Gospel Reading: Jn 14:6-14
Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”
Reflections
Master, show us the father
The apostle Philip asks this from Jesus upon hearing that it is through him that one can go to the Father. Jesus wonders why Philip makes that request. It is obvious that Jesus identifies himself as the way to the Father. Philip seems not to get the point. Jesus helps him by checking on his faith: “Do you not believe…”
The verb “believe” occurs four times in the Gospel. It is an important key to understand what Jesus has said and will say. In its first occurrence, Jesus interrogates Philip, “Do you not believe…?” In the second, Jesus commands him to believe. In the third, Jesus pleads with him to believe, at least because of the glaring works. In the fourth, Jesus declares that if Philip believes, he should do what Jesus is doing.
Jesus gives the benefit of believing: one’s prayers will be answered. The believer glorifies the Father in the Son.
Believing in Jesus and praying to him make us see the Father. We can encounter the Father through his Son now; we do not have to wait for the life hereafter. We will never see God if we do not believe in Jesus and pray to him.
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We cannot expect to see the Father if we do not follow Jesus.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
