RBWords

     The Gospel According to John continually repeats a theme that scripture scholars have called exitus/reditus [leaving/returning].  Jesus is the one whom God has sent and he [Jesus] must return to the one who has sent him.  This mission will repeat itself at the end of time as well.  Now, at the last supper before his departure,  Jesus is trying to prepare and console the disciples for that departure.  

     The beginning words of today's segment from the Farewell Discourse should be familiar to us.  They are part of the prayer that introduces the Sign of Peace during the communion rite at Eucharist.  Somehow the Last Supper meaning of these words loses its true significance in this rite, which some folks do not like at all.  The gesture has somehow taken over the meaning of the words.  The peace of Christ that we share is a recognition of the faith that we share in his mission and in his ultimate return.  But now it's more a gesture of "nice-to-be-here-with-you [maybe]."  I'm not opposing the gesture, but I do wish we could find a way to return the original meaning to it.

     Last but not least, the line "....[F]or the Father is greater than I" sparked considerable debate in the early years of the development of the theology of the  Trinity and the identity of Jesus.  A group of Christians argued that Jesus was not divine if the Father was greater than he.  They were called "Arians" after the bishop who championed this opinion.  The Church decided against any interpretation that subordinated Jesus.  The result is something familiar to us as well from the Eucharist, the Nicene Creed.  

     The Farewell Discourse continues to offer us much to think about.  Tomorrow, on the feast of St. Athanasius, who fought the Arian heresy, we will return to Sunday's segment about the Vine and the Branches.  AMEN