…I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
Today’s gospel reading concludes the Last Supper discourse as Jesus turns his eyes upward and his attention to the Father. His “priestly prayer” will follow in John 17. In these last verses we hear his mysterious words, “I am not alone because the Father is with me.”
I have often heard desperately lonely people make that remark about "God." Isolated by poor socialization skills; hurt and troubled by rejection; sometimes protecting crippling habits of alcoholism or drug abuse; they hide behind that false assurance. Their claim to faith gives them little confidence when they need to accept the friendship and support of others.
Jesus is also isolated as he advances toward Calvary. His faith is an attitude, a habit, a posture that directs all his being toward the Father. It Is not an emotion; it is not necessarily accompanied by a feeling of confidence. Even as he resolutely carries his cross, his human mind can ask, “Why have you abandoned me?”
We should understand this about the Holy Trinity: the Son is not the Father; the Father is not the Son. Although they are of one mind and heart and will, there is nonetheless an Otherness in God, a darkness which is filled by the light of faith and hope and love. We see that mystery revealed as Jesus is lifted up, a sacrificial offering to the Father. He is held aloft by love. Artists have always known that as they fixed the corpus to the cross. Iron nails in flesh and sinew could not hold such a weight.
“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.”
In our search for God we turn to Jesus. He alone leads us to the Father. As Saint Peter said, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” As he is about to step out into the darkness of Gethsemane, we also rise to follow him.
“In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
We too walk in the dark by faith and not by sight, with our confidence in Jesus who has gone ahead of us. He has conquered the world, sin, and death – and won our hearts.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.