Remember, for the first three Sundays of Paschaltide,
Sunday Gospel readings reflected how the disciples’ initial skepticism,
confusion, grief, and fear, had turned into joy in coming to terms with the
Resurrection of Jesus. Then, on the Fourth Sunday on, the theme of the
Paschaltide Sunday Gospel readings have changed from understanding the
Resurrection to understanding the Christology in the context of Trinity and in
connection to us. For this reason, on the Fourth Sunday of Paschaltide, we
reflect Jesus as our Good Shepherd, who has laid down his life for our
salvation as the Passover sacrificial Lamb of God, and to whom we listen and
follow, for he is the gate, the way, the truth, and the life. Then, for the
remaining Paschaltide Sundays, we explore Christology of Jesus further through
Jesus’ farewell discourse and prayer recorded in John 14:1 to 17:26.
John describes how Jesus interacted with his
disciples at the Lord’s Supper before his arrest and journey on the via crusis in the space of five chapters
in his Gospel: 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. In John 13, the first part (vv. 1-16)
describes Jesus’ washing his disciples’ feet. Then, the second part (vv. 17-30)
addresses how Jesus spoke of his betrayer. And the third part of John 13 (vv.
31-38) is not only about Jesus foretelling his death and how the disciples
reacted with anxiety but also about giving his new commandment (mandatum novum) to love one another as
he has loved the disciples to let the world know of their discipleship – their
relationship with him, in addition to foretelling Peter’s three-fold denial.
Jesus’ farewell address and prayers in John 14-17 are
in response to the disciples’ anxiety of a prospect of Jesus’ departure, which
Jesus foretold at the Supper. That is why Jesus began his address by saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.You have
faith in God; have faith also in me.” (No
pierdan la paz. Si creen en Dios, crean también en mí)(John 1:1). These words of Jesus: “Not to let your hearts
be troubled – do not let peace be disturbed” set the tone for the entire discourse, followed by prayer, of his to
prepare the disciples for his departure.
The departure of Jesus is not just referred to the
immediate one, his death on the Cross, at that time but more to his Ascension
to prepare them not only for Pentecost but also for the eschaton. For this reason, Jesus addressed his need to return to
the Father’s house and his plan to prepare a place for those who follow him
(John 14:2-4).
Though Jesus had been mentioning the Father and how
he is related to the Father, irritating those who persecuted him for
“blasphemy”, it hit hard on the disciples when Jesus revealed that his
departure from them means his return to the Father. That is why Thomas asked
him to let the disciples know where he was going (John 14:5). Then, Jesus
responded with his Christological description of himself as the only way to the
Father, because he is the way and the truth and the life, to let them
understand that knowing Jesus also means knowing the Father (John 14:6-7).
Then, it as Philip, asking Jesus to show the Father
(John 14:8). To this, Jesus further gave the disciples further Christological
discourse to explain who he is in his relationship with the Father so that they
understand why knowing him also means knowing the Father (John 14:9-11).
Basically, this is reiteration of what Jesus said in John 10:30,
“cosubstantiation” that Jesus shares with the Father as one, and in John 10:38,
the cosubstantiate oneness of him and the Father means Jesus is in the Father
as He is in him (John 10:38). And, this Christological essence: the Father-Son
(Jesus) consubstantial unity as Jesus in the Father and He in him (John 10:30,
38) is addressed in John 14:10 and 11. It is important to keep in mind, as we
read the rest of the discourse and prayer of Jesus to John 17:26, this Father-Son
oneness unity with reciprocal bearing of each other within (John 10:30, 38;
14:10, 11) is the foundation to the greater oneness unity with the Father
through him and the Holy Spirit. And, what is indispensable for this
understanding is faith – trust in Jesus, God (John 14:1, 12).
Understanding why seeing Jesus also means seeing the
Father in him also enables us to carry out the works of Jesus even on a greater
scale (John 14:12), and to ensure this, Jesus is willing to assist us for the
sake of the Father’s glory (John 14:13-14). Obviously, Jesus was implying to
how he would continue to be with the disciples and provide whatever they need
upon his departure, Ascension.
And, this is where the Gospel Reading for the Sixth
Sunday of Paschaltide, cycle A, (John 14:15-21) fits in.
Remember, Jesus wanted his disciples to inherit his
works after his departure – upon his return to the Father, expecting them to do
it on a greater scale. And, for this he had promised to provide every necessary
assistance, because it ascertains the glory of the Father (John 14:12-14).
While the Gospel Reading for the Fifth Sunday of
Paschaltide, cycle A, (John 14:1-12) was under the proposition of “If we have
faith in Jesus, it means the faith in the Father because of the oneness unity
of Jesus and the Father, as they are in with each other reciprocally, we do not
let our hearts troubled and we can expand the works of Jesus”. Now, the Gospel
Reading for the Sixth Sunday (John 14:15-21) is under the proposition of “If we
love Jesus and obey his commandment of love”. And, Jesus promised the disciples
to have another Advocate (ἄλλον Παράκλητον
/allon Parakleton) forever (John
14:16), and he is the Spirit of Truth that the world cannot accept due to its
ignorance (John 14:17). The world cannot accept allon Parakleton, the Spirit of Truth, because it is blind to him,
just as those who had accused Jesus for “blasphemy” was blind to the truth
behind the healing of a man born blind, as described in John 9. For this
reason, one of our Spiritual Works of Mercy is to enlighten the ignorant world,
to carry on the works of Jesus. But, for us to do this, we ourselves need to
have allon Parakleton with us all the
time.
