In today’s Gospel Reading (John 14:21-26), Jesus expound on what he said about a place for us in the Father’s house and the way to Him, to whom Jesus was departing from the earth (John 14:2-4, 6-7, 10-11) in connection to what it means to obey his commandments (John 14:15).
We have read from John 14 last Friday (vv. 1-6) and
Saturday (vv. 7-14). So, reading today’s Gospel text (John 14:21-26) is a good
way to deepen our understanding to benefit from Jesus’ “carpentry” work in the
house of the, making home with the Father in heaven through Jesus, who is the
way, as well as the truth and the life.
Jesus said that he would reveal himself to those
whom he loves, and those are loved by Jesus, have him revealed, love him, and
therefore, are loved by the Father (John 14:21b). And, those who love him obey
his commands (John 14:21a). The commands that Jesus gave are delivered in his
Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-7:27), as well as the Sermon on the Plane
(Luke 6:20-49). He also issued
commandments on various occasions over various topics: dealing with temptation to
sin (Matthew 18:8-9), forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35), on divorce (Matthew
19:4-12), the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-40), being reborn in the Holy
Spirit for the Kingdom (John 3:3-7), servant leadership (John 13:14), loving
each other as exemplified by Jesus as his new commandment and as a sign of the
discipleship (John 13:34), and so forth.
Then, Judas, not Iscariot, also known as Jude, asked
Jesus how it is that he manifests (reveals) himself to his disciples but not to
the world (John 14:22).
To this, Jesus responded that loving him by keeping
his word (observing his commandments) will merit to be loved by the Father as
He will come to those who love him by keeping his word (observing his
commandments) to make our home with Him (John 14:23). For this, Jesus has to
depart from the earth and return to the Father to make a place for those who
love him so that the Father can have them in His house (John 14:2-4; 23).
Then, Jesus said:
The
Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach
you everything and remind you of all that I told you
(John 14:26).
The Advocate (Parakletos)
is the one whom Jesus described as another Advocate, sent by the Father upon
his request, to be with those who love him by keeping his word – obeying his commandments
(John 14:16). The Advocate himself is, indeed, Jesus (1 John 2:1).
It is important to note that Jesus said that another
Advocate would be with his disciples always. And, Jesus promised that he will
be with them all always even after his ascension (Matthew 28:20). And he
revealed that another Advocate to be sent by the Father after his departure is
the Holy Spirit, who will teach them and remind them of what he had taught
(John 14:26). It means that another Advocate, who is the Holy Spirit, will
continue to guide and teach the disciples to make sure that they keep Jesus’
word and continue to observe his commandments as his disciples. This way, they
always love him, as he does, and are always loved by the Father so that they
will make their home with Him. And, this is the way to the Father that Jesus
wants them to follow in the fullness of time.
This is so comforting and assuring to know that
Jesus is always with us, in flesh and in spirit, as our Advocate (Parakletos, which literally means to be
one who is called to be with us as a companion – to be besides us). And this is
echoed by what Paul said about inseparability from God’s love, which is
revealed and manifested in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39).
Jesus loves us, as the Father loves us, as we love
him by keeping his word and obeying his commandments. This is how the Father
will come to us and makes home with us. Even after his departure from the
earth, he will continue to be with us always as the Holy Spirit, another
Advocate (Parakletos) is always with
us, and teaches us what Jesus the Advocate has taught and commanded. And, this
is, indeed, Jesus, our way to the Father, as well as the truth and the life.
Do you want to go to the Father and to make your home with Him?
If you do, do you know the way to the Father?
Now you know what to do. The first step is love
Jesus by keeping his word and observing his commandment.
This way, we ensure of his perpetual companionship
with us. And nothing can separate us from him – unless we reject him and commit
apostasies.
Speaking of rejecting Jesus, this has been addressed
in the First Readings from the Acts of the Apostles. Just as Jesus’ public
ministry resulted in a division between those who believed and those who
refused to believe, the apostles’ continuation of his ministry work brought
such a division. The missionary of Paul, accompanied by Barnabas, was no
exception.
On his first mission, Paul, together with Barnabas,
went to Antioch of Pisidida and preached there. The Gentiles were the ones, who
came to believe but the Jews refused to believe. Furthermore, they responded with
hostility to Paul and Barnabas as a result of their preaching on Jesus and his
word, especially to the Gentiles (Acts 13:13-52).
So, Paul and Barnabas left Antioch of Pisidia,
though their teaching on Jesus was spreading through Gentiles throughout the
region, because the Jews persecuted them.
They traveled eastward to Iconium in the Province of
Galatia and preached. There, both Jews and Gentiles came to believe, though the
Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles to divide by setting up
those who do not believe and refused to believe to attack Paul and Barnabas (Acts
14:1-5). This prompted them to escape to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and
Derbe and to the surrounding countryside (John 14:6).
At Lystra, Paul encountered a paralyzed man, who listened
to him intently. And Paul healed him (Acts 14:8-10).
But, those who witnessed this proclaimed that gods
had come to their town, thinking that Paul and Barnabas were gods for making a
man who had never walked walk. So they called Barnabas “Zeus’ and Paul “Hermes”.
Of course, they divinized Paul and Barnabas as Paul
made the paralyzed man walk.
Where they happy that people of Lystra made them
gods?
Of course not! They were upset to the point of
tearing their garments.
So, they had to correct their pagan
misinterpretation of what Paul did to the paralytic man, saying:
Men,
why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We
proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living
God, “who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them”
(Acts 14:15).
Paul and Barnabas came all the way on mission to
Roman Provinces of Asia Minor and Galatia to bring the Good News of Jesus so
that they may believe and love Jesus by keeping his word and observe his
commandments upon conversion. Though there were many people who came to
believe, both Jews and Gentiles, some Jews refused to believe and acted with
hostility toward Paul and Barnabas. But,
in Lystra, people reacted to Paul’s supernatural healing act with divinization,
rather than believing.
Today’s First Reading (Acts 14:5-18) is another episode
of how people respond to the apostles’ introduction of Jesus and his word, as
well as, his commandments.
Not everyone who encountered Jesus through the
apostles’ mission works are fit to love him and to make home with the Father in
heaven.
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