Gospel: April 27, 2024
(Saturday)
4th Week of Easter
Psalter: Week 4 / (White)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98: 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
1st Reading: Acts 13: 44-52
The following Sabbath almost the entire city gathered to listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord. But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. So they began to oppose with insults whatever Paul said.
Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, “It was necessary that God’s word be first proclaimed to you, but since you now reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we turn to non-Jewish people. For thus we were commanded by the Lord: I have set you as a light to the pagan nations, so that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Those who were not Jews rejoiced when they heard this and praised the message of the Lord, and all those destined for everlasting life believed in it. Thus the Word spread throughout the whole region. Some of the Jews, however, incited God-fearing women of the upper class and the leading men of the city, as well, and stirred up an intense persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Finally they had them expelled from their region. The apostles shook the dust from their feet in protest against this people and went to Iconium, leaving the disciples filled with joy and Holy Spirit.
Gospel: John 14: 7-14
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. Indeed, anything you ask, calling upon my name, I will do it.
Reflection: “Revealer of the Father”
Jesus is the visible revelation of the invisible God. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is the Revealer of the Father. Today’s Gospel narrates Philip requesting Jesus that the latter would show the Father to them. And they, accordingly, will be satisfied. But Jesus explained that whoever has seen him has already seen the Father. Jesus is always at the Father’s side and the only one who has seen the Father, and his role is to reveal the Father to the world (cf. Jn. 1:18). We are all in search of God. Deep within our hearts, we know that it is only God who can satisfy our deepest longing. However, we often do not find him because our eyes are blinded by our own self-securing preoccupations. We want to be filled in but we do not want to empty ourselves. We want to have a better world but we do not want to change our lifestyle. We want to save the earth yet we remain highly consumeristic. In other words, we want to find God but reject Jesus’ revelation about the loving Father who loves the world so much and who sent his Son to save the world he loves.
