May 13, 2015
Wednesday, 6th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 17:15, 22–18:1
Gospel: Jn 16:12–15
Jesus said to his disciples, “I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into the whole truth. “He has nothing to say of himself but he will speak of what he hears, and he will tell you of the things to come. He will take what is mine and make it known to you; in doing this, he will glorify me. All that the Father has is mine; because of this I have just told you, that the Spirit will take what is mine and make it known to you.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Jesus’ identity as teacher shines in today’s Gospel reading as he revealed he still had many things to teach his disciples. The historical Jesus was primarily a teacher; he came with a message, or better, he came as the message. He himself admitted and claimed in another Gospel passage being the only Teacher and Master (Matthew 23:1-12).
Fr. Raneiro Cantalamessa, the Capuchin household preacher of Pope John Paul II, commenting on Jesus’ role as teacher, wrote that the master-disciple relationship was “very important in Jesus’ time when there were no books, and all wisdom was transmitted orally.”
There were many other teachers in the time of Jesus called Rabbi. Most of them had their students pay for their studies by serving them as masters. They would do small jobs for these Rabbis and render to them services that a young person can do to the elderly such as washing their feet. Jesus did the opposite. Instead of his disciples serving him, he served them instead. It was him who washed the feet of his disciples. Of the many teachers in those days, only Jesus had the authority to say “Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Matthew 11:29). He practiced what he preached.
How blessed are we to have known this teacher! We have everything to learn from him because he himself is the truth. To know who the Father is, we only need to know Jesus the Son, for he is the Father’s revelation. Those who want to learn the art of obedience can learn how Jesus did it at the Garden of Gethsemane. It was in that garden where Jesus submitted himself totally to the Will of his Father saying, “Take away this cup of suffering from me, yet not my will but yours be done”.
We live in an era of relativism that denies existence of any absolute truth. Jesus, being the absolute truth, becomes non-existent under this philosophy of relativism. Against this tide of relativism Jesus stands in our midst as reliable teacher of absolute truths. Let us not withdraw our gaze from him because he is the only reliable guide as we sail over the rough seas of erroneous opinions. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: http://www.frdan.org.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY: God our Father, as we look forward to the coming of the Holy Spirit help us remain loyal to the teachings of the Church. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
CHURCH BULLETIN:
FEAST OF THE DAY: OUR LADY OF FATIMA; The devotion to Our Lady of Fatima resulted from apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Lucia and her cousins Francisca and Jacinta in the village of Fatima, Portugal. In the all these appearances Mother Mary repeatedly requested the conversion of sinners, a great deal of prayer and sacrifices, a devotion to the Immaculate Heart and the daily Holy Rosary, and a life of the sacraments especially Penance and the Holy Eucharist. Many sanctuaries in honor of Our Lady of Fatima have been built all over the world. In the Philippines, countless Catholics continue their devotion to Our Blessed Lady and lead lives of prayer, sacrifice, and penance. She is especially honored on October 13, her feast day.
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