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| “Ascension of Christ” by Garofalo, 1510-20 |
When Paul came to Antioch
"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you."
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Commentary on Acts 13:26-33
In this passage from Acts we find Paul on his first missionary journey to Asia . He is speaking to a mixed crowd of Jews and Gentiles, explaining that Jesus came to fulfill what was written in the Hebrew Scriptures. He concludes his discourse with a quote from Psalm 2:7. For the Jews this would have seemed a natural continuation of salvation history. For the Gentiles the adoption by God implicit in the quote would be seen as an invitation.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
Psalm 2 is a “royal psalm”. The proclamation of adoption is set in legal terms of the day to establish the relationship between people and God. We hear in this language the baptismal adoption we received, making us God’s children and favored above all creation.
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Gospel: John 14:1-6
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."
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Commentary on John 14:1-6
This dialogue with the disciples is taking place at the Last Supper. Jesus has already responded to Peter and now Thomas chimes in with; “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” To which Jesus responds with a phrase known to all Christians “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He ends with another phrase that has been used throughout the history of Christianity positively, as an invitation and negatively as a statement of exclusivity; “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
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Reflection:
When we consider the plight of the widow and the orphan what strikes us as we emphasize with them is their aloneness. The widow, who has for some years enjoyed the companionship and love of a husband, is suddenly bereft of that love and protection. She faces the world alone without the intimate and personal attention of her spouse. Prepared or not, she is left to fend for herself. Similarly, the orphan is left alone with the passing of their mother and father. They, like the widow, have not one to care for them and, perhaps even more desperately, not one to provide a foundation for their future.
We hare about these situations, some more desperate than others, and are moved to pity their isolation from love, for that is what the losses they have similarly suffered truly means. And while we must provide such love and support that we can to such as these, they also serve to remind us what it is like to be without faith and hope in the Lord.
How comforting this thought should be! We are never alone even though those we love in this world may have passed on before us. Our Lord has adopted us, taken us for his own, and like a loving parent, he will help us over the difficult passages in our lives (if we let him – like all children, sometimes we want to do it our way, ignoring our parent’s advice).
Today as we hear the words of our adoptive Father through our Brother Jesus, we accept the faith he offers and look forward to a life in the heavenly mansion he prepares for us.
Pax
[2] The picture used today is “Ascension of Christ” by Garofalo, 1510-20
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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