Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“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.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
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.”
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.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
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.How on earth is this possible. How can we as mere humans do miracles? We do not have super powers, we are not gods. But Jesus said it is so, so we must sit up and pay attention. The answer is in the second part of this reading, He said “whatever you ask in my name I will do” this is how this is possible, through the power and mercy of the Lord. We see in acts that even the shadow of peter had the power to heal. This is not something that is special about peter, but rather the Lord using peter as a vessel to bring forth His healing salvation.
This too is our call. we need to be open to the Lord and allow Him to work through us. To be His hands and His feet in this world, doing His will, not our own. If we succeed at this task then we will be the “bringers” of great miracles, and even more… But what could be greater than a miracle? Some of the Church’s greatest theologians have insisted that the resurrection of Lazarus pales in comparison to the power of the confessional. St. Augustine wrote “The justification of the ungodly is something greater than the creation of heaven and earth, greater even than the creation of the angels.”
Indeed what miracle could possibly be greater than helping a sinner become free of his attachment to sin, and what could possibly be more important than helping a person walk out of hell, and enter into an eternity with God in heaven. Finally St. James said “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
This is what we are here on this world to do. Whether it is raising our families, working in church ministry, or standing up for the truth in our workplaces and communities, we are called to save souls and slay error. Allow the Lord to use your shadow to change peoples hearts, and convert their souls. There is no greater call, and there is no greater gift than to be a vessel of Gods mercy here on earth, and to be in the flow of Gods grace as He works miracles in this world.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord, help me to be your hands and feet in this world. Help me to help others to return to you, and reconcile their sin with you, and hopefully enter into the eternity of joy and happiness with you in heaven. amen.