May 14 2022 Reflection
Saturday 14 May 2022
First Reading: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Responsorial Psalm:
The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Gospel Reading: Jn 14:7-14
Today’s Note: Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Gospel Reading:
If you had known me,
you would have known my Father also;
henceforth you know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.”
Jesus said to him,
“Have I been with you so long,
and yet you do not know me, Philip?
He who has seen me has seen the Father;
how can you say, `Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father
and the Father in me?
The words that I say to you
I do not speak on my own authority;
but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me;
or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.
“Truly, truly, I say to you,
he who believes in me will also do the works that I do;
and greater works than these will he do,
because I go to the Father.
Whatever you ask in my name,
I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son;
if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
Reflection:
What’s the greatest thing we can aim for in this life? – Is it not to know God personally as your Father and Redeemer? What is the best thing we can possess in this life, bringing more joy, contentment, life and happiness, than anything else? – Is it not true knowledge and understanding of who God is and what kind of relationship he wants to have with you? Scripture tells us the greatest thing we can know and possess is true knowledge of God: Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me”(Jeremiah 9:23-24).
We can know God the Father personally and be united with him
One of the greatest truths of the Christian faith is that we can know the living God. Our knowledge of God is not simply limited to knowing something about God, but we can know God personally. The essence of Christianity, and what makes it distinct from Judaism and other religions, is the personal knowledge of God as our Father.
Jesus makes it possible for each of us to personally know God as our heavenly Father. To see Jesus is to see what God is like. In Jesus we see the perfect love of God – a God who cares intensely and who yearns over men and women, loving them to the point of laying down his life for them upon the Cross. Jesus is the revelation of God – a God who loves us unconditionally, unselfishly and perfectly – without neglecting or forgetting us even for a brief moment. If we put our trust in Jesus and believe in him, Jesus promises that God the Father will hear our prayers when we pray in his name. That is why Jesus taught his followers to pray with confidence, Our Father who art in heaven ..give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:9,11; Luke 11:2-3). Do you pray to your Father in heaven with joy and confidence in his personal love and care for you?
Lord Jesus, you fill us with the joy of your saving presence and you give us the hope of everlasting life with God our Father in Heaven. Show me the Father that I may know and glorify him always.
