In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
1. Let us open our hearts to receive God’s Word
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, 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, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? 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 say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. (Jn 14, 1-12)
i. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
At that very critical juncture
Where the plot thickens
To throw him out of the city and face a violent death
Jesus assures us he’s going to prepare a dwelling place
In the heart of God,
From where no one will be thrown away.
Do not let your hearts be troubled!
Reflect:
What does it mean that a place is being prepared for you?
ii. Thomas said to him, “Lord, 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 we know where we’re going?
Is there a destination ?
Should we be heading somewhere?
Is it not enough to “enjoy the moment”?
And yet we find ourselves thirsting for more!
There’s a truth that sets me on a journey, to search and discover more;
It becomes a way generating life that leads to further life.
At that critical juncture of deceptive violence
Jesus offers himself as true life.
Reflect:
Which words of Jesus set you on a journey?
iii. Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
Within us there’s a thirst for God:
For beauty that attracts but can never be grasped
For goodness that re-creates our inner self to discover it in myriad places
For that kind of security that endows us with freedom and never suffocates.
Lord, show us the Father!
Jesus replies:
I am the good and beautiful shepherd …
the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact,
will do greater works than these …
works that express goodness and beauty.
Reflect:
How are your being invited to show God’s beauty and goodness through your life?
3. Our Father
Thanks to Fr Jimmy Bonnici for this reflection