Daily Retreat 05/11/06

2006 May 11 Thu: Easter Weekday

Acts 13: 13-25/ Ps 88(89): 2-3. 21-22. 25 and 27/ Jn 13: 16-20

From today’s readings: "From David’s descendants God, according to His promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.... For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.... Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me."

The Lord’s Farewell Discourse

The Lord’s words at the Last Supper make up the longest section of the Gospel of St. John - chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and chapter 17 (the final prayer). The Apostles understood that Jesus was giving them His farewell discourse, but of course, there was much that they did not understand about what He had spoken to them until after His Resurrection.

That’s why the Church now reviews anew Christ’s parting words - starting today, the daily Gospel reading will follow that farewell discourse, thus directing you and me to meditate afresh with Easter faith on the Lord’s last will and testament, for "if you understand this, blessed are you if you do it!"

Although Jesus explicitly states that He is indeed leaving, He paradoxically also insists that He will nonetheless continue to stay with His Church, for, as He explains to the Apostles, "...whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me." God’s abiding presence is, in fact, the central theme of the Last Supper!