4/29/2013

RISE, LET US BE ON OUR WAY.



A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
Jesus said to his disciples: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way (John 14, 27-31). This is the word of the Lord.

In today’s gospel selection, the last sentence caught my attention: Rise, let us be on our way. It lies at the end of John’s chapter 14 and it seems to close Christ’s farewell discourse to his disciples after having participated in the Last Supper he had eagerly desired to eat with them. But Jesus’ discourse goes on for another three chapters. Bible scholars discuss this matter at length. This is not the place to expand on this discussion. I only want to quote St. Thomas Aquinas who, commenting on this reading from John’s gospel recalls St. John Chrysostom saying that “He [Jesus] said this because he saw they [the disciples] were afraid, … Consequently they were not paying attention to what he was saying. So Christ led them to another hidden place, so that feeling more secure they could listen with more attention to what he would say to them and understand it better” (Commentary on John’ gospel, Ch14, Lecture 8,  no 1977). 

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