Generosity and Benevolence

The old eye-for-an-eye commandment made two positive contributions: it checked wild revenge, and it taught justice. Actually, the Old Testament references (Ex 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21) are concerned about a command to punish and a limitation on punishment – the punishment should not exceed the crime. However, authority for punishment was vested in the government, not in the individual. Jesus went beyond the law to a higher righteousness by abolishing retaliation altogether. He showed his disciples that, whereas revenge was once legally permissible, now non-resistance was graciously possible. For this purpose, Jesus puts five cases wherein the disciples should not passively submit to injustice, but respond in a creative, non-violent way manifesting Christian meekness. Jesus makes the love of God as the fundamental command, on which all else stands to spread their wings. Love is not envious and does not take offense and retaliate (1 Cor 13:4-7). Jesus encourages his followers to respond with disproportionate kindness, promoting the good with generosity and benevolence. For benevolence, which is the glory of the divine nature, and the perfection of the human, rejoices in doing good forever.

Passionate Choice to Love

The solemnity of the Sacred Heart is a moveable feast, always celebrated on the third Friday after Pentecost. It is a feast that gives importance to love – the key characteristic of a divine relationship; an essential quality of God which demonstrates God’s desire to be in relationship with all of us. At the same time, God desires that we be in relationship also with others. Love is not necessarily the warm and gushy emotion that one person has for another. Love is the choice to do whatever is best for another without counting the cost to oneself. God did not have to create the universe and humanity, but God chose to do so for our Good. God did not have to save us when we failed to return love to God, but God made the decision to send the Son to share life with us, to teach and heal us, and to die for us. That’s how God loves us. If God cares for us so much, must we not care for one another in our world? In our dealings with others, we are called to imitate the love which Jesus showed to humanity right from his incarnation until his death and resurrection. Today, let us have a passionate choice to love our neighbour, even though it may be hard and painful in practice.

Private Reconciliation for Public Shame

Jesus applies two illustrations concerning murder, the first reference to the Ten Commandments.  In the first, we are on our way to the church, and in the second, we are on our way to court. On the way to church, where you will present your offering, you realize that your brother has something against you. Here Jesus goes from the act to the motive, and places importance towards the other, who is angry with us. Jesus says we are to seek that person out in order to get reconciled with him privately. Peter points out that if you are at odds with one another in marital relationships, you will find it very difficult to engage in worship and prayer (1 Pet 3:7b).  On the way to court, Jesus illustrates the legalists who love to put others in public shame. The court law never solves the problem of the heart. Going to court doesn’t facilitate reconciliation, even though it may declare one as guilty or innocent. To avoid murder, deal with anger, and do this privately by seeking reconciliation, not by publicly seeking vindication in court.

Fulfilled in Obedience

In this passage Jesus mandates, to love Scripture and to live to keep it. Matthew thinks that it is important for the old and new people of God to know that Jesus is not anti-law or anti-Scriptural. Israel would not be able to accept a Messiah who neglects God’s gift of Torah. Jesus does not flaunt this gift, instead he lives from it and for it, as noticed in overcoming his temptations against Satan. For Jesus the law and the prophets are the written Word of God that has a binding authority. He came to fulfill it by his own deeper obedience to it and by his own deeper interpretation of it. Matthew often repeats this word “fulfill” which means accomplishment of the OT by Jesus Christ (1:22; 2:15,17,33; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:54; 27:9), which implies doing it in totality and fullness. In this way, Jesus did fulfill the whole of Scripture for all his people and for the whole world. Jesus’ followers, in grateful obedience to the one who has already fulfilled the law, need to reinterpret it as Jesus did in his ministry.

