Word to the Wise
Saturday, May 19, 2012 - 6th Week of Easter - Sat
[Acts 18:23-28 and John 16:23b-28]For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.
The Gospel of John is like a symphony in which there are several themes woven together along with connecting passages and both original material as well as material "borrowed" from either previous works or from the culture surrounding the composer. The Farewell Discourse is part of this symphony and shares in some of the major themes while combining them with other tunes to create sounds that are familiar yet different at the same time! Two of the major themes, which were announced in the "Prologue," show up in the passage quoted above from today's gospel scripture.
The first theme is that of the "coming and returning" of Jesus into the world and going back to the Father. The second theme is the faith of the disciples who have believed in Jesus. A quick re-read of the prologue will reveal these themes in full. Further reading in the gospel will continually reveal them. It is the context of the Last Supper that gives them their particular flavor at this point. The disciples were part of the music from the start. The early Christian community heard this gospel/symphony played, as it were, with the original instruments in the original location. We, in our times, hear it a different way but the same truth is expressed. Our joy is shaped by our needs. Jesus' admonition to pray in his name for what we need should give us confidence that the promised Holy Spirit will guide us to accomplishing what we pray for. AMEN