FAUSTI- The witness of the Truth has passed from Jesus (18,37) to the beloved disciple (19,35) and from this to the community that witnesses the truth to us, because we witness it to others, until the return of the Lord. It is the truth of Love that makes us free (8,32). Whoever has discovered it, is in turn sent, with and like the Son, to witness it to the world. It is the last echo of the prologue that says: "We contemplated His Glory, the Glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (1:14). It corresponds to what his fellow citizens say to the Samaritan woman: "It is no longer because of your speech that we believe, for we ourselves have heard and know that He is truly the Saviour of the world" (84,42). The book closes with an opening: the community bears witness to the truth of the testimony received. It becomes the living Gospel (2 Cor 3:3), the perfume of Christ that makes the whole world perceive the difference between salvation and perdition, life and death (2 Cor 2:14). The whole Gospel is a witness to the truth of the Love between Father and Son, which gives eternal life: to those who receive it, it gives the power to become children of God (1:12). Our inner eye knows how to distinguish the voice of Wisdom from that of insipience, like light from darkness, joy from sadness, fear from trust, love from selfishness, life from death, God from idol. As I read it, the Gospel reads to me. The great discovery is that his narration tells me to myself in what the Spirit testifies to me as my deepest desire, freed from illusions and disappointments. Listening to the Word, transmitted by those who have received it before us, is our "Christmas". We are born as children of God (1:14). because, believing in Him, we have life in His name. "If we were to write one by one, I don't think even the world itself would contain books". The editor closes the epilogue of the Gospel by a hyperbole. It can be understood in a material sense: books, which one could write about the Word become flesh, would not physically stand in the world. How can one say everything about Him who is everything in all, and infinitely beyond everything? The universe is to him as a grain of "dust on the scales". , "morning dew fallen on the earth". Yet on it pours all His Love (Wisdom 11,22-26). In fact, everything has been done by Him and has its own existence in Him (1,3). The entire universe is an open and unresearched book, which awaits a reader who knows how to read the splendor of Infinity: it is a silent language that sings the Glory of God. (Sl 19,1-4).
The wealth that flows from the Gospel is inexhaustible, like water from a spring. The reader, after approaching the Word, perceives it with amazement and admiration. Everything written and unwritten about Jesus will be suggested to us by His Spirit, who will make us able to witness it (14,26 - 15,27 - 16,12-15), writing about Him in our lives. The Father has revealed everything to us in Jesus, Flesh of the Son. In Him "all the treasures of wisdom and science are hidden" (Col 2:3): from Him, the splendor of Glory (Heb 1:3), reverberates the infinite splendor of Truth. All creation, history and Scripture refer to Him, the principle and life of what exists (1,3 -5,39-46). But we know Him only progressively, day after day, learning with modesty from creation, history and Scripture. Those who pretend to know Him fully are foolish and impious: they are idolaters who confuse God with their own ideas about Him. All fanaticism comes from here. He who is wise, today as always, humbly seeks to listen to every person, culture and religion, to know the Lord of everything and everyone. Only the journey of history - for this reason it continues, even if it is already concluded in the Flesh of the Word -, is able to make us grasp what He has already given us
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.
Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them, "My brothers, although I had done nothing against our people or our ancestral customs, I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me, because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty. But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation. This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear these chains."
He remained for two full years in his lodgings. He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel of the day From the Gospel according to John 21:20-25
Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me." So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?"
It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.
The words of the Popes This conversation between Jesus and Peter contains a valuable teaching for all disciples, for all of us believers (…) beginning with the temptation — very human, undoubtedly, but also very insidious — to preserve our protagonism. And at times the protagonist has to diminish, has to lower him or herself (…). But you will have another way of expressing yourself, another way of participating in the family, in society, in a group of friends. And it is the curiosity that comes to Peter: “What about him?”, says Peter, seeing the beloved disciple following them (cf. vv. 20-21). Sticking your nose in other people’s lives. But no: Jesus says: “Shut up!”. Does he have to be part of “my” following [of Jesus]? Does he have to occupy “my” space? Will he be my successor? These are questions that do no good, that don’t help. Must he outlive me and take my place? Jesus’ answer is frank and even rude: “What is that to you? Follow me” (v. 22). As if saying: You worry about your own life, about your present situation, and don’t stick your nose into the lives of others. You follow me. This is important: following Jesus, to follow Jesus in life and in death, in health and in sickness, in life when it is prosperous with many successes, and in life even when it is difficult with many bad moments of failing. And when we want to insert ourselves into other people’s lives, Jesus answers, “What is that to you? Follow me”. Beautiful. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 22 June 2022)
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RispondiEliminaFAUSTI- The witness of the Truth has passed from Jesus (18,37) to the beloved disciple (19,35) and from this to the community that witnesses the truth to us, because we witness it to others, until the return of the Lord.
It is the truth of Love that makes us free (8,32).
Whoever has discovered it, is in turn sent, with and like the Son, to witness it to the world.
