Daily Readings Reflection for 5/07/09

Reflection on the Daily Readings for 5/07/09 by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Today’s Readings


Scripture: Thurs of 4th week after Easter. Acts 13:13-25. Psalm
89:2-3.21-22.25-27. John 13:16-20. Lectionary # 282:

We normally think of only twelve being the apostles, yet, Paul is an
apostle and later in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke includes all who are
committed believers. Jesus, however, is THE APOSTLE in John's Gospel for it
is he who is sent (apostellein in Greek). John emphasizes this throughout
his Gospel. It helps us to identify then with Jesus and in this manner we
can become one with him as apostles just as he and the Father are one. He
does express this desire for us to be one with him in the second part of
his Gospel.  We read from that part today: "As the Father has sent me, I
send you."  We thereby enter into the divine plan which is a mission plan,
namely, to preach Jesus' good news by our example and by our words. Our
mission in life is to carry on what Jesus taught and lived out. His words
and actions are the good news we bring to others. It is a stepping stone
toward helping those who deal with this from political and social
dimensions through our prayers for them and through our living out the
Gospel commands.  We are all missionaries and are in this together.

In our reading from Acts we see Paul now as an apostle preaching the
good news of Jesus by interpreting his own Hebrew Scriptures and seeing
Jesus as Messiah who fulfills them. He proclaims God's active role in human
history and how Jesus is the agent of God's redeeming love.  His point of
departure is the Exodus, the greatest act of liberation in the Old
Testament and then sees in Jesus the liberator of all men and women from
evil, sin, and death.  For him to live as an apostle is Christ.  He has
learned well and now becomes the greatest of missionary apostles surpassing
the other twelve.

Jesus is the revealer of God's effective words. Today he proclaims,"I
solemnly assure you, he who accepts anyone I send accepts me and in
accepting me accepts Him who sent me." There is the essence of being sent,
being an apostle.  We are all called to particpate in this mission of
Jesus.

St. Hilary of Poitiers some two hundred years later offers us an
insight into the Scriptures for today.  It especially is consonant with the
Gospel reading. "Jesus is in the Father by reason of his divine nature, we
are in him by reason of his human birth. He is in us through the mystery of
the sacraments. This is how we attain unity with the Father."  Amen.