8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it will be enough for us.” 9 Yeshua replied to him, “Have I been with you so long without your knowing me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am united with the Father, and the Father united with me? What I am telling you, I am not saying on my own initiative; the Father living in me is doing his own works. 11 Trust me, that I am united with the Father, and the Father united with me. But if you can’t, then trust because of the works themselves. 12 Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever trusts in me will also do the works I do! Indeed, he will do greater ones, because I am going to the Father. 13 In fact, whatever you ask for in my name, I will do; so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me for something in my name, I will do it.
Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the ChurchHave I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me? (John 14:9)
Many superhero movies have a scene in which the masked hero unveils himself to his family, his friends, or the woman he loves. Usually, the people are shocked to discover that this ordinary person is also a secret crime fighter with special powers. But when they start to piece together all of the facts, the truth seems obvious.
Today’s Gospel reading has a similar plot line, but with a different twist. During the Last Supper, Jesus takes off his “mask” and tells the apostles who he really is: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (John 14:11). But the twist is that his big revelation is met with doubt—and by Philip, no less, someone who has been with Jesus from the beginning (John 1:43).
You might expect Jesus to be disappointed in Philip and the others, but that’s not how he reacts. Rather, he walks them through the facts and helps them piece it all together: the miracles they have seen him perform and the words they have heard him speak. Then he goes on to tell them that they too will be able to do superhero-like feats as they grow in their faith and trust in him. He tells them that they are destined to be heroic proclaimers of God’s mercy and grace-filled witnesses to the power and love of their Father.
Just as Jesus revealed himself to the apostles at the Last Supper, he reveals himself to us every time we gather for Mass. He teaches us through the Scripture readings, and he moves our hearts at Communion. He shows us that he is present among our brothers and sisters, and he urges us to become like him in the way we love each other.
So when you go to Mass tomorrow, pay close attention to the readings. See if you can discern Jesus’ voice in them. Is he saying something to you personally? When you pray, “Lord, have mercy,” let him convince you that he has taken away your sins. When you go to receive him in the form of bread and wine, ask him to open your eyes to his presence more clearly—and to make you more like him!
“Open my eyes, Lord, to your love and your presence!” Amen!
Acts 13:44 The next Shabbat, nearly the whole city gathered together to hear the message about the Lord; 45 but when the Jews who had not believed saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and spoke up against what Sha’ul was saying and insulted him. 46 However, Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba answered boldly: “It was necessary that God’s word be spoken first to you. But since you are rejecting it and are judging yourselves unworthy of eternal life — why, we’re turning to the Goyim! 47 For that is what Adonai has ordered us to do:
‘I have set you as a light for the Goyim,
to be for deliverance to the ends of the earth.’ ”[a]
48 The Gentiles were very happy to hear this. They honored the message about the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to eternal life came to trust. 49 And the message about the Lord was carried throughout the whole region.
50 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the women ‘God-fearers’ of high social standing and the leading men of the city, and they organized persecution against Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba and expelled them from their district. 51 However, Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba shook off the dust of their feet against them and went on to Iconium; 52 and the talmidim were filled with joy and with the Ruach HaKodesh.[Footnotes:
Acts 13:47 Isaiah 49:6]
Psalm 98: (0) A psalm:
(1) Sing a new song to Adonai,
because he has done wonders.
His right hand, his holy arm
have won him victory.
2 Adonai has made known his victory;
revealed his vindication in full view of the nations,
3 remembered his grace and faithfulness
to the house of Isra’el.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
4 Shout for joy to Adonai, all the earth!
Break forth, sing for joy, sing praises!
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