Monday, June 2, 2003
7th Week of Easter

1st Reading: Acts 19:1-8
Gospel: Jn 16:29-33

The disciples said to Jesus, "Now you are speaking plainly and not in veiled language! Now we see that you know all things, even before we question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God."

Jesus answered them, "You say that you believe! The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.

"I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace. You will have trouble in the world; but, courage! I have overcome the world."

Commentary

The disciples declared in one voice their awareness of Jesus' omniscience and from that confessed that he came from God. We can almost hear the pride in their choral announcement, "Now we realize and so we believe!" After all, they had gone through so much instruction from Jesus to come to this point in their journey of faith. But we hear a challenge in Jesus' response, "Do you believe now?" He rocked their self-assurance to lead them to fuller belief. Like a tidal wave, the hour of final testing was rushing upon them. The death of Jesus would imperil their own lives. They would scamper every which way to save themselves, leaving Jesus alone. Would they be able to realize that the hour of total abandonment is also the hour of glory?

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