May 29, 2017

Gospel: Jn 16:29-33
The disciples said to him, ”Now you are speaking plainly and not in veiled language! Now we see that you know all things, even before we question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, ”You say that you believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
”I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace. You will have trouble in the world; but, courage! I have overcome the world.”

REFLECTION:
Teachings are vague when you do not have the key to properly understand them. This is what the disciples before felt when it comes to Jesus‘ teaching. Probably it is so because they still are at a loss in front of a teaching that is based in love. They have not yet honed their hearts to receive this new orientation. It was easy before to have a legalistic approach to faith. To know what is right and wrong and to act accordingly does seemed to be a neat way of evaluating one‘s life before God. Not so with the new commandment to love. They have to make an effort to imbibe it.
And so this makes them outcast from a world that thinks differently. They will have trouble in the world. But Jesus assures them to take up courage. He unleashed a force that will never be silenced in this world. This force will always act independently for or against what the world espouses. This is the power of love. That is why Jesus overcome the world.