Understanding the Word

By Br. John R. Barker, OFM

Before the church can begin its work after the Ascension, it must  replace Judas. Since Jesus had declared that the apostles would rule  over the tribes of Israel (Luke 22:28–30), there must be twelve of them.  Peter begins by noting that Judas’ betrayal was already anticipated in  scripture, perhaps referring to Psalm 41:10 (see John 13:18), meaning  that his act had been folded into the divine plan. Scripture also points  out the next step, which is found in Peter’s citation of Psalm 109:8.  The choice of Matthias is likewise guided by God. The throwing of  lots was a divinely sanctioned way of discerning God’s will in ancient  Israel (Leviticus 16:8; Joshua 18:6–8). 

The second reading picks up the idea being developed in the  reading from the Sixth Sunday. There John emphasized the divine  love made manifest in the sending of the Son (4:7–10). As adopted  children of God, Christians must take on the image of their heavenly  Father, showing the same love for one another that God has shown  for all humanity. Just as those who saw Jesus saw the Father (John  14:9), now those who see Christians should be able to see the Father,  who “remains” in them. In effect, through the power of the Spirit,  Christians come to enjoy much the same relationship with God the  Father as Jesus does. This incredible status is the work and sign of  God’s love.

The Gospel reading comes from Jesus’ extended farewell prayer  for his disciples. A key feature of this prayer is the distinction between  those who are “consecrated in truth” and those who “belong to  the world,” or that sphere of human society that is hostile to God.  The prayer acknowledges that Jesus’ disciples must continue to live  among those whose values and actions are opposed to the divine  will, and even overtly antagonistic to it. They cannot be taken away  from the world; in fact, they are sent to it to continue Jesus’ mission.  Jesus’ prayer is that they will remain safely “in the truth,” which  means in effect to “remain” in Jesus. This, and only this, will protect  them from the evil one, whose realm “the world” is.

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