Who ‘You Are’ is more Important

By placing “You are” at the head of the sentences (5:13-14), Jesus wishes to tell his disciples that “who they are” is more important before “what they do”. In the larger context, “You are’s” are the bridge between the Beatitudes (5:1-12) and the Commands (5:17-48). The power of the remainder of the sermon flows from this beginning, where the disciples are uniquely identified as the world’s salt and light. In Jesus’ teaching, wholeness stands as God’s gift at the beginning of performance and not at the end. Polemically from now on it is no longer the Torah, the Temple, Jerusalem, and Israel that are the salt and light of the world but it is the followers of Jesus. As the salt is different, so it should be with the disciples. Their power in the world lies in their difference from it. As salt exists for food, so disciples exist for the world. As Jesus himself had been called the Light of the nations (4:16), now the Light passes on his light to his disciples. The disciples because they encountered Jesus, they must reflect his light into the world and overcome the darkness and ignorance caused by sin.

10^th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 08^th June 2026 – 1 Kgs 17,1-6; Mt 5,1-12

Called to Be Righteous

Of all the teachings of Jesus, the beatitudes are a collection of eight characteristics or qualities of life, that separate the children of God from the rest of the world (5:3-12). They describe the blessed state of those who humbly submit themselves to God’s will and to possess the aspects of being in the kingdom. The first set of four beatitudes describes not personal qualities but oppressive situations of distress or bad fortune, which are honoured or esteemed because God’s reign reverses them. This reversal is underway in Jesus’ ministry, but is not yet complete.  The remaining four, and the elaboration in vv.11-12, concern human actions which are honoured or esteemed because they express the qualities of God’s transforming reign. However, both the sets close with reference to righteousness, which is the end goal for every Christian to enter into the kingdom (5:20). The beatitudes are not eight different groups of people (poor, mourners, meek, etc.), but every Christian is meant to manifest every one of these characters, i.e., live to be righteous in his own way.

Condemnation, Not Commendation
Jesus’ public critique juxtaposed the ‘whole’ scribal class with a ‘single’ widow. She became an example in Jesus’ teaching: a positive object lesson and someone to be observed. She was unnamed and Jesus addressed her indirectly. Because of earlier conflicts between Jesus and the temple leaders, this widow’s story was more likely a condemnation, rather than a commendation. The story highlighted the ways the “treasury” (of the scribes) consumed the means of the poor and abused widows’ homes. Jesus did not criticize the Temple authorities directly here; rather he challenged the leadership to practice more just ways. Furthermore, his observation about this widow fit the pattern of several prophets who preceded Jesus favouring vulnerable people, like widows, orphans and immigrants (Is 1:17; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5).

Messianic Identity and Authority

When no religious leaders dared to ask Jesus any more questions, it was his turn to ask one final question. The issue centred on: “How can Messiah be both David’s son and David’s Lord?” This tricky question silenced them. Jesus points out that the religious leaders did not understand the Messiah of the Scriptures. Judaism universally accepted the Messiah to be the ‘son of David’. As Messiah, Jesus is indeed the Son of David but that title is inadequate. Because the leaders expected in Messiah a mere military leader like David. Nevertheless, Jesus demonstrates that He was spiritually superior to David due to his divine authority. This was the bone of contention underlying all the questions of the day. Therefore, Jesus quotes Ps 110:1 as key to his identity and authority. Jesus affirms, at one and the same time, that He was son of David in identity and Son of God in authority, which the religious leaders refused to acknowledge. At God’s right hand, Jesus will rule over not only the kingdom of David but also the whole of God’s creation.

Healthy Self-Love

Jesus responds to the scribe by linking the theological truth to practical and ethical demands. It is impossible to love God and hate those made in His image (1 Jn 2:9-11; 3:15; 4:20). It is impossible to love your neighbour as yourself if you do not love yourself. There is a need for an appropriate self-love which has at its base God’s priority love for humankind. This means that there is a healthy way to love ourselves, which becomes a model for loving our neighbours. There is also an unhealthy kind of self-love, which is named as selfishness, found in the form of self-awareness, self-actualization, self-esteem, and self-absorption. We need, naturally, a sense of our own value as children of God fashioned in His image (Gen 1:26-27). We must rejoice in our giftedness and accept our physical, mental, and psychological makeup (Ps 139). To criticize ourselves is to criticize our Maker! However, the emphasis of this statement is not on “me-first philosophy”. Instead, the Lord emphasizes that love is less a feeling and more a decision to act for the good of the other-and-community. It is learning to see ourselves and others through God’s eyes. Paul used this analogy of Jesus with different wordings (Eph 5:28-29).

