St. John’s Family Page
Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 10, 2020
Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. Jesus and the Father are the model “like Father, like Son” relationship. If we want to know who the Father is, we turn to Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals a loving and merciful Father to us. Jesus is the “way” to the Father. Jesus is the “truth” about the Father. Jesus contains the “life” of the Father in Him. We first received this “life” at our Baptism.
Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the first deacons, selected to take care of the Hellenist (Jews who spoke Greek) widows. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
Their role of charitable service is called “diaconia”. Here, we can see the root for the word “diaconate”, i.e. the permanent deacon. The primary role of the deacon is to be a minister of charity within the community. The deacon is a bridge between the ministerial priesthood and the common priesthood (laity). But, we are all called to service, following the example of Jesus Christ, our servant-King. Jesus connected service to eternal life in the gospels. The parable of the Last Judgment in Mt25 is a clear illustration of the connection.
In our second reading from the First Letter of Peter, we hear how Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our Christian community. Jesus Christ is the foundation of our lives. Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone chosen and precious and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.
Today, in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, we celebrate Mother’s Day. We reflect on God’s gift of motherhood. We reflect on how our mother’s love is a mirror of God’s self-sacrificing, all-giving love for us. We thank Jesus for the gift of His own mother, Mary to us – our spiritual mother who leads us closer to her Son. We place ourselves under the protection of Mary, to keep us and all our loved ones and friends safe and healthy.
May the risen Christ bless us in His mercy!
Deacon Mike