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6th Sunday of Easter – John 15:9-17
“No one has greater love than this.
to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.”
Sometimes in John’s gospel Discourse, a key word is repeated again and again. Such a word in today’s passage is Love. During his ministry, Jesus taught mostly about Life, but once the (Last) Supper began, it was love that Jesus emphasized. We learn how this love is shown by the Father to the Son, how the disciple must not only abide in Jesus, as a branch in the vine, but must also abide in the love of Jesus. Surprisingly, the disciples are not told to love Jesus but to keep his commandments. The only commandment found in John is that of mutual love to be limited only by death. Hence, the disciples of Jesus become no longer servants but friends, as Moses had been a friend of God. This is what Jesus meant when at the beginning of the Supper, he had washed the feet of the disciples and told them to wash one another’s feet; they were to love each other as he had loved them.
I was the middle child in our family. So, I craved attention, and when others got what I felt more, I would get jealous. One time I threw a fit for I don’t know what reason and told my mother that she loved my older brother, Greg, more than me. And I was adamant about it. Wham! She gave me a good slap across my face. I was stunned. She had my attention. “I love you all, one no more than the others. Get that into your head and don’t ever say that again!” I never did, and eventually, at one point in my life, I actually did believe my Mom that she loved each one of us, one no more than the other.
At one point in my life, I also realized that God loves me no more than all the others on this planet…not because I’m good, not because I am a Catholic, nor a Christian, nor an American, a religious, or priest, etc. God loves me no more than the others on this planet. How do I love this supreme being in return, that is not only mind boggling and I have no way I can truly grasp with my mind, let alone with my arms for a real good hug, or my heart?
But, thanks be to God for his Son, Jesus Christ, a God who I cannot quite grasp with my mind, but I can imagine a real good hug.
Once there was a monastery, long ago, that had fallen on hard times. At one time it was a large, beautiful monastery that used to have over a hundred monks living within its walls. Now, less than a dozen survived, and all growing old.
The Abbat would often go out and visit an old Rabbi in the woods on their property who lived as a hermit. He had gotten permission years ago and was a constant comfort for the monks that remained, especially the abbot. This time when he visited the Rabbi, the abbot could visibly tell his days were almost coming to an end, also. After their initial greetings always with respect and tenderness, the abbot talked again about the deteriorating condition of the monastery and how hope for the future seemed very dim.
The Rabbi also sensed that his days were few on this earth, but also felt that his reason for living here next to the monastery was now coming to an end, and all he could offer the abbot was the dream he had only a few months before. He now felt compelled to share his dream with the wonderful man standing before him. “Rabbi,” he began. “I had a dream several months before. And like several other times when I shared my dreams with you, I always waited for confirmation to make sure the dream was true.”
The abbot looked up with great interest. As the rabbi said, this wasn’t the first time he had shared his dreams. He had always respected the holy rabbi and even felt a deep presence of God when in his presence. “Please share with me, my brother, your dream from God,” the abbot requested, now almost beside himself.
“It is simply this,” the rabbi said. “The Lord has made known to me that one of you are the Messiah!” And he added, “Don’t tell anyone!” Well, the abbot was so taken aback that he left without saying farewell. “Don’t tell anyone,” the abbot thought. “But surely my best friend!” he thought. And he did. And his best friend also told his best friend. Naturally, after a short while all the monks knew, but no one said anything to anyone. However, they all started treating each one as though they were the Messiah, just in case. After a while, they forgot why, but still the effect was visible. Even those who would come for a visit or a stay or for the liturgy noticed how they loved one another!
The monks would bow ever so reverently to one another. Several monks, at the Kiss of Peace, would give hugs that one would think they were long lost brothers now united. Then the young men started to come…and stay.
“Short History of the Ordinary of the Mass”
Please read the whole “Short History” by clicking on the site below.
Short History of the Ordinary of the Mass
PRAYER
One topic that is close to my heart is Prayer. The following series is gleaned from my many years of teaching our Novices and Seminarians in Africa. There are many styles and ways that we can pray and it is good to be informed of them, since these different styles and ways may or may not appeal to us, depending on our personalities. But before I begin I will explain the difference in Public prayer and Private prayer. Then I will further explain the differences between Meditation, Affectation and Contemplation types of praying. But all of this depends on our personal relationship with God through knowing and being aware of God”s attributes of goodness, beauty, truth, and love! Now we are ready to talk about Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory and all the distractions that get between us and God…of course, I offer some suggestions. (Continue below.)
THE PRODIGAL SONS
Part Four
“I can’t believe we are on our way,” Abe said.
“Why not?” Eliud said. “It’s simple.”
“How’s that?” Michael replied.
“Well, your daughters-in-law are ready to settle down,” Eliud continued. “Your sons will do anything to please their new wives. And besides, now that they have gotten a taste for business, they have your whole fortunes to practice while we are gone.”
“What do you mean your daughters are ready to settle down,” Michael asked.
“Not everyone likes to travel…their whole life, constantly on the road,” Eliud said. “I have learned over the years that it is better to let them settle down, and then…”
“And then…” Michael encouraged.