Promise of a Perfect Relationship

Previously the Pharisees and Herodians have utterly failed at their mission of humiliating Jesus. Now Sadducees come up with a question to show that the belief in the resurrection is absurd, hoping to weaken Jesus’ credibility as a teacher. They base their disbelief in the Deuteronomic passage about widows (Deut 25:5-6). Once again, Jesus points out their blind spots. First, there was an error in understanding the Scriptures. They failed to understand that in the resurrection there is neither marriage nor procreation. Second, they failed to believe in the power of God, power over death and the grave. Jesus not only shows that their argument is wrong, but actually opens up another level of theological understanding. He explains that God not only restores the dead to life but gives them a completely transformed existence. Those who die in friendship with God will continue to enjoy that friendship even after this earthly life. In the resurrection they will enjoy a more perfect and deeper relationship with God, with others than we had in this life.

Greater Responsibility Vs Limited Duty

Reading the mind of his opponents and seeing their hypocrisy, Jesus acts very practical: requests a coin, holds the coin, inquiries about coin’s image and inscription, and makes the inquisitors respond. In this context, Jesus’ response is amazing because he has slipped out of their trap. He not only tells his listeners to “give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s,” he also demands that they “give to God the things that are God’s” (Mk 12:17). Jesus’ response severely limits what is owed to Caesar. The detestable coin with its idolatrous inscription is the sum total of ‘the things that are Caesar’s’. So, what is given back to Caesar is strictly constrained and what is owed to God is limitless and beyond boundaries. Jesus’ response resolves the conflicts that inevitably arise between one’s duty to the state (moral obligation) and one’s responsibilities to God (accountable). But he insists that one’s obligation to God is always greater that it severely limits what is owed to the state.

Irrational Responses

In this parable, the fault of the tenants is not simply a failure to produce grapes, but a series of treacherous responses to the landowner’s representatives. At least five attempts are made to contact the tenants and receive what was due for the landowner. The series culminates in sending his “beloved son”, which refers to Jesus. This same phrase unmistakably evokes the heavenly voice at baptism (Mk 1:11; Mt 3:17) and transfiguration (Mk 9:7; Mt 17:5). This same truth is seen in Jn 3:16 and Heb 1:1-2. In attempting to send several representatives, God desires to establish a covenant relationship. But there is a clear increase in the ill treatment done to them (beating, beating on the head, killing). The landowner’s hope is ardent and idealistic, but ultimately futile. The tenants at this point are not just evil but irrational. The tenants failed in their response to act faithfully, in accordance with their tenant obligation or in accordance with the covenant.

Triune Family of God

Today we celebrate the most fundamental doctrine of our Christian faith. It is a mystery made known by God to humanity, which we would not have discovered by ourselves. A mystery that doesn’t ask us to believe that 3=1, rather to believe in one God, who acts in three persons. Paul concludes his Second Letter to the Corinthians highlighting the Trinitarian blessings: Grace comes through Jesus Christ, love through the Father and fellowship through the Spirit. Therefore, we see the Holy Trinity as the family of God.

In the Gospel, John 3:16 becomes the culmination of Jesus’ response to Nicodemus. The emphasis here is not about how much God loved the world, but in what way God loved this world. Jesus death on the cross reveals God’s infinite love. This divine love is meant to lead us to believe in God’s Son so that we may have eternal life. Here we have the first references “to eternal life” and “to love”. God deeply loved the world that he created, and longs for this creation to bubble with life. When we believe in Jesus then we inherit God’s love, then we are reborn like Nicodemus, born anew into eternal life. This is a gift of life from the heart of the Father, breathing of the Spirit in and through us, and opening of our eyes to the Son, Jesus Christ, who draws all people unto himself and to his love.

