Daily Gospel Reflection

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April 27, 2024

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Jn 14:7-14
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Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

Reflection

Lauren Slonkosky M.A. '09
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“If.” Such a small word, but it sets up a conditional clause. One thing becomes contingent upon another. Today, Jesus says to his disciples: “If you know me, then you will also know my Father.” Whenever Jesus is speaking to his disciples, we know that he is speaking to us—to you and me. And here Jesus so simply says that we can know him. In fact, Jesus goes on to say that we already do know him, already do see him.

No wonder we, as his disciples, ask a redundant question: “Well, then, show the Father to us.” Jesus knows this is difficult for us. He does not abandon us. He knows that by revealing the Father, the Father must also in some ways remain hidden in the Son because he is God.

“If.” That tiny conditional clause—one thing is contingent upon another. As a parent, I understand the world of conditional statements intimately. “Children, if you do your chores, then you can have a treat after dinner.” “Children, if you make your bed for 50 days in a row, then you can pick out a new Lego set at the store (as long as it’s small!).”

In today’s gospel, Jesus offers a pretty amazing prize: The God who laid the foundations of the Earth and numbered the stars—the original artist of all beauty, the original truth of all knowledge, the most mysterious and shrouded reality that people have sought to glimpse throughout human history.

So, what’s the catch? What do we need to do for this treat of all treats?

We need to know Christ to see Christ. Could it be this simple? But we already know all about him, don’t we? Jesus seems to be challenging us: Do we know about him or do we know
him? Spiritual masters ahead of us have shown us that this knowledge of Christ requires
something from us. We must tell him about our lives. We must look to him for guidance. We must entrust to him the vulnerable places in our hearts. We must believe he can and does save us every single day.

Prayer

Rev. Thomas C. Bertone, C.S.C.

O God, you choose us this day to remain in your love as we encounter those we meet. Help us to grow in our ability to love others as fully as you have loved us in giving your life for us. Give us the patience and understanding we need to see the good in others, to see and love in them what you see and love in all of your children. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.