“Trust me,” he said, “they will be ready to hit the road again given a couple of years.”
“But that may be a problem for our sons,” Abe challenged.
“Oh, your sons will be ready to travel with them,” Eliud said confidently.
“How can you say that?” Michael asked. “We were counting on them to take over the family business.”
“We were ready to travel in their place,” said Abe.
“And that is why I believe your family are truly members of the Rechabite Tribe!” Eliud said confidently. “This journey that we are taking will confirm it.”
“Is that why you were so willing to have us travel with you?” asked Abe.
“No. That is not why,” said Eliud. “Maybe part of the reason. I figure that if you find your true calling in living the life of a nomad, you will know soon enough on this trip. But to tell the truth, I enjoy being with you, and conversing with you, and knowing that you are my distant relatives. It is always a blessing to have God fearing men as companions for the journey!”
“This is all new for me,” said Abe, “but not for my brother.” One could detect a sense of teasing which was always common among the brothers.
“Now you can make up for missed time,” Michael said.
“If this trip is not in your blood,” Eliud ventured, “you can always return to the land, and let your sons do all the work…since they are young,” he said laughing.
“I am sorry that Miriam couldn’t join us,” Eliud said.
“After you wife, Sarah, decided to stay with her daughters,” Michael added, “I guess they decided to leave us take off on our adventure!”
“But they both gave us nine months at the most!” Abe said rather puzzled.
“Ha, ha,” the strong bodied man, Eliud, laughed. “You don’t live with women, like me, so you don’t know them as I do.”
“What do you mean,” Michael asked.
“Hopefully, nine months from now,” Eliud said rather excitedly, “we should all be expecting grandchildren!”
The other two could see the dreamy look in Abe’s face. “Grandchildren!” he said. “Think of it!” If they weren’t riding the animals, Abe would surely be dancing in the road.
“You will like the first stop tonight,” Eliud said. “I will try to pick the best places for you on this first trip. On the next trip we will hit the worse ones.”
“You’re kidding,” Abe said laughing. “What could be more adventuresome than traveling under the stars at night?”
“As we near the desert,” Eliud said, “we may have to travel mostly at night and sleep during the day. But this oasis that we are heading for, you may not want to leave!”
“Not to change the subject,” Michael interjected, “but do you always travel with the whole family?”
“Yes!” Eliud said emphatically. “This is the first time that Sarah has decided to remain behind!”
“She must have felt a need,” Michael said. “Newly-weds need all the help they can get in their first years together, and we are blessed that she is able and willing to be with them.”
“I just hope the others will not find her intrusive,” Eliud said.
“She is a wonderful woman, Eliud,” Abe added. “She will be a great help for my wife, especially nine months from now,” he smiled brightly.
“Sarah is a wonderful woman,” Eliud said proudly and fondly. “She is the light of my life, and I will miss her on this trip. There was one time that she stayed behind, now that I remember.”
“Oh,” Abe said with a thoughtful but curious face. “Please tell us about it. We have the time,” he laughed.
But Eliud started more seriously. “There was a young couple who asked to join us on our trip out of Bethlehem. This was many years ago. They were very poorly equipped for any journey. I couldn’t believe that they were going to make a journey to Egypt with hardly anything to their name.”
“Maybe they were running from someone,” Michael ventured.
“I will tell you later who they were really running from,” Eliud teased. “But my wife took a liking to them, since they were newly-weds from Nazareth…and they had a new born son!”
“Maybe running from their parents,” Abe guessed.
“No, from King Herod!” Eliud admitted. Abe and Michael had a look of shock on their faces.
“Nothing good from that adulterer!” Abe said.
“I am getting ahead of the story,” Eliud offered. “They were a wonderful couple, full of life, full of faith and the perfect parents!”
“Now, what made them the perfect parents, or any parent?” Abe asked interested.
“Because they were very much in love,” Eliud answered. “You could see by how much Ben Yacob loved his wife, Miriam, by the tenderness they showed each other every day that we traveled with them all the way to Egypt and back!”
“That is a long enough time to get to know someone well,” Michael admitted.
“Even my wife said,” Eliud continued,” that whenever she was in their presence, she felt in the presence of God.”
“Who is this Ben Yacob?” Abe asked more curious now.
“A simple man, it seems to me,” as Eliud tried to describe him. “He is called Joseph of the House of David, and he is quite the handyman.”
“But not much help on a caravan to Egypt,” Michael thought out loud.
“It didn’t matter,” Eliud defended him. “He always knew what to do whenever practical problems arose. And Sarah never had better help with all the girls when Miriam was around. She was like another mother to the girls. She was from the House of Levi, and her uncle was a Levitical priest.” Looking up ahead, “We are almost there, now!”
“I can’t wait to hear more of this Joseph Ben Jacob,” Abe said.
Eliud quickly added, “I ‘m surprised you haven’t heard about his son!”
***If you have your favorite prophet/s, and I have several, you will enjoy these series. This present series from The Prophet’s Wife Isaiah’s wife tells her side of the story.
