S.FAUSTI - The Risen Lord presents Himself as a Peace Maker. Joy and peace, joyful peace and peaceful joy, are the proper ways of the presence of the Lord, Who assimilates us to Him. After enjoying to Lord's sight, the disciples listen to Him. If the eye sees and the heart rejoices, the ear listens: contemplation becomes love and obedience. Brothers' mission is the same as the Son Who washed the feets and said, "I gave you an example, for as I did to you, you also do it" (13,15), and "I give you a new commandment. As I loved you, you also love each other” (13:34). The disciples are sent as Him, to testify Father's Love. "Father, as You sent me into the world, I also sent them into the world" (17,18). That's why He chose them (15,16). The sending makes the senders equal to the one who sends them: "Whoever welcomes the one whom I will send will welcome me" (13:20). The one who is sent is called to do as He does: to love and wash the feet (13: 13-17), accomplishing His own works (14: 2). Associated with His destiny, he is like the grain of wheat that falls into the ground and brings much fruit (12:24). The mission toward the brothers expresses the nature of the son. It is loving the brother that they become sons. If the Son is necessarily sent by Father's Love toward his brothers, those who in turn go toward the brothers know Father's love and become sons.The relationship between Jesus and the Father ("As the Father has sent me") is the same as between Him and us ("I also send you"). It's like saying, "You are me, if you do what I did to you. As you have received peace and joy, give peace and joy, forgiving you too. " His disciples are not supermen. They are like us, wretched and infidels, marked by fragility and sin. But in this our situation, He comes to meet us and saves us. "That said, He blowed " to blow”, a unique word in the New Testament, recurs twice in the Old Testament: God, blowing into him His living breath, creates man (Gen 2: 7) and brings to life his dry bones (Ez 37,9). It is the Spirit of the New and Eternal Alliance, stipulated in forgiveness (Jer 31,33) which gives us a new heart, able to live according to the Word (Ez 26: 25). Jesus speaks of "Holy Spirit," without allness, , not because It is a vague and indefinite reality. The Holy Spirit is His Love. He gives It to us fullnessly, without reserve (3.34).
-->But we have what we receive, and we can welcome It more and more, without limiting what is infinite. Jesus asks us to welcome It. .The imperative form of "welcome" is a pressing supplication of the Son to our freedom, because we accept the gift that makes us what we are: His brothers and children of His Father and our Father, His God and our God. It is that Spirit Which the world can not welcome because it does not know it. Instead the disciples know It because He has resided among them in Jesus and now wants to live in them (14,17). On the cross already He gave us the Spirit (19.30). But it is not enough: every gift is so only when someone welcomes it. Now the disciples, contemplating His wounds, surrender to His love and "welcome" Him. In the gift of the Spirit the promises of Jesus fulfill in the Last Supper (14: 15-26). His Glory is conveyed to the disciples, who become one thing among themselves (17,22), to testify to the Father's Love to the World. On Easter evening we welcome the spring of alive water promised in the great day of the Pentecost feast(7, 37-39): we welcome the Spirit of the Son and become children of God (1: 12-13), because we are able to forgive the brothers . After Jesus has received His "baptism" on the cross, we too are baptized into the Holy Ghost (1.33). Immersed in His Love, we can love how He loved us. The aim of Son's work is that we participate more and more in His love for the Father and the Brothers.For John, Pentecost, begun on the cross, explodes on Easter day , when the disciples receive His Spirit. Since it begins the Epoch of the Spirit, in it lives anyone contemplating the Glory, open to everyone in the wounds of the Wounded "To whom you forgive sins" The Spirit of the Lord is forgiving. The community of disciples receives God's exclusive power to forgive sins. The opportunity to separate, untie and absolve the sinner from his sin , it is given to it, freeing the present from any mortgage of the past. Forgiving sins is a miracle bigger than resurrecting dead. The one who forgives makes the other alive because he recognizes him as a brother, so he is born as a son equal to the Father, because he loves him as Him. The Spirit, the Love that creates and re-creates everything , is the beginning of creation and of redemption. The forgiveness makes all things brand news.. This power is granted to "disciples" and to every disciple, not to some in particular. Paul intends his mission as that of "ministry of reconciliation". He declared himself “servant" and "ambassador" of the one who was made "sin in our favor" so that we receive in Him "the justice of God". Forgiveness, received and granted , constitutes the new world, the community of the brothers who live in the peace and joy of Jesus.The one who forgives becomes son, equal to the Father: who is forgiven, if he accepts forgiveness, he becomes son in turn , able to forgive and to say in Spirit and truth: "Our Father".
