Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter

From the responsorial psalm: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 14:7-14)

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

As Jesus speaks to the disciples about his oneness with the Father, Philip questions Jesus. “Master, show us the Father,” Philip says, “and that will be enough for us.” Jesus says in reply, “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.” Making this explicitly clear, Jesus goes on to describe his relationship with the Father and the works that the Father does through him and can do through us. In this passage, Jesus calls the Father by name ten times. Imitating Jesus, just as the Father works in him, we can do the same in asking of Jesus anything in his name. And he will do it.

God, help make unmistakably clear to me today what it is you invite me to ask for in your Son’s name. The stakes are high. In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas say that rejection of the word of God is rejection of eternal life. In Jesus, I have the word made flesh and blood, truly present in the Eucharist. Let me come confidently to your Son today, recognizing that in knowing him I also know you. Strengthen my faith to do the works your Son does, glorifying you through him in whatever I ask in his name.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

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