Word to the Wise
Friday, April 26, 2024 - 4th Week of Easter - Fri
[Acts 13:26-33 and John 14:1-6]"From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to Jesus, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? 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?" [John]
The gospel scriptures for the next few days (including Sunday) will come from the "Last Supper discourse." Although it is meant to be a kind of preparation of the disciples for what would happen in the next few hours, this very long and spiraling teaching has defied systematic organization by theologians and scripture scholars and has to be taken idea by idea. It seems to be more a collection of statements that were all placed in the same discourse by the evangelist. [The discourse seems to end twice! - John 14:31 and 17:26]. Nevertheless, the teaching, in and of itself, is the basis for a great deal of Catholic theology, especially of the Holy Spirit and the Trinity. There are also the familiar Johannine dramatic tools like misunderstanding/clarification and "Amen, amen...." as we see in today's passage.
The two principal ideas in today's passage are the relationship of Jesus to his Father, the one who sent him, and the "works" that the disciples will be able to accomplish in his name. The whole Gospel According to John could be summed up like this: Jesus is the one whom God has sent. But the Father is not distant. The roots of Catholic belief in the Trinity are being exposed here.
The second idea builds on the first. Because Jesus has come from the Father and is returning to the Father (another Johannine "theme"), the disciples will be empowered by their faith in him to act in his name and accomplish his "works." The role of the Holy Spirit will come further into the discourse. Stay tuned!! AMEN