3 reflections

Scripture: Monday May 30, Lectionary 291: Acts 16:11-15. Psalm
149:1-2.3-4.5-6.9 John 15:26-16:4:

Hour is an important word in the Fourth Gospel for speaking about the
Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Like the Synoptics, John repeats
this theme three times in his Gospel. In today's selection from the final
discourse of Jesus we have the word "hour" used for our own way of
participating in what will happen to Jesus. We will go through life with
many sufferings and even the ultimate mystery of death. Our faith in Jesus
leads us through the journey of life to a deep spiritual experience of
trust that we too will live with Jesus in eternity through the completion
of the Paschal Mysteries in our own life. This is our "hour". We are one
with Jesus just as he is one with us and one with the Father. He has told
us in another prayer of his to call God, "Our Father."

In another very familiar prayer, the Hail Mary, we ask the Mother of Jesus
to "pray for us now and at the "hour" of our death. Our union with Jesus
leads us to a relationship with his mother who is always united with her
Son even to his death on the Cross. We have a totally human person in her
who helps us in our own "hour." Our union with Jesus and Mary takes us into
the final mystery of the Passover of Jesus, that of his resurrection.
Eternal life with him and all the saints is part of our journey of faith
and our creed that there is life after death and there is a union with the
holy ones who have gone before us with the sign of faith.

We prepare ourselves for the fullness of life through our union with Christ
and through the promise of Jesus telling us that the Holy Spirit will be
our advisor and our defender. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is our comforter
and our sanctifier. The time of Jesus departure will be celebrated either
this Thursday, "Ascension Thursday" or next Sunday depending on the diocese
that we belong to. The promise of Jesus to send us the Holy Spirit is most
comforting and consoling. Jesus tells us that we are to remember his words
about the "hour" as well as about the Holy Spirit. Just as the Prince of
Darkness, the Evil One or the Devil will have his hour, we overcome that by
the Word of God and his hour: "The light (Jesus) shines on in the darkness
and the darkness did not overcome it." (John 1:5). Amen. Alleluiah.

Scripture: May 25, Wednesday, Lectionary 287: Acts 15:1-6. Psalm 122:
1-2.3-4.4-5. John 15:1-8:

Parables are the ways Jesus teaches us in what we hear and read in the
Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John does not have Jesus using
parables but rather prefers the imagery of symbolic language and extended
or allegorical descriptions. Today we are compared to the vine and its
branches and how we are united to Jesus. These images help us to understand
what Jesus is teaching us. The description given to us of the vine and its
branches helps us to realize we are a part of the life-giving vine (Jesus).

There is a Eucharistic theme present in this example. The fruit of the
vine is the grape and by the wine made from the grape is called the "blood
of the grape." Jesus gave us himself as this life giving symbol become
reality through his divine words. John may have drawn upon the Gospel of
Mark for this relationship to the Last Supper when we read in Mark: "I
solemnly assure you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it in the reign of God." (Mark 14:25).

Jesus introduces this extended metaphor or image language by the expression
"EGO EIMI" --I AM--thus reminding us of his union with the Father. We begin
to realize that the use of symbolic language goes beyond the historical
meaning of words and makes them available for all times and peoples both
now and in the future. The world of symbols is universal and timeless.
Thus the sacrament of the Eucharist is more readily understood than if we
are taking things literally. This is especially true of John who presents
his Gospel on three different levels and often with irony to confront those
who really think they know who Jesus is and what he is saying. Symbolism
pertains to the fullness of the spiritual realm and to the sacramental life
of the community bound up with sacred symbols and words--usually those of
Jesus or the teaching Church.

We may wish to image the vine and its branches. We may pray for the
fruitfulness of the messianic banquet where all are gathered to enjoy the
Messiah's real presence. Amen. Alleluiah.

Scripture: Thursday, May 26. Lectionary # 288. Acts 15:7-21. Psalm
96:1-2.2-3.10. John 15:9-11:

Our Gospel is a short and comforting selection of the words of Jesus as he
continues his final prayers and discourse. We continue to see him and
imagine the apostles gathered around him at the Passover meal that he
celebrated with them on the night before he died. We remain with this
scene and perhaps read it several times during the day to fathom the
life-giving words of Jesus. The message is simple, clear, and deeply
moving. We are called to "live on in Jesus' love." This is how we can be
fully alive to ourselves and to others by doing the commandment of love.
Jesus himself is over-joyed when we do love one another as he loves us.
Jesus tells us, "live in love that my joy may be yours, and your joy may be
complete."

Fr. MacRae comments: "the passage is an eloquent expression of the
relationship of the believer to Christ and of the meaning of the
commandment of love. Love of Christians for one another is for John but a
reflection of love at a much deeper level."

Love consists in words, actions, emotions, and willingness to show signs of
affection and effectiveness for the other person whom we love and do things
for. We discover who we are at our inmost depths and our fullness of joy
in who we really are shines forth. Agape love or the love Jesus wants us
to have does away with all fear and anxiety. If we are still anxious and
fearful, we have not reached the love that is named agape by Jesus.
Perfected love casts out all fear. Amen. Alleluiah.