The Gospels of the Weekday Lectionary by Craghan John

Author:Craghan, John [Craghan, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780814639337
Publisher: Liturgical Press
Published: 2011-01-05T05:00:00+00:00

The Sixth Week of Easter

Monday: John 15:26-16:4a In this passage Jesus begins by developing another aspect of the Paraclete (Advocate), namely, that of witness. In testifying on Jesus’ behalf (v. 26), the Holy Spirit acknowledges the success of Jesus’ mission and arranges the segments of his life into a meaningful whole. Once the Spirit has strengthened the disciples’ faith and assured them of God’s plan, however, the disciples must take up their own task of witnessing. They are unique in that they have been with Jesus from the start. Jesus next considers the persecution of his disciples because of their witnessing. He does so to avoid the scandal of having their faith shaken. Thinking of his Christian community at the end of the first century AD, John has Jesus predict their expulsion from the synagogues—a form of persecution that their perpetrators will consider a form of divine service. Lack of knowledge of the Father and Jesus dictates their course of action.

Reflection. For not a few people witnessing has become a reality limited to courtrooms where one swears to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Today’s passage moves beyond this judicial setting to consider the larger framework of ordinary life. A Christian witness is one who has so absorbed the message of Jesus that she or he lives it out in a variety of nonjudicial circumstances. These witnesses, for example, provide encouragement, vision, and hope for others. They reassert Jesus’ priorities and opt for the Gospel message despite contemporary gloom and doom. In so doing, the Holy Spirit and the Christian witness form a team that challenges the world with the modern meaning of Jesus as God’s revelation.

Tuesday: John 16:5-11 This passage opens with Jesus’ declaration about his going home to the Father. Sorrow has so overwhelmed the disciples that not one of them has dared to ask Jesus about the route. Jesus then notes the advantage that they will derive from his departure, namely, the sending of the Paraclete (Advocate). At this point the Gospel of John presents the Paraclete as a lawyer, specifically a prosecuting attorney. In this capacity, he seeks to reverse the decision of the lower court (v. 8: “convict the world”) that condemned Jesus to death. The real sin is the refusal to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God (the charges of that first trial). The righteousness or justice involved is Jesus’ glorious return to the Father. To be sure, righteousness or justice is on the side of Jesus. Finally the Paraclete exposes the opposing attorney, the devil and ruler of this world, who was the real culprit behind Jesus’ betrayal and trial.

Reflection. Modern believers need the legal maneuverings of the Paraclete in daily life. The Paraclete assures them that Jesus has achieved final victory and thus vindicated himself. In the problems besetting the modern church, such believers collaborate with the Paraclete in seeking justice for all. In fighting for the rights of the underprivileged, for example, disciples follow the legal strategy of the Paraclete.

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