Thursday of the Final Week of Easter
Acts 22:30;23:6-11  +  John 17:20-26
June 6, 2019

   “…so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in Me and I in You.”   

There are many types of unity.  For example, if two persons agree about a political issue, and join a common party, these two persons have political unity.  If two persons agree about a moral teaching, or agree to act in common on behalf of a moral goal, these two persons have moral unity.  If two students study for doctorates in physics, specializing in the same topic, and become the two foremost experts in the world about that topic, these two persons bear a certain intellectual unity. Continue reading →

Wednesday of the Final Week of Easter
Acts 20:28-38  +  John 17:11-19
June 5, 2019

   “…that they may be one just as We are one.”   

Of the four Gospel accounts, John’s is the loftiest and thus is symbolized by an eagle.  In the vocabulary of theology, John has the highest Christology.  One can make the case that the Last Supper discourses—found in John 13-17—make up the loftiest part of John (with the possible exception of the prologue in John 1:1-18).  Within the Last Supper discourses, the seventeenth chapter of John is commonly titled the “High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus, and is the loftiest part of these discourses.  All of this is stated to point out that in this last week of Easter, we are certainly breathing rarified air. Continue reading →

Tuesday of the Final Week of Easter
Acts 20:17-27  +  John 17:1-11
June 4, 2019

   “Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”   

We are approaching the end of the Easter season.  For seven weeks we have heard of the events surrounding the Resurrection, and how these events have touched the lives of those who encountered Jesus, such as Mary Magdalen, Peter, and Thomas.  We have heard how the lives of these followers of Jesus were changed because they believed in the events they witnessed.  The Church today is also made up of followers of Jesus, those whose lives have been changed by their encounter with the Body of Christ. Continue reading →

Monday of the Final Week of Easter
Acts 19:1-8  +  John 16:29-33
June 3, 2019

   “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”   

This coming Sunday’s celebration of Pentecost is the backdrop for all our weekday readings this week.  Wherever we Christians are, we are united in the Mystical Body of Christ, and together we are praying this week for a greater openness to the Gift who is God the Holy Spirit. Continue reading →