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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

May 3rd: Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
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Gospel text (Jn 14:6-14): Jesus said to Thomas, “(…) If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him "(…) The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves (…)."

Whoever sees the Son sees the Father

Fr. Antoni ORIOL i Tataret (Vic, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, to Philip’s petition to show us the Father, Jesus Christ responds from a double perspective: whoever has seen Jesus, has seen the Father (interpersonal aspect), while adding that He is doing the deeds that the Father does (inter-operative aspect). In short: the Works the Father is doing are the works Jesus does, and vice versa.

This message continues all the way down, extending it in two directions to encompass the human dimension: an active one and a praying one. Active: whoever believes in Jesus will do the works that He does. Praying: whatever we demand in His name, He will do it. The first way underlines the faith (“He believes in me”); the second one, emphasizes the divine doing (“The works I do”).

—Lord Jesus, introduce us into this infinite relationship that, as "terminal", it is You, and, as "originator", it is Your Father! And do that, rocked by it, in the Holy Spirit, all men are truly “brothers”, being precisely one with each other.