HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY…

Acts 13:26-33

26 “Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him.28 Though they could charge him with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed. 

29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 

30 But God raised him from the dead; 

31 and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee.’ 

John 14:1-6

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?3 And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 

4 And you know the way where I am going.”5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.

MEDITATION

THE FIRST READING.It is worth prefacing that more than four years have passed since Paul’s Damascus encounter with the risen Lord. As a devout Jew, Paul would have made the annual journey from Tarsus located in Ephesus to attend the annual Passover Feast where he for all intents and purposes witnessed our Lords arrest and crucifixion. 

Being a public witness to our Lord’s crucifixion Paul equally suffered the same blindness as his fellow jews who handed the Messiah over to Pilate,hence his bloodthirsty persecution of the Church that followed some time after Good Friday.Having experienced the grace of Gods omniscient mercy,love and admonition, Pauls former zealous animus and cognitive dissonance was transformed into obedience and faithfulness to the Good News. On a side note, Paul presented oral evidence because the NT Good News was not yet penned which makes void the notion of “bible alone.” 

St JOHN’S GOSPEL NARRATIVE brings to light our Lord’s tender love and mercy for those of us who find ourselves in sin and darkness. In some ways our disparate situations suggest a state of hunger and homelessness, lost with no place to lay down our head to rest in peace. More often than not our state of fear and uncertainty has its offspring in our self immolations and doubt, never mind our disbelief in a God that is just, omniscient, loving and concerned about each one of us who are made in His image. 

We are not unlike doubting Thomas who is on the journey experiencing so many miracles and yet we are too blind to see the trajectory where our Lord wishes to take us. Our agnostic scepticisms and stubbornness that doubt divine revelation as handed down and proclaimed by the Church may prevent us from claiming the right to occupy a room in God’s eternal dwelling. Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, however it is preconditioned on our submission to accept and believe and live all that we are taught by the authority that is vested in the two thousand year old Magisterium. 

LET US PRAY: Psalms 2:6-11

6 “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.” 

7 I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my son, today I have begotten you.8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.9 You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.11 Serve the LORD with fear, with trembling.

catholicwitnessct@gmail.com    Henry R SYLVESTER              

Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.