A Penitent Blogger
Only Christ
The juxtaposition of today’s readings and the last 24 hours of the Holy Father’s visit to the United States is very interesting.
Yesterday, the Holy Father met with victims of sexual abuse by priests.
In today’s Gospel (John 14:1-6), our Lord says,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled...”
Today, the Holy Father leaves Washington, DC, and our Lord’s words in today’s Gospel are words of parting.
Yesterday, the Holy Father met with representatives of other religions and had a special message for people of the Jewish faith.
In this respect, the juxtaposition of the readings is more challenging.
In first reading (Acts 13:26-33), Saint Paul speaks of how the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognized Jesus as Messiah and were involved in bringing about his death.
And today’s Gospel ends with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saying this:
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Regarding the Jewish people, Saint Paul himself would later write that the Jewish people are much to be respected, that the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable and that all of Israel will be brought into the Kingdom of God, despite their past and current rejection of Christ.
The Church continues to reaffirm this teaching, even as it also reaffirms our Lord’s words “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Some people might point to our Lord’s words earlier in this Gospel “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places” as a way to resolve this apparent tension. One must be careful about this approach, which might imply (inter alia) the at least figurative existence in heaven of a “Hindu room”, a “Muslim room”, a “Buddhist room” and so forth.
We need to respect all human beings and we also need to respect the sometimes hidden ways by which Christ may be at work in the hearts of individuals inside and outside His Church.
But we must also be clear and diligent in living out what Christ Himself says: that He is the Way, that He is the Truth, that He is the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
Yesterday, the Holy Father met with victims of sexual abuse by priests.
In today’s Gospel (John 14:1-6), our Lord says,
“Do not let your hearts be troubled...”
Today, the Holy Father leaves Washington, DC, and our Lord’s words in today’s Gospel are words of parting.
Yesterday, the Holy Father met with representatives of other religions and had a special message for people of the Jewish faith.
In this respect, the juxtaposition of the readings is more challenging.
In first reading (Acts 13:26-33), Saint Paul speaks of how the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognized Jesus as Messiah and were involved in bringing about his death.
And today’s Gospel ends with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saying this:
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Regarding the Jewish people, Saint Paul himself would later write that the Jewish people are much to be respected, that the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable and that all of Israel will be brought into the Kingdom of God, despite their past and current rejection of Christ.
The Church continues to reaffirm this teaching, even as it also reaffirms our Lord’s words “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Some people might point to our Lord’s words earlier in this Gospel “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places” as a way to resolve this apparent tension. One must be careful about this approach, which might imply (inter alia) the at least figurative existence in heaven of a “Hindu room”, a “Muslim room”, a “Buddhist room” and so forth.
We need to respect all human beings and we also need to respect the sometimes hidden ways by which Christ may be at work in the hearts of individuals inside and outside His Church.
But we must also be clear and diligent in living out what Christ Himself says: that He is the Way, that He is the Truth, that He is the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
posted by Penitens | 8:35 AM
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