ultimate destiny is heaven. That is why, he is going back to heaven to prepare a place for them. They should not lose this direction.Jesus reminds us that we too are journeying towards the Father. He teaches us that we can only reach the Father through him, being the way, the truth and the life.The prologue of John’s gospel reminds us that Jesus as the Word of God is constantly journeying towards the Father. It is well ex- pressed in the original Greek (esan pros ton theon). Translations imply Jesus, the Word, is only with the Father, very static, not so dynamic.We who develop faith in Jesus, share in his mission and join him in his journey to Mt. Calvary, will certainly reach the Father.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: John 13:16-20
Truly, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his master, nor is the messenger greater than he who sent him. Understand this, and blessed are you, if you put it into practice. I am not speaking of you all, because I know the ones I have chosen, and the Scripture has to be fulfilled which says: The one who shares my table will rise up against me. I tell you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may know that I am He.Truly, I say to you, whoever welcomes the one I send, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me.”

Reflections
“Whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me.”Jesus talks about the importance of recognizing the higher up. Jesus is under the authority of his Father in heaven. The Father sent him to take care of the disciples. Jesus obeys his Father because he knows he should respect this higher authority. He recognizes that his Father is higher than he. Why is he saying this? Are they not equal according to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity?The context can give light to these questions. At the last sup- per, when Jesus urges the disciples to serve one another by washing their feet, he is aware that one of them will disobey. He defies Jesus’ authority, consequently, also the Father’s authority. Jesus disciples’ must stoop down and serve the others. They must imitate Jesus who recognizes himself as a servant, sent by the Father. They are not exempted from work.The passage serves as a gentle reminder to the Christian communities to keep busy for others. They have not been called by God for nothing. They must maximize their purpose as churches, as gathered and sent by God. In the way they recognize the authority of Jesus and the Father. Failure to do so virtually makes them Judases.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019