Martin Luther called Jn 3,16 as “Heart of the Bible – the Gospel in miniature.” This verse condenses the deep and marvellous truths of redemption.

“God”                                             –             The greatest lover

“so loved”                                     –             The greatest degree

“the world”                                   –             The greatest number

“that He gave”                            –             The greatest act

“His only begotten Son”           –             The greatest gift

“that whosoever”                       –             The greatest invitation

“believes”                                     –             The greatest simplicity

“in Him”                                         –             The greatest person

“should not perish”                    –             The greatest deliverance

“but”                                               –             The greatest difference

“have”                                            –             The greatest certainty

“everlasting life”                         –             The greatest possession

Love and Authority

Jesus came to Jerusalem Temple towards the last phase of his public life. There his authority was questioned by the prominent representatives of Jerusalem: chief priests, scribes and elders. For the religious leaders, their influential positions and popularity are more important than standing up for what they are supposed to believe (Jn 12:42). In countering them with another question, Jesus exposed them as hypocrites and liars. In responding to them, Jesus points back to the baptism of John and so to his own baptism (Mk 1:9-11) where he received the invitation to be both humble and beloved Son. For Jerusalem leaders, authority meant power and dominion. But for Jesus, authority means a relationship of love, like a Father and Son. It is no wonder that Jesus then brought up John’s baptism as answer to them. It was through this baptism that “we are reborn as sons of God.” (CCC 1213) In recalling our baptism, we can delight in the unconditional love of God and humble ourselves before Him, the supreme authority.

Symbols of Faith

In the first part of the gospel, Mark uses a “sandwich construction.” He begins by narrating an incident (cursing of the fig tree), interrupts it by another incident (cleansing of the temple), and then goes back to complete the first incident (withering of the fig tree). Both the examples are symbolic acts that associate the fate of the fig tree with the fate of the temple, illustrating the sad spiritual condition of Israel. Jesus is aware that the prophets associated the fig tree with the ruins of the people of Israel under God’s judgement (Jer 8:13; 29:14; Joel 1:7; Hos 9:10,16; Nah 3:12). In spite of its many privileges and opportunities, Israel was outwardly fruitless (the tree) and inwardly corrupt (the temple). In this context, Jesus is not impatient, but He is upset with those whom it represents. It was unnatural for Jesus to act in judgment, yet He points out that Israel has lost its usefulness and will be destroyed. Therefore, Jesus teaches his disciples a more basic skill that will get them through any hardship: faith in God. By placing absolute trust in prayer and confidence in God, we can deal with the problem of fruitfulness, and remove mountainous obstacles.

Dependence and Faith

The question Jesus asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?” seems strange to ask a blind man. It was the same question Jesus had asked James and John when they wanted prominent positions in His kingdom (Mk 10:36). Here, Jesus wanted to give the man an opportunity to express himself and give evidence of his own faith. The blind beggar, Bartimaeus, had twice called him, “Son of David” a national messianic title, but now used a personal title Rabboni meaning “my master”. Indeed, it is an expression of personal faith. Bartimaeus wasted no time complaining. He didn’t reproach God for his past miserable life. He acknowledged his full dependence on Jesus. On the other hand, Jesus likes to directly and personally interact with the people He heals, although Bartimaeus’ faith and enthusiasm shorten the encounter. The only other person in the Gospels who expressed this title was Mary Magdalene, when meeting Jesus after Resurrection (Jn 20:16). The experience of Bartimaeus and Mary Magdalene with Jesus manifest their personal dependence and deep faith.

Cup of Salvation

The metaphor to “drink someone’s cup” means to share in the suffering or the fate of that person. Elsewhere, Jesus speaks of his anticipated passion as a cup that he must drink, meaning to accept God-appointed death (Mt 26:39,42; Jn 18:11). The cup, here, signifies the internal, mental, and spiritual sufferings which Christ endured. The Old Testament frequently uses “the cup of God’s wrath” as a metaphor for His judgment for humanity’s rebellion against Him (Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17.22; Jer 25:15-28; 49:12; Eze 23:31-34), which reappears in Rev 14,10; 16,19. However, it does not follow that the cup that Jesus must drink represents God’s anger at sin. Nevertheless, cup can also denote God’s salvation (Ps 16:5; 23:5 116:13), which Jesus is able to take on for the world. Through His sufferings at the hands of the Jewish leaders, Jesus accomplished God’s salvation. The disciples participate in Jesus’ victory, not by power but through credibility. The apostles gained credibility by drinking of that chalice and James, one of the two, was the first to drink of it in martyrdom.

