May 9th |
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Sixth Sunday of Easter Jn 14/23-29 |
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| Background: John's Gospel obviously displays a much more developed theology then the three synoptic gospels. However, it was still written early in the so-called sub-apostolic time. The remarkable fact is not that there is a strong theological slant to it. Rather it is surprising how relatively early in the history of the early Church a strong Trinitarian perspective has emerged. The trajectory towards Nicea and the other early councils has already been set, thought he elaborate explanations have yet to appear. Associated with God even by the time of St. John are Jesus, and the Father, and the Paraclete, the advocate, the teacher, the protector, the guarantor of the peace that Jesus has given. Already we have hints that God is a community of relationships, that there is so much knowledge and love in God that the knowledge and love explode into distinct personages. This truth is revealed to test our faith, not to provide theologians with raw material for their speculations (though there is nothing wrong with that), but to dazzle us with the brightness of God's glory, the power of God's knowledge and the passion of God's love. The use of the word "spirit," a translation of the Hebrew word Shekenah hints at a maternal protection in God because the word is feminine in Hebrew - and was used in Hebrew folk religion as the name of Yahweh's consort. St. John had no thought of such matters, yet the gender of the noun might well be part of the meaning "in front of the text." |
read the padre |
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Story: Once upon a time, not too very long ago, Amy, who no longer asked why about everything, and her mother paid Grandma a visit. Since it was May, Amy knew Grandma would have her May altar set up. Now Amy’s Grandma had a most unusual May altar. Grandma had a collection of Mary statues and she put them all out on a special table with flowers. She usually had a new statue each year and Amy was eager to see the newest one. That year Grandma had a very different statue. Someone had seen it on a visit to Puerto Rico and brought it back to her. It was a statue of a teenage girl with her arms folded across her very pregnant belly. The rather crude statue, no more than four inches high, appeared to have been made in pieces that were painted and then glued together. A solid flat, bright gold circle was affixed to her head. The artisan, with some fine pointed instrument, had poked two dots and a curve in the round ball of the face to give the impression that this was one very happy mom-to-be. Grandma told Amy Mary was happy because she was going to bring Baby Jesus into the world. A few days later the pastor came to Amy’s classroom to speak with the children about their approaching First Communion Day. He told them how special it would be for them to have God’s divine life come to them and that they would be able to share it with others. That night Amy told her family that she was going to be just like Grandma’s statue of Mary. She would be able to bring Jesus into the world. |
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