Commentary
Sunday, 5/24/2020, Seventh Sunday of Easter
Together in Prayer
First Reading Commentary: Acts 1:12-14
Luke tells us in Acts that the Apostles went and stayed in Jerusalem with some women, Mary and the brothers of Jesus. In reading this, we have to be careful not to misconstrue the word “brothers.”
During the time that Acts of the Apostles was written, the word “brother” was a generic term that also included cousins, other male relatives and sometimes also included friends. Even today, we describe fellow members of certain organizations as brothers and it is not uncommon to address each other as brothers and sisters in the Church.
Here in Acts, the word “brothers” was used instead of disciples. In effect, any men who were followers of Jesus who accompanied the Apostles in Jerusalem were referred to as brothers by Luke in this passage from Acts.
The Apostles, Mary and the other disciples devoted themselves with one accord to prayer. Luke does not tell us what they prayed for but what is important is that they prayed together. Keep in mind that when two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus that He is with them.
This is one of the reasons why communal prayer is important and why we should go to church. Some people say that they do not need to go to church to pray. To the extent that private prayer is also important, they are right. But if Jesus did not mean for us to come together in prayer, He would not have spent so much time in Synagogues and preaching to the multitudes.
People go to church to be fed by the Word no matter what their religion may be. Catholics also go to church to be fed by the Eucharist. Saying that you do not need to go to church is saying that you do not need to hear (be fed) by God's Word.
Jesus was known to go off by Himself to pray but He did not conduct His ministry by keeping to Himself. He shared His Word with anyone who would listen, told us to do the same and gave us an example to follow.
Next Sunday, we will celebrate Pentecost. When we consider the power of praying together as one, think about what happened to the Apostles and Mary and the men and women who were with them on Pentecost Sunday. The Holy Spirit did not come upon them simply because they remained in Jerusalem as Jesus instructed them to do. The Holy Spirit came upon them because together, they were devoted to prayer and they were devoted because of their faith.
Accept No Shame—Give Glory Instead
Second Reading Commentary: 1 Peter 4:13-16
Today’s reading from Peter’s first letter reminds me of the Beatitudes. In particular, the Beatitude which says, “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.”
While waiting for the Holy Spirit to come to them, the Apostles, together with Mary and other disciples, went into seclusion to escape persecution from those who did not believe. But little did the persecutors know how blessed the Apostles would be. Little did the persecutors know that Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 11:2 would also come true for; the Apostles. Isaiah said, “The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him…”
Peter is telling us that when it comes to our faith, we should never allow anything that anyone might say, no matter how bad the insult, to destroy our faith. In addition, Peter is reminding us that no matter what our persecutors may do to us, they cannot take the eternal joy of the Kingdom of Heaven away from us. Few of us are called to martyrdom but Peter is telling us that if we have to give our lives for our faith, it is worth it because of the reward of heaven.
This life is only temporary and is nothing more than a preparation for the next life which is eternal and will be filled with unimaginable joy in the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, if we are made to suffer, we should not be ashamed. Instead we should glorify God because in our suffering, we become closer to God.
Glory to the Saving Intercessor
Gospel Commentary: John 17:1-11a
Today’s Gospel is an account of Jesus experiencing His Agony in the Garden. Jesus prayed asking the Father for His inheritance but He also prayed with great humility and as an intercessor for us.
When one reads this Gospel for the first time, it may seem that Jesus was being very bold in the way that He addressed the Father in asking for glory. Jesus said, “I glorified you on earth…Now glorify me, Father, with you…”
It sounds like Jesus was saying, “I did what you asked me to do. Now give me what you promised.” But we have to remember that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity. Jesus is God and does not have to ask for anything. So, the mere fact that Jesus asked at all shows His humility toward the Father. And, if you think about it, Jesus as the second person of the Trinity was showing humility toward Himself.
But that same sentence in Jesus’ prayer ends with the words, “…with the glory that I had with you before the world began.” These words are a reminder to us that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. This prayer during the Agony in the Garden was a part of the path that Jesus took in giving up His humanity and returning to the Father in the Kingdom. The Agony itself was just one of the parts of His Passion that had to take place in order for the path to be forged for us to follow Jesus and join Him in the Kingdom.
But Jesus did not limit His prayer to Himself. Jesus prayed for His disciples and for all of us who believe in Him and glorify Him. Jesus said, “I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me…I have been glorified in them…they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
Jesus did not pray for the world because He was not including those who choose not to believe in Him in His prayer. Those who deliberately choose not to accept Christ cannot enter the Kingdom and are doomed therefore; they eliminate themselves from the prayer and salvation. But for those who do believe and those who will come to believe; Jesus prayed. Jesus even prayed for those who will not come to believe until the last day.
Jesus is more than our Savior. He is also our Mediatrix to the Father and our intercessor. Even while He was suffering in the Agony in the Garden, Jesus interceded for us and Jesus still pleads constantly with the Father on our behalf. Jesus knows that in this life, we are constantly exposed to the temptations of the devil. He knows that in the weakness of our humanity, we will sin. Jesus knows that we need all of the help that we can get including His personal intercession and because Jesus loves us, He never stops interceding for us. And so, to Jesus Christ be the Glory! Amen.
