THIS WEEK’S READINGS
God Speaks to Families Through the Sunday Readings
First Reading Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7 The early Christian community chooses seven people to serve at table so that the Twelve can devote them-selves to prayer and the ministry of the word.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 33:1-2,4-5,18-19 Lord let Your mercy be on us.
Second Reading 1 Peter 2:4-9 Those who have faith are chosen in Christ to be a holy priesthood.
Gospel Reading John 14:1–12 Jesus tells His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Background on the Gospel Reading The readings for the last few Sundays have been about the Resurrection, but today’s Gospel takes us back in time to an event in Jesus’ life before His Passion. Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. He promises that where He is going, His disciples will be able to fol-low. Thomas, who will later doubt the disciples’ reports that they have seen the Risen Lord, contradicts Jesus by saying that the disciples don’t know where Jesus is going or how to get there. Jesus explains that He Him-self is the way, the truth, and the life. In knowing and loving Jesus, the disciples now love God the Father. Philip then makes a request that challenges Jesus’ words. Philip wants Jesus to show the Father to the disciples. Recall that Jesus has just told His disciples, “If you know me, then you will also know my Fa-ther. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” As a good teacher, Jesus responds to Philip by repeating and elaborating on what He has just told the disciples: they have seen and known Jesus, so they have seen and known the Father. Then Jesus offers another reassurance about His departure: because of faith in God and in Jesus, the disciples will do the work that Jesus has done and more. The connection between Jesus and His Father, between Jesus’ work and the work of the Father, is made clear in today’s Gospel. Jesus is in the Father, and God the Father is in Jesus. As God spoke His name to Moses, “I am,” so too Jesus speaks His name to His disciples: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” The revelation of the Trinity is completed in the passage that follows today’s reading, and it is the Gos-pel for next Sunday. Because Jesus goes away, the Father will send in Jesus’ name the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who will continue the work of the Father and of Jesus. Family Connection Members of the same family often bear close resemblances to one another. Sometimes physical re-semblances are shared within a family, but often the similarities are behavioral characteristics and manner-isms. We hear this observation affirmed through a number of common phrases: “He’s a chip off the old block” or “She’s her mother’s daughter.” Today’s Gospel points to a mystery of faith that might be examined in light of these familial relationships. In Jesus we see and know the Father. Likewise, the Father is known through the life and work of the Son, Jesus. Talk together as a family about whether people outside of your family recognize common traits of your family. Are there physical resemblances that people recognize and so know each individual as a member of your family? Are there mannerisms that are shared by members of your family? What are some common in-terests and work that people might associate with your family? As you read today’s Gospel, John 14:1-12, keep in mind that members of the same family share many characteristics, even though each person in the family is an individual. What does Jesus tell His disciples about His relationship with the Father? The relation-ship between the Father and Jesus is so close that Jesus says that those who have seen and known Jesus have also seen and known the Father. Jesus promises His disciples that because of their faith in Him and in the Father, they too will be able to do the work of the Father as Jesus did. End your discussion by praying together that others will recognize in your family the work of the Father. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer.
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