Reward for Higher Vision

In contrast to the rich man’s failure to give up all and to follow Jesus (10:22), the ever-impulsive Peter asserts that the disciples have done just that (10:28). The reward for those who give up all for the kingdom puts forth a higher vision of larger purpose. Salvation comes not through human effort or meritorious work, but rather through the renunciation of self and dependence on God. There are instances where voluntary renunciation undertaken for God’s kingdom reverses the situation (10:31) in the present and in the eschaton. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31) articulates the reversal in the future, while Mary’s Magnificat pronounces at the present (Lk 1:52). Paul makes it plain that at the eschatological judgement, God turns upside down what is wise, powerful and noble in the eyes of the world into foolish, weak, and despised (1 Cor 1:26-29). For those who are willing to sacrifice their earthly comforts and their lives for Jesus, the rewards of eternal life are more than we could imagine (1 Cor 2:9). Matthew adds that the Twelve will “sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt 19:28). Paul says the blessings of heaven overshadow earthly troubles into irrelevance (Rom 8:18). Those who give to God so that God will give them more have the same selfish heart as the rich young man who retains what he had received from God.

Lack of Detachment and Dependence

The man who runs up and kneels before Jesus clearly has a burning question in his heart. But he got himself trapped in an illusion of the worldly security of power and money instead of eternal security. The various expressions used in this passage – “inheriting eternal life” (v.17), “having treasure in heaven” (v.21), “entering the kingdom of God” (v.23), and “being saved” (v.26) – are all different ways of the fullness of life that Jesus promises to those who choose God. On the other hand, the man has been faithful to the Lord’s commandments and devotedly follows them from his childhood. Yet, his righteous life could not merit him eternal life. Jesus recognizes that the ‘one thing’ he lacks is detachment from his “many possessions” (vv.21-22).  He lacks total dependence on God alone, who gives eternal security for ever. The cost of discipleship demands, the cost of letting go of that ‘one thing’, which many of us consider more valuable than holding on to God completely. The measure of our trust in God will determine how tightly we hold on to what God asks us to let go.

Acts 2: 1-11;  1 Cor 12: 3b-7, 12-13; John 20: 19-23

Movement towards Dissemination

Pentecost marks the end and goal of the Easter season. The feast of the Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks is the second of the three great Jewish feasts. It is celebrated on the fiftieth day of the Passover. It is an agricultural feast marking the end of the grain harvest. This harvest feast of Pentecost provides an ideal setting for the public manifestation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. For the major festivals like Passover and the Pentecost Jewish pilgrims would gather in Jerusalem. In similar manner, the first reading mentions Jewish pilgrims gather in Jerusalem. It is a fitting divine strategy as the people witnessed the fantastic event and put their trust in apostolic preaching. Strengthened by this experience, the apostles move out as ambassadors of Christ. The outpouring of the Spirit on the apostles is also spectacular: The sound from heaven like rush of a mighty wind. This reminds us of the first creation and sets the stage for new creation, the birth of the Church. Like all the harvest feasts, it is a joyful occasion because the stage is set for the dissemination of Jesus’ message of salvation. Jesus always equips and sends his followers. In the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ followers receive the fullness of the spirit of the glorified son.

