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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I love this comment because somehow it reminded me of another gospel story, that of the Transfiguration. Matthew, Mark and John tell us the story of Jesus taking with him Peter, James and John in the mountains and there his clothes became dazzling white and Moses and Elijah were talking with him, and a voice from the cloud said: “This is my Son … listen to him!”. The three disciples were terrified, but Peter would have liked to stay on and enjoy the glorious scene. He said: “Lord, it is good for us to be here…”. Jesus touching them said: “Get up and do not be afraid”.

During the Last Supper the disciples had reason enough to be afraid, terrified, even. While still at table, Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him, that Peter would deny having anything to do with him, and he, teacher and lord, washed the feet of each one of them, traitor and denier included. “Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid” he told them. On the mountain of the Transfiguration the three disciples would have willingly stayed and feel good to witness his glory. In the Last Supper hall they would have willingly remained, afraid to go out and face tragedy. On both occasions, then, Jesus told them to get up and not to be afraid. On both occasions they were asked to be on their way. On both occasions the disciples were terrified and they did not know what to say.

Jesus promised them peace, his peace. He did not promise the type of peace the world would give. The peace Christ promised is not intended as a flight from real life problems. His peace is based on some certainties. Firstly, he told them “I am going to the Father, who is greater than I” and also: “I am going away, and I am coming to you”. This would bring them joy if they loved him, Jesus said. He also assured them that “being on their way” is not a loss for “The ruler of this world has no power over me”. Our liturgy reminds us that Jesus freely accepted his passion and death, not because he was happy to suffer, but because it was a witnessing of immense love, “that the world may know that I love the Father” and that “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15, 13).

Jesus consoled his frightened disciples. He told them: “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away” (Jn 16, 7) “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever” (Jn 14, 16) who “will guide you into all the truth” (Jn 16, 13). He did not hide what was awaiting them as disciples of the Christ; “You will weep and mourn … you will have pain”, he told them. “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you” (Jn 15, 18), “but your pain will turn into joy” (Jn 16, 20) “Take courage; I have conquered the world!” (Jn 16, 33).

All of this Jesus told his disciples after celebrating the Last Supper with them. Even today, after participating in the Mass and taking the Holy Eucharist, Jesus tells us “Arise, do not be afraid, be on your way”. Through his ministers he tells us in one of the liturgical phrases: “Go forth, the Mass is ended. Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord. Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life”.

This is our peace, to celebrate the Eucharistic Supper with our Lord and our Community, and to go about our daily cores announcing the Gospel of the Lord and glorifying him by our life lived in our sincere effort to love the Lord and to love our neighbour.

May the good Lord help us to walk his Way, to search for his Truth and to accept the fullness of his Life both on earth and in the home he prepared for each one of us in heaven. Amen.