And, this allon
Parakleton, the Spirit of Truth (Πνεῦμα
τῆς ἀληθείας /Pneuma tes aletheias),
is indeed the Holy Spirit (Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον/ Pneuma
Hagion) outpoured upon the disciples and the rest of us on Pentecost, as
indicated in John 14:26.
It is important to understand that Jesus did not say
“different”(heteros) Advocate (Parakletos), but another (allos) Advocate (Parakletos). It means that allon
Parakleton, another Advocate, who is the Spirit of Truth , and the Holy Spirit,
is not different from the Parakletos
himself, because the Greek word, “allos”
suggests another form of the same being or substance.
So, who is the other Parakletos, who shares the same substance or essence with allon Parakleton? John tells that he is,
indeed, Jesus, who is with the Father (1 John 2:1).
Now we have a picture of Trinity: the Father, the
Son (Advocate/ Parakletos)(1 John 2:1),
and the Holy Spirit (another Advocate/ allon
Parakleton) (John 14:16). Now that Jesus has explained who he is
Christologically in the context of the Holy Trinity to his disciples to
encourage them to carry on his work of
love through their faith and love in him, as he continues to be with them
through allon Parakleton.
Through our faith and love in Jesus, we come to
understand not only why seeing him also means seeing the Father but also we are
not left as orphans even upon his departure (Ascension). It is because this
Christological character of him: Jesus and the Father are one and in with each
other, and Jesus, Parakletos, stays
with us through another Parakletos,
namely the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. So, we do not feel anxious about
the presence of Jesus, whether he is visible to our eyes or not. And, this is
also why Jesus said, “Behold, I am with
you always, until the end of the age”(Matthew 28:20).
In fact, by virtue of being Parakletos, Jesus cannot be away from us in essence. There is a
good reason for this Greek word, “Parakletos”
to be used to characterize Jesus by John (1 John 2:1) and for Jesus to describe
the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth (John 14:16-17), because “parakletos” literally means being called
(kaleuo) to be beside (para) someone. In other words, the Greek
word, “parakletos” literally means
companionship.
In John 14:17, Jesus assures that he remains with and
in the disciples through allon Parakleton
(another Advocate), as well as the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit. So, Jesus,
Parakletos, is in the Father and the disciples
are in him as he in them (John 14:20). These two verses connect us, the disciples
today, to the Father, through our unity with Jesus, Parakletos, and the Holy Spirit, allon Parakleton. And, what is reflected in this our unity with
Jesus the Son, in Trinity, is love in Jesus’ mandatum novum (John 13:34), which is addressed by Jesus at the
beginning and the end of the Gospel Reading for the Sixth Sunday of
Paschaltide, cycle A, (John 14:15, 21).
Through our faith and love in Jesus, we become one
with him, having him in us as us in him. This unity of Jesus and us is assured
for its eternity, regardless of physical presence, because Jesus is Parakletos (1 John 2:1), who is called
by the Father to remain with us. So, he
assures of his companionship with us through allon Parakletos (John 14:16), who is also the Spirit of Truth to
stay with us forever (John 14:17). And, he, allon
Parakletos serves as our guiding teacher as we carry out the works of Jesus
(John 14:26).
So, the First Reading (Acts 8:5-8, 14-17) gives another
description of how Philip, who was ordained as a deacon, along with Stephen and
five other selected men (Acts 6:1-7, First Reading of the Fifth Sunday of
Paschaltide, A), carried out the works of Jesus, completed by Peter and John,
as these apostles were charged with allon
Parakletos, the Holy Spirit. Initiated by Philip, who was also with and in
Jesus, Parakletos, by the Holy Spirit,
allon Parakleton, brought good
tidings and healing touch of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. And,
Peter and John enhanced the effects of Philip’s mission of love in Samaria
through sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
Imagine the joy that Samaria had, upon the mission of
love by Philipp and sanctification through the Holy Spirit by Peter and John. The
works of Jesus, carried out by us, reflecting his commandment of love, as well
as our love in him, in unity with him, our Parakletos,
and filled with the Holy Spirit, allon
Parakleton, shall bring joy to the world. So, the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm
66) sings in refrain, “Let all the earth
cry out to God with joy”.
The Second Reading (1 Peter 3:15-18) reminds us that
we may suffer in carrying out the works of Jesus, the works of love, as
commanded by him and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As we are empowered and
guided by the Holy Spirit, who shared the same substance with Jesus, who is one
with the Father, we have no reason to be afraid and can stay hopeful even
amidst persecution. And, we can also explain this to others. As we explain why
we can stay hopeful and joyful even in doing the works of Jesus with love, even
it means our suffering, we can bring more and more people to him through our
works and to the Father through him all together. And, they will see a parallel
between our suffering in doing the works of Jesus and the suffering of Jesus.
Because it is all about love (agape), it comes with
suffering. In 1 Corinthians 13:4, Paul explains that love is patient. It means
that we can bear suffering for another person, as the Greek word for “patient”
to characterize love (agape), μακροθυμεῖ/
makrothymei,
literally means being able to suffer for a long time.
The Gospel Reading reflects how our oneness with
Jesus, in connection with the Father, sustains through the Holy Spirit. And,
this unity is about love. The First Reading gives an example of the works of
love, healing and enlightening, completed by sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
The Responsorial Psalm sings out what the works of love will bring, joy. And,
love, which is a running theme in this Sunday’s Scripture Readings, is further
addressed in connection with suffering in the Second Reading, reflecting the
passion of Jesus.
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