Jesus equips his disciples for his mission in five ways. 1) Giving Great Peace (20:19 & 21): To those who were hiding behind locked doors the Lord graciously extends his peace and strengthens them through his abiding presence. Peace with God is foundational for our mission. 2) Giving Great Proof of His resurrection (20,20): This historical fact becomes vital importance for our witness to Christ and to proclaim the gospel with confidence. 3) Giving a Great Purpose of being sent by the Father (20,21): Just as Jesus was sent by the Father so we have been sent by him. By sending us in the same way that Jesus was sent, His purpose becomes our purpose. 4) Giving Great Power by His breathing (20,22): Jesus’ symbolic action here imparts the indwelling Holy Spirit that gives capacity to proclaim his gospel. 5) Giving a Great Proclamation on forgiveness (20,23): The ultimate mission of the Church in the world is to deal with sin and forgive sins. This is the assurance for every believer that “Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10,43).

Mission is Deeply Personal

Having just focused on the ministry and martyrdom of Peter, the gospel turns to the witness and destiny of the disciple whom Jesus loved. Unlike Peter who compares, Jesus doesn’t see the need to compare the roles of these two disciples in the emerging church. Peter holds the place of leadership and primacy in the Church; the Beloved Disciple holds a special place as founder of the community to which this gospel was written. Peter is called to a life of pastoral ministry, followed by martyrdom; the Beloved Disciple is called to a long life of faithful witness. Both forms of discipleship are equally valid and important for the Church. However, we can get distracted thinking about and comparing ourselves to others, or whether they may or may not be following Christ. These comparisons with others, of their gifts or mission, can frequently be a sign of our pride. Instead, Christ’s relationship with his disciples is deeply personal. Their future is determined by His will only. Each one has a specific mission to complete in life, which no one can replace.

Love Multiplies in Giving

Jesus ends his commission to Peter with the same words that began their relationships: “Follow me” (Mt 4:19). Here in this passage, Jesus repeats this command twice to Peter (Jn 21:19.22). “To follow Jesus” means Surrendering oneself before Him as the Lord of all, Seeking His will for the direction of life, and Submitting in obedience to His commands. When we do this, we’ll be prepared for death when and however it comes. After the exchange of love and acceptance between Jesus and Peter, we find that Peter’s call to follow Jesus takes on a new and deeper meaning. For the remaining decades of his life, Peter will live in the shadow of the cross, just as Jesus did. He will follow the great Shepherd, tending his flock like Christ. And finally, he will follow Jesus in the kind of death he will suffer, and by that death, he will bring glory to God. Peter’s transformed way of life points out the great truth: The way to glorify God in our death is to follow Him while we live.

Prayer for Unity not Uniformity

As Jesus concludes his priestly prayer to the Father, his vision transcends the present. He prays not only for his disciples gathered around him but also for all the future believers who do not yet know him. He prays for the believers to be made one body in Christ (1 Cor 12:13) and become “perfected in unity” (Jn 17:23), which implies a process of growth. In this prayer, the word “one” occurs four times in three verses (Jn 17:21-23), which means repetition emphasizes prominence. The unity among disciples for which Jesus prays has nothing to do with uniformity. Because genuine internal unity is so difficult to achieve, the Church often settles for some kind of uniformity. But the unity that comes through love for one another requires that individual people be true to their uniqueness. Diversity is the hallmark of a unified community. The genuine unity for which Jesus prayed is not conformity of ideas, but a community united in love for humanity, characterized by trust, and healed by forgiveness. This unity will not only be a source of fulfillment for believers, but it will be a powerful witness to the world. Through this witness we manifest the Trinitarian love for each of us, which is unfathomable, never-ending and unchanging.

Divine Association with Truth

As Jesus departs from the world, he is leaving his disciples behind. His own mission in the world is coming to an end, but that of the disciples is about to begin. Therefore, in this section, Jesus prays to the Father for his disciples. He prays, first, that God may “protect them” from evil (Jn 17:11&15). Jesus knows that the disciples will be persecuted by the world, just as he himself was hated by the world (Jn 17:14). Yet, Jesus asks the Father not to take them out of the world, but rather to protect them from the evil powers within the world (Jn 17:15). Jesus is within us, giving us the inner strength to do his Will. Second, Jesus prays that God may “sanctify them” in the truth (Jn 17:17&19). The disciples are given a share in Jesus’ priestly holiness and in his priestly mission. In order to prepare for and succeed in their mission in the world, the disciples must be holy, as God is holy (Jn 17:11&17). This sanctification in the truth involves the work of both the Son and the Holy Spirit. Association with Jesus, the saving truth of God (Jn 14:6), will equip the disciples for service in his name. Association with the Spirit, who is the “Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:17), will sanctify believers to serve in truth.

