THE DAILY GOSPEL

April 23, 2016 (Saturday)

4th Week of Easter Psalter: Week 4/(White/Red) St. George, martyr/St. Adalbert, bishop

& martyr Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 All the ends of the earth have seen the

saving power of God. 1st Reading: Acts 13:44-52

The following Sabbath almost the entire city gathered to listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord. But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. So they began to oppose, with insults, whatever Paul said.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, “It was necessary, that God’s word be first proclaimed to you, but since you now reject it, and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we turn to non-Jewish people. For thus we were commanded by the Lord: I have set you as a light to the pagan nations, so that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Those who were not Jews rejoiced, when they heard this, and praised the message of the Lord; and all those, destined for everlasting life, believed in it. Thus the word spread, throughout the whole region.

Some of the Jews, however, incited Godfearing women of the upper class, and the leading men of the city, as well, and stirred up an intense persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Finally, they had them expelled from their region. The apostles shook the dust from their feet, in protest against this people, and went to Iconium, leaving; the disciples, filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Gospel: Jn 14:7-14

If you knowme, you will know the Father also; indeed you know him, and you have seen him.”

Philip asked him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that is enough.” Jesus said to him, “What! I have been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever sees me sees 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?

All that I say to you, I do not say of myself. The Father who dwells in me is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence of these works that I do.

Truly, I say to you, the one who believes in me will do the same works that I do; and he will even do greater than these, for I amgoing to the Father. Everything you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Indeed, anything you ask, calling upon my name, I will do it. Reflection:

In today’s gospel reading we hear another mysterious statement of Jesus which a person can find hard to believe. It is this statement: “The one who believes in me will do the same works that I do; and he will even do greater than these.” Now is this true?

Well, if we limit ourselves to the miracles of Jesus (what are often called “works” in John’s gospel), it is not clear if ever in the course of the Christian centuries any given saint restored to health more people than Jesus did. We will never know because we have no statistics to compare.

However, presumably Jesus is also thinking here of his many sermons and intimate talks delivered in the course of his public life. How many people did he reach during that time? Given the estimated population of Palestine at the time (a few millions at most), we can guess that Jesus’ preaching reached a few hundred thousand people. But nowadays, thanks to the modern mass media, a popular televangelist or a successful religious author can easily reach millions of people. Naturally Jesus could not have anticipated this development. Yet, as a prophet, he could have a good idea concerning it. And, far from being jealous, he rejoiced in it, glad to be surpassed by his own disciples.