THE PROPHET’S WIFE
Part Four: In the Courtyard, Miriam’s Dream
Miriam joined her husband in the garden at his favorite spot, under the ancient oak tree. She had been busy in the house with the ordinary work of the day, and decided to take a break with her husband, Isaiah.
“You have been quiet, Ishi,” Miriam said to him softly.
“It is a peaceful place,” he responded. “That is why I love this place, my love.”
“No,” Miriam corrected herself. “I mean that you have been quiet for a long while with no visions from the Lord?”
“Oh!” he said, understanding her now. “Yes..no visions for a long while, which can be a good sign.”
“No new is good news,” she said.
“Or the calm before the storm,” Isaiah said with conviction. “I do believe that the worse is yet to come, and I am determined to do all I can to at least lessen it.”
“Well,” Miriam was hesitant to begin, “I have been having dreams…again.”
Isaiah straightened up and gave her his attention. “Please, tell me, since I believe the Lord speaks to the both of us, just not always at the same time,” he said with conviction.
“At first the dreams were wonderful and exciting when the new king began his reign,” Miriam began. “I felt that this one is different. Here is a king who is doing what is right in the sight of the Lord.”
“Yes! I agree. He has purified the Temple of the Lord and removed the images of the other gods, including the bronze serpent of Moses,” Isaiah added.
“At first I felt that this was the ruler after the Lord’s own heart,” Miriam said, “until he removed the bronze serpent. I felt that he was going too far.”
“It is a pagan symbol,” Isaiah reminded her.
“That was used by Moses to heal the children of Israel in the wilderness,” she added.
“Tell me,” Isaiah prompted. “What was the real reason?”
“It was at this time that our King Hezekiah invaded the territory of Philistine,” Miriam said reluctantly, since she knew that Isaiah was pleased with all that Hezekiah had done so far.
“I am hoping that the silence that I have been experiencing these few years,” Isaiah also admitted, “is because the Lord is pleased with what our king has done? But I am also open to what the Lord is speaking to you!” he said again with conviction.
“When the idols were removed,” Miriam continued, “I knew then that we had crossed a threshold, a point of no return, but I was glad to see them go. And my dreams seem to confirm that.”
“The idols are part of our covenant with Assyria. To remove those idols means we have broken our covenant with them, and there will be reprisals even if the king had not invaded Philistine territory,” Isaiah admitted.
“Yes, I agree!” Miriam said. “But aside from that, I feel now that the dreams do not refer to this king, Hezekiah, but to another king in the future.”
“Oh?” Isaiah seemed disappointed, but also relieved.
“The dreams seem to point more and more to the child you mentioned at Shiloah where you met King Ahaz with our son Shear-jashub.,” Miriam said excitedly.
“Immanuel?” Isaiah said surprised. “But that would be Hezekiah!”
“Yes and no!” Miriam tried to explain. “I now truly believe that King Hezekiah is not this child, Immanuel!”
It is in two other passages that Isaiah’s vision in this regard comes to its fullest expression: his justifiably famous sketches of an ideal ruler, in Chapter 9 verses 1 to 7 and Chapter 11 verses 1 to 9. Both are well known to most Christian as Messianic prophecies foreshadowing the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth some centuries later.
Yahweh’s plan, as Isaiah viewed it, had great relevance not only for special and religious affairs, but for public policy. Isaiah believed that those in leadership who really understood what Yahweh was doing would take action, or refrain from acting along certain quite specific lines. In fact, his attempts at confronting the leadership of his nation with his views in this regard are among the most dramatic episodes of his prophetic career.
In the immediate aftermath of this disaster, sweeping religious reforms occurred in Judea under the leadership of King Hezekiah—this is the fourth major historical event in the background of Isaiah’s mission. Strangely, there is no reference to these reforms in Isaiah’s writings, even though he might have helped to bring them about.
As previously noted, Levites from the North, bringing with them their sacred writings, including some version perhaps of the Book of Deuteronomy, may have fled south at this time. They too might have had some influence on these religious developments. In any case, a century later, when the temple was being repaired, a book of laws was found there that most scholars agree on the basis of the laws referred to in 2 Kings 23 was Deuteronomic in character. From their point of view he was the first specifically Judean king to adopt the laws of Moses, as preserved by the Levites in the Book of Deuteronomy as a state policy!
The Assyrian efforts to rebuild Samaria signal the eradication of Israelite culture in that region, since Sargon II repopulates it with peoples from other parts of his empire, including rebellious Arab tribes.
The effect of this traumatic event on Judah is manifest in the prophets who point to Israel’s demise and warn Judah and Jerusalem that they may well suffer the same fate. With the Assyrians still a very real threat to their own existence, however, the more likely reactions among the people of Judah are shock, fear, and apprehension for the future. The psychological effects of the disaster may have been fueled by the lurid tales of Assyrian atrocities carried south by the refugees from Israel’s cities.
In this charged atmosphere, Hezekiah succeeds his father, Ahaz, as ruler of Judah around 726. While his assessment of the political situation is probably quiet similar to that of his father, he is portrayed as a king more open to the message of Isaiah.
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SUGGESTED READINGS:
Ideal Ruler, Isaiah 9:1-7 and 11:1-9