The Hour of Glorification

The Last Supper meal had ended. Judas had left, and the eleven, still gathered around Jesus, watched him pray the priestly prayer. The scope of Jesus’ prayer extends from the time before the world existed, when he was in God’s presence, to the complete accomplishment of his earthly ministry. He prayed, “Father, the hour has come.” The moment of his passion had arrived: the moment foreshadowed by the Prophet Isaiah (Is 53:5,10-12); anticipated by Simeon when Joseph and Mary presented Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:34-35); spoken of by Jesus when Mary invited him to work a miracle at Cana (Jn 2:4); perhaps imaged by Jesus every time he saw a soul in need of redemption. The penultimate moment of salvation history was at hand. Knowing every detail of the suffering he was to endure, Jesus called out his Father to “glorify” the Son. By these first words of his priestly prayer, Jesus set an example for us. He has glorified the Father through his healing miracles and wondrous teaching, but the full revelation of God’s nature would occur as Jesus offers his life on the cross. The glorification of the Son is this manifestation of his love to the whole world.  Facing difficult circumstances, embracing the cross is the only sure path manifested by Jesus to love him and glorify his Father.

Preparation for Recovery

The disciples mistakenly thought that they understood everything now, but Jesus gently challenges their basics of faith, “Do you now believe?” (Jn 16:31). Having known their lack of understanding, Jesus makes ominous prediction that the disciples will be scattered and desert him. In truth, there is still a time of fear and doubt yet to come (Jn 16:20-22). Just as Peter had yet to go through his denial of Christ (Jn 13:36-38), the entire group of disciples will react initially to Jesus’ arrest (Jn 18:1-13), in fear and panic (Jn 16:32). Here, Jesus is preparing them not for their fall, but for their recovery. He never expected them to be perfect, without flaws, mistakes or shortcomings. Nevertheless, Jesus concludes with encouragement and a wonderful promise that in Him they have peace (Jn 16:33). In our failure, we are encouraged with an assurance that ultimately our peace is in Christ, not in our spectacular performances. For those who are confused and about to fail, Jesus bestows His pardon (Mt 9:2); His power (Mt 9:22); His presence (Mt 14:27); His purpose (Acts 23:11); and finally, His peace (Jn 16:33).

Upward and Downward Movements

The feast of the Ascension recalls the glorious return of the Lord Jesus to his Father. According to Matthew, the Ascension takes place in Galilee where Jesus also had grown up and begun his public ministry. The major element in the final meeting of Jesus with his disciples before ascension is conferring the great missionary commission. There are four “all’s” in this commission: Jesus has ‘all’ authority given to him, we are to make disciples of ‘all’ nations, we are to teach and obey ‘all’ that he commanded, and finally, Jesus’ promise to be with us ‘always.’ 1) All Authority: While on earth, Jesus exercised his authority with his teachings and healings, which received much admiration from the bystanders. In the culmination of the cross and resurrection, Jesus’ ultimate power and authority is revealed as Lord of all. It is precisely because of this authority that the disciples are called for a special mission. 2) All Nations:  Jesus’ ministry in the Gospel of Matthew is limited only to Jewish people, but here the boundaries are expanded to include all humanity, i.e., make disciples of every nation and race. Thus, the commission for the disciples unfolds the universalistic scope. 3) All that He Commanded: Here Jesus instructs them to teach those who become disciples to do everything that He commanded. This is how the disciples find a way to remain faithful in a world of tests and trials. Obedience of the disciples is intrinsic to their faith, to their discipleship and to God’s promise.4) Always with us: Jesus, as Lord of all, promises to be with his church always, and until the final consummation of the ages. This abiding presence of Jesus is a profound promise.

