Word to the Wise
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 - 3rd Week of Easter - Wed
[Acts 8:1b-8 and John 6:35-40]WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016 WEDNESDAY IN THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTER [Acts 8:1b-8 and John 6:35-40] "And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." [John] There is a term in theology called "eschatology." This is the study of the last days of creation. It has attracted considerable attention since the very first days after Jesus' death and resurrection. The Book of Revelation is mined for information on this, as well as the passages from the three "synoptic" gospels, Mark, Matthew and Luke, where Jesus speaks of the last days. St. Paul also speaks of the last days because of his (and others') expectation that Jesus' "second coming" would take place very soon. The Gospel of John, composed later, shows that Christian reflection on this subject had undergone some development. For John, Jesus speaks of eternal life beginning not when the world ends but when one "sees and believes" in Jesus as the one whom God has sent. This faith would be rewarded "on the last day." Scripture scholars call this "realized eschatology." What I find most comforting in today's passage from the "Bread of Life" discourse is Jesus' statement that he will not turn away anyone who comes to him in faith. We have a role to play in this by our encouragement of those who struggle with faith. Seeing and believing in Jesus can be difficult, as the apostle Thomas learned, but our personal and collective witness can be powerful. Ask anyone who has been through the RCIA program. Tomorrow, the faith of the disciples (and ours) will be tested further when Jesus shows what the "bread of life" can be. AMEN
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