Saturday 23rd
Gospel Reading – John 16:23b-28
Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intention is for Anne Moore RIP
Reflection:
Jesus in today’s Gospel speaks in ‘figures of speech’ rather than speaking clearly. In many of Jesus’ parables his disciples walk away thinking, what did he mean by that? But why did Jesus peak so vaguely rather than speaking clearly?
I believe the answer has to do with our lack of openness to the ‘Truth’. If his disciples were open to the ‘Truth’ and if they were ready to embrace and receive it, Jesus would have willingly spoken clearly to them. The key to understanding this is to understand the connection between knowledge of God’s will and the willingness to immediately fulfil that will. The disciples lacked the understanding of what ‘Truth’ means which lead to Jesus drip feeding them until they until they could fully understand his message and mission for them. And the Spirit sets them free to understand Jesus’ Mission for them!
What do you need to do in order for Jesus to speak to you clearly?