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Alleluia JN 20:29
R. Alleluia, alleluia. You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe! R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel JN 20:19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
S.FAUSTI -
RispondiEliminaThe Risen Lord presents Himself as a Peace Maker. Joy and peace, joyful peace and peaceful joy, are the proper ways of the presence of the Lord, Who assimilates us to Him. After enjoying to Lord's sight, the disciples listen to Him. If the eye sees and the heart rejoices, the ear listens: contemplation becomes love and obedience.
Brothers' mission is the same as the Son Who washed the feets and said, "I gave you an example, for as I did to you, you also do it" (13,15), and "I give you a new commandment. As I loved you, you also love each other” (13:34).
The disciples are sent as Him, to testify Father's Love.
"Father, as You sent me into the world, I also sent them into the world" (17,18).
That's why He chose them (15,16). The sending makes the senders equal to the one who sends them: "Whoever welcomes the one whom I will send will welcome me" (13:20).
The one who is sent is called to do as He does: to love and wash the feet (13: 13-17), accomplishing His own works (14: 2).
Associated with His destiny, he is like the grain of wheat that falls into the ground and brings much fruit (12:24).
The mission toward the brothers expresses the nature of the son. It is loving the brother that they become sons.
If the Son is necessarily sent by Father's Love toward his brothers, those who in turn go toward the brothers know Father's love and become sons.The relationship between Jesus and the Father ("As the Father has sent me") is the same as between Him and us ("I also send you"). It's like saying, "You are me, if you do what I did to you. As you have received peace and joy, give peace and joy, forgiving you too. "
His disciples are not supermen. They are like us, wretched and infidels, marked by fragility and sin. But in this our situation, He comes to meet us and saves us.
"That said, He blowed " to blow”, a unique word in the New Testament, recurs twice in the Old Testament: God, blowing into him His living breath, creates man (Gen 2: 7) and brings to life his dry bones (Ez 37,9). It is the Spirit of the New and Eternal Alliance, stipulated in forgiveness (Jer 31,33)
which gives us a new heart, able to live according to the Word (Ez 26: 25).
Jesus speaks of "Holy Spirit," without allness, , not because It is a vague and indefinite reality.
The Holy Spirit is His Love. He gives It to us fullnessly, without reserve (3.34).
-->But we have what we receive, and we can welcome It more and more, without limiting what is infinite.
RispondiEliminaJesus asks us to welcome It.
.The imperative form of "welcome" is a pressing supplication of the Son to our freedom, because we accept the gift that makes us what we are: His brothers and children of His Father and our Father, His God and our God.
It is that Spirit Which the world can not welcome because it does not know it. Instead the disciples know It because He has resided among them in Jesus and now wants to live in them (14,17).
On the cross already He gave us the Spirit (19.30). But it is not enough: every gift is so only when someone welcomes it. Now the disciples, contemplating His wounds, surrender to His love and "welcome" Him.
In the gift of the Spirit the promises of Jesus fulfill in the Last Supper (14: 15-26).
His Glory is conveyed to the disciples, who become one thing among themselves (17,22), to testify to the Father's Love to the World.
On Easter evening we welcome the spring of alive water promised in the great day of the Pentecost feast(7, 37-39): we welcome the Spirit of the Son and become children of God (1: 12-13), because we are able to forgive the brothers .
After Jesus has received His "baptism" on the cross, we too are baptized into the Holy Ghost (1.33). Immersed in His Love, we can love how He loved us. The aim of Son's work is that we participate more and more in His love for the Father and the Brothers.For John, Pentecost, begun on the cross, explodes on Easter day , when the disciples receive His Spirit.
Since it begins the Epoch of the Spirit, in it lives anyone contemplating the Glory, open to everyone in the wounds of the Wounded "To whom you forgive sins" The Spirit of the Lord is forgiving. The community of disciples receives God's exclusive power to forgive sins. The opportunity to separate, untie and absolve the sinner from his sin , it is given to it, freeing the present from any mortgage of the past.
Forgiving sins is a miracle bigger than resurrecting dead. The one who forgives makes the other alive because he recognizes him as a brother, so he is born as a son equal to the Father, because he loves him as Him.
The Spirit, the Love that creates and re-creates everything , is the beginning of creation and of redemption.
The forgiveness makes all things brand news..
This power is granted to "disciples" and to every disciple, not to some in particular. Paul intends his mission as that of "ministry of reconciliation". He declared himself “servant" and "ambassador" of the one who was made "sin in our favor" so that we receive in Him "the justice of God".
Forgiveness, received and granted , constitutes the new world, the community of the brothers who live in the peace and joy of Jesus.The one who forgives becomes son, equal to the Father: who is forgiven, if he accepts forgiveness, he becomes son in turn , able to forgive and to say in Spirit and truth: "Our Father".
Reading 2 1 PT 1:3-9
RispondiEliminaBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Alleluia JN 20:29
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel JN 20:19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained."
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.