Ascension is a vertical movement of the risen Jesus from earth to heaven. His commission for the disciples is a horizontal movement that expands around the world. The Church is living out the core teachings of Jesus as a witness within the world. According to the Acts of the Apostles the ascension takes place forty days after the resurrection. During this period, Jesus appears to his disciples on several occasions and strengthens them in their faith. The Church today continues, fortifies its believers to be authentic and effective witnesses of the Risen Lord, who is always present within the Church. In the second reading, Paul brings out another perspective to the ascension. He says God’s power is shown in raising Jesus and having him seated at his right hand in heaven. The risen and glorified Jesus reigns over the whole universe as God has placed all things under his feet. Thus, Christ becomes the head of the Church, which is his body.

Sovereign Plan of Salvation

In Jn 16:28, Jesus briefly summarizes his entire earthly ministry. It brings out God’s sovereign plan of salvation for humanity mediated through his Son. It is a twofold movement, from heaven to earth and back again. Jesus’ heavenly origin is important; otherwise, He could not be the Saviour of humanity. At the same time, His heavenly destination is also important; for it bears witness to the believers of the Father’s seal on the Son’s saving work. In this sentence, four phrases highlight this plan of Salvation. “I came from the Father,” points to Jesus’ eternal glory with the Father before the world began (Jn 17:5; 1:1; 3:13; 6:38). “I have come into the world” refers to Jesus’ purpose of coming into the world, i.e., to reveal the Father to humanity (Jn 5:19; 8:38 & 40; 14:24).  “I am leaving the world again” points to the way Jesus left the world; it was the way of the cross, that was his destiny which he embraced voluntarily (Jn 10:17-18; 3:14; Mk 8:31). “I am going to the Father” highlights His resurrection from the dead (Jn 2:19) and His ascension into Heaven (Jn 16:16). From start to finish, our salvation does not depend on our perfection, but rather on God’s sovereign love and grace manifested through his Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we need to ask for it in Jesus’ name. It is nothing but acknowledging our unworthiness to God, and exhibiting our full dependence upon Jesus the Lord.

Promise of a Lasting Joy

Jesus continues to comfort his disciples by telling them that He will see them again. Once more Jesus refers to his post-resurrection appearances as a promise. He, then, pledges two things to the disciples: Their sorrow would be turned to a lasting joy; and No one will take their joy away from them. In these promises the idea of permanence is attached. The disciples will experience permanent joy in recognizing that Jesus has overcome death itself (Jn 16:20). That joy would be the result of the disciples seeing the risen Lord, who will transform their understanding of the cross. And they will also experience the permanent presence of joy in them, through the presence of the Holy Spirit that was promised as a result of Jesus’ departure (Jn 14:17). After the resurrection, the disciples, in their repeated encounters with the risen Lord, were truly transformed and courageous. This experience led them to have deeper joy and guidance of the Spirit in their lives. Indeed, the Lord’s perspective of permanence enabled them to endure suffering for the sake of His kingdom.

Sharing Friendship

Abiding in the love of Jesus means to live out in humility (Jn 13:16), service (Jn 13:14) and sacrifice (Jn 15:12) and as demonstrated by Jesus. In this manner, Jesus uses the word “friend” to express the type of relationship he desires with those who follow him. St.James cites Abraham, the Father of faith, as a “friend of God” (Jam 2:23), because of God’s open communication with him in friendship (Gen 18:17). Moses, the greatest leader of the Exodus, was privileged to speak to God as a “friend” (Ex 33:11), a relationship that seemed unattainable to the average Israelites in his time. Yet, Jesus calls his disciples “friends”, and like a true friend, shares the best of himself with his disciples. He laid down his life for them and he offered them the key to his Father’s house with all its riches. Although it’s hard to imagine being God’s friend, that is available to those who trust in Christ and, in faith, obey the Father who loves us. This unearned, and undeserved gift of friendship gives disciples the freedom and the motivation to bear fruit for Christ that will be lasting.