Scripture: Lectionary # 53. Acts 6:1-7. Psalm 33:1-2.4-5.18-19. I Peter
2:4-9. John 14:1-12

Sunday's Readings

Easter continues as we read the last discourse of Jesus. Jesus is getting
us ready for our mission in the world by telling us the Spirit will soon be
with us as he returns to the Father to send the Spirit upon us. We are
together with the apostles as Jesus speaks to us in his testament of love.
He must leave us, but greater things will be done in his Name when he is
united with the Father and when they send the Spirit of love, wisdom,
courage, and truth to us.

Dom Ralph Russell, O.S.B., tells us how to read and understand this last
discourse of John. He writes in his commentary, "There are no logical
divisions, no systematic developments, but always the same spiral, circling
movement of the eagle, the same recurring thoughts ('the Father', some 40
times, going to the Father, coming--seeing--knowing--believing--loving the
Spirit--life--truth--abiding--peace--fruitful--prayer--persecutions from
the world---unity--glory) progressively strengthened and deepened." (A New
Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, p.1063).

Jesus is speaking to us for all of us through our confident faith in him
are apostles who are gathered around him to listen to his living voice
telling us we are to be prepared by the coming of the Holy Spirit to do
even greater things than he has done! His words are consoling and we are
led to see him as the way, the truth, and the life. We do not let our
hearts be troubled for he will be with us through the Holy Spirit abiding
within us and giving us the courage and boldness to witness to his Name.
Jesus has to go in order to prepare a place for us, each and everyone of
us.

Our mission in the world will be difficult. We will need to invite others
to be a part of our task. "Prayer 'the soul of every apostolate'. To pray
in Jesus' "name" (the Person manifested, cf. 17:6,26) is to pray in full
faith as to who he is, his revelation about himself and his relations to
us, cf. 'pray in me' , and 15:7. As what they hear ask 'in my name'
concerns the apostolate, it accords with his will, , I Jn 5:14. Henceforth
the Lord whom they ask, will not only intercede for them (Rm8:34; I Jn 2:1)
but act himself, so continuing his work for the glory of his Father. The
early Church prayed this wholly new prayer (Ac 3:6; Rm 10:13; Phil 2:10).
(Dom Ralph Russell, p. 1064).

As the eagle has been chosen as the symbol for the Evangelist of the Fourth
Gospel, we are to be eagles who soar above his Gospel texts in order to see
the bigger picture of the revelatory nature of God's Word and its saving
power both from the beginning of the world to its consummate end. Jesus is
the way, the truth, and the life, in all that he says and does for all
humankind. Amen . Alleluiah.