Thursday, 03 May 2018
Fifth Week of Easter
Feast of the Apostles
Philip and James
1st Reading:
1 Cor 15:1-8
Gospel: John 14:6-14
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me. If you know me, you will know the Father also; indeed you know him and you have seen him.”
Philip asked him, “Lord, show us the Father and that is enough.” Jesus said to him, “What! I have been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever sees me sees the Father; how can you say: ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
“All that I say to you, I do not say of myself. The Father who dwells in me is doing his own work.
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence of these works that I do.
“Truly, I say to you, the one who believes in me will do the same works that I do; and he will even do greater than these, for I am going to the Father. Everything you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. And everything you ask in calling upon my Name, I will do.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
When Jesus identified himself as “the Life (verse 6),” he proclaimed himself as prolife. By saying that “the Father who dwells in me is doing his own work (verse 10)”, he proclaimed himself as Pro-God, allowing the Father to work through him. By asking “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? (verse 10)” he was describing himself as Pro-family, underlining his filial tie with the Father.
That followers of Christ should likewise be pro-life, pro-family and pro-God is a foregone conclusion. Election period is a good time to check how many followers of Christ practice these values. Being pro-life means voting for candidates who defend life from its conception up to its natural death. It also means not voting for candidates who are in favor of legalizing divorce and mercy killing, candidates in favor of legalizing abortion and endorse the use of contraceptives, and candidates promoting sex education focused on contraceptive use and those emphasizing “safe sex” rather than the nurture of values and virtues.
Jesus said that the one who believes in him will do the same works that he does (verse 12). Election time is the time to road-test our capacity to do the same works of Christ. Unless we do so, we won’t have the standing to cry out to God later over the results of our irresponsible election conduct.
Being Pro-Life, Pro-Family, and Pro-God are values so dear to Jesus that no follower should set these aside without setting aside Jesus himself. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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