It is the last echo of the prologue that says: "We contemplated His Glory, the Glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (1:14). It corresponds to what his fellow citizens say to the Samaritan woman: "It is no longer because of your speech that we believe, for we ourselves have heard and know that He is truly the Saviour of the world" (84,42).
The book closes with an opening: the community bears witness to the truth of the testimony received. It becomes the living Gospel (2 Cor 3:3), the perfume of Christ that makes the whole world perceive the difference between salvation and perdition, life and death (2 Cor 2:14). The whole Gospel is a witness to the truth of the Love between Father and Son, which gives eternal life: to those who receive it, it gives the power to become children of God (1:12).
Our inner eye knows how to distinguish the voice of Wisdom from that of insipience, like light from darkness, joy from sadness, fear from trust, love from selfishness, life from death, God from idol.
As I read it, the Gospel reads to me.
The great discovery is that his narration tells me to myself in what the Spirit testifies to me as my deepest desire, freed from illusions and disappointments.
Listening to the Word, transmitted by those who have received it before us, is our "Christmas". We are born as children of God (1:14). because, believing in Him, we have life in His name.
"If we were to write one by one, I don't think even the world itself would contain books".
The editor closes the epilogue of the Gospel by a hyperbole.
It can be understood in a material sense: books, which one could write about the Word become flesh, would not physically stand in the world. How can one say everything about Him who is everything in all, and infinitely beyond everything? The universe is to him as a grain of "dust on the scales". , "morning dew fallen on the earth". Yet on it pours all His Love (Wisdom 11,22-26). In fact, everything has been done by Him and has its own existence in Him (1,3).
The entire universe is an open and unresearched book, which awaits a reader who knows how to read the splendor of Infinity: it is a silent language that sings the Glory of God. (Sl 19,1-4).
The wealth that flows from the Gospel is inexhaustible, like water from a spring.
The reader, after approaching the Word, perceives it with amazement and admiration. Everything written and unwritten about Jesus will be suggested to us by His Spirit, who will make us able to witness it (14,26 - 15,27 - 16,12-15), writing about Him in our lives.
The Father has revealed everything to us in Jesus, Flesh of the Son. In Him "all the treasures of wisdom and science are hidden" (Col 2:3): from Him, the splendor of Glory (Heb 1:3), reverberates the infinite splendor of Truth. All creation, history and Scripture refer to Him, the principle and life of what exists (1,3 -5,39-46). But we know Him only progressively, day after day, learning with modesty from creation, history and Scripture. Those who pretend to know Him fully are foolish and impious: they are idolaters who confuse God with their own ideas about Him.
All fanaticism comes from here. He who is wise, today as always, humbly seeks to listen to every person, culture and religion, to know the Lord of everything and everyone. Only the journey of history - for this reason it continues, even if it is already concluded in the Flesh of the Word -, is able to make us grasp what He has already given us
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
RispondiEliminaActs 28:16-20, 30-31
When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,
with the soldier who was guarding him.
Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.
When they had gathered he said to them, "My brothers,
although I had done nothing against our people
or our ancestral customs,
I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.
After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me,
because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty.
But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar,
even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation.
This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you
and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel
that I wear these chains."
He remained for two full years in his lodgings.
He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance
and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel of the day
From the Gospel according to John
21:20-25
Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved,
the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper
and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?"
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"
Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?
You follow me."
So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die.
But Jesus had not told him that he would not die,
just "What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?"
It is this disciple who testifies to these things
and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
There are also many other things that Jesus did,
but if these were to be described individually,
I do not think the whole world would contain the books
that would be written.
The words of the Popes
This conversation between Jesus and Peter contains a valuable teaching for all disciples, for all of us believers (…) beginning with the temptation — very human, undoubtedly, but also very insidious — to preserve our protagonism. And at times the protagonist has to diminish, has to lower him or herself (…). But you will have another way of expressing yourself, another way of participating in the family, in society, in a group of friends. And it is the curiosity that comes to Peter: “What about him?”, says Peter, seeing the beloved disciple following them (cf. vv. 20-21). Sticking your nose in other people’s lives. But no: Jesus says: “Shut up!”. Does he have to be part of “my” following [of Jesus]? Does he have to occupy “my” space? Will he be my successor? These are questions that do no good, that don’t help. Must he outlive me and take my place? Jesus’ answer is frank and even rude: “What is that to you? Follow me” (v. 22). As if saying: You worry about your own life, about your present situation, and don’t stick your nose into the lives of others. You follow me. This is important: following Jesus, to follow Jesus in life and in death, in health and in sickness, in life when it is prosperous with many successes, and in life even when it is difficult with many bad moments of failing. And when we want to insert ourselves into other people’s lives, Jesus answers, “What is that to you? Follow me”. Beautiful. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 22 June 2022)
RispondiEliminaAnd ask for nothing, not even faith:
sing to love
and spread joy,
with eyes filled with beauty. D. M. Turoldo