Word to the Wise
Saturday, May 1, 2021 - 4th Week of Easter - Sat
[Acts 13:44-52 and John 14:7-14]"The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it." [John]
The "Farewell Discourse" at the Last Supper in the Gospel According to John is like a smorgasbord with all kinds of wonderful foods that are put on a table in no particular order. The diner is invited to partake and enjoy but there is no systematic presentation. The broad context of the discourse is Jesus' departure from being present in an earthly sense and it's meaning for the disciples. This includes reminders of Jesus' relationship to his Father, the One who has sent him, as well as the future missionary work of the disciples with the help of the Paraclete, which will be sent when Jesus is no longer present. But these themes are interwoven in a kind of stream of consciousness and repetition that challenge the reader to continually return to the broader context to make sense of an individual statement.
In John 6:29, Jesus responds to a question from the crowd, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God." Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." This may help us to understand the words in today's passage about doing "greater" works. It is not that the disciples (or we) will raise people from the dead or restore sight to the blind, but that we will do things in "the name of Jesus" because we believe that he is the one whom God has sent. Whatever we do in faith is based on this conviction, guided by the Holy Spirit. {14:26].
The Farewell Discourse will continue to challenge us in the days ahead as we reflect on the various themes that appear and reappear. Keeping in mind the broader context that I mentioned above can assist us in this contemplative and apostolic challenge. AMEN