Catholic Caucus: Daily (Monday) Mass Readings, 05-05-08, Pope Saint Pius V

Reading 1
Acts 19:1-8

While Apollos was in Corinth,
Paul traveled through the interior of the country
and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples.
He said to them,
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
They answered him,
“We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
He said, “How were you baptized?”
They replied, “With the baptism of John.”
Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus.”
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.

He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.

Responsorial Psalm
68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab

R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;
as wax melts before the fire.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 16:29-33

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Regina Coeli

Jn 16:29-33
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
29	His disciples say to him: Behold, now thou speakest plainly and speakest no proverb.	dicunt ei discipuli eius ecce nunc palam loqueris et proverbium nullum dicis
30	Now we know that thou knowest all things and thou needest not that any man should ask thee. By this we believe that thou camest forth from God.	nunc scimus quia scis omnia et non opus est tibi ut quis te interroget in hoc credimus quia a Deo existi
31	Jesus answered them: Do you now believe?	respondit eis Iesus modo creditis
32	Behold, the hour cometh, and it is now come, that you shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.	ecce venit hora et iam venit ut dispergamini unusquisque in propria et me solum relinquatis et non sum solus quia Pater mecum est
33	These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress. But have confidence. I have overcome the world.	haec locutus sum vobis ut in me pacem habeatis in mundo pressuram habetis sed confidite ego vici mundum

29. His disciples said to him, Lo, now you speak plainly, and speak no proverb.
30. Now are we sure that you know all things, and need not that any man should ask you; by this we believe that you came forth from God.
31. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe?
32. Behold, the hour comes, yea, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.

CHRYS. The disciples were so refreshed with the thought of being in favor with the Father, that they say they are sure He knows all things: His disciples said to Him, Now you speak plainly, and speak no proverb.

AUG. But why do they say so, when the hour in which He was to speak without proverbs was yet future, and only promised? Because, our Lord's communications still continuing proverbs to them, they are so far from understanding them, that they do not even understand their not understanding them.

CHRYS. But since His answer met what was in their minds, they add, Now we are sure that you know all things. See how imperfect they yet were, after so many and great things now at last to say, Now we are sure &c. saying it too as if they were conferring a favor. And need not that any man should ask you, i.e. you know what offends us, before we tell You, and you have relieved us by saying that the Father loves us.

AUG. Why this remark? To one Who knew all things, instead of saying, you need not that any man should ask You; it would have been more appropriate to have said, you need not to ask any man; yet we know that both of these were done, viz. that our Lord both asked questions, and was asked. But this is soon explained; for both were for the benefit, not of Himself, but of those whom He asked questions of, or by whom He was asked. He asked questions of men not in order to learn Himself, but to teach them: and in the case of those who asked questions of Him, such questions were necessary to them in order to gain the knowledge they wanted; but they were not necessary to Him to tell Him what that was, because He knew the wish of the inquirer, before the question was put. Thus to know men's thoughts beforehand was no great thing for the Lord, but to the minds of babes it was a great thing: By this we know that you came forth from God.

HILARY. They believe that He came forth from God, because He does the works of God. For whereas our Lord had said both, I came forth from the Father, and, I am come into the world from the Father, they testified no wonder at the latter words, I am come into the world, which they had often heard before. But their reply shows a belief in and appreciation of the former, I came forth from the Father. And they notice this in their reply: By this we believe that you came forth from God; not adding, and are come into the world, for they knew already that He was sent from God, but had not yet received the doctrine of His eternal generation. That unutterable doctrine they now began to see for the first time in consequence of these words, and therefore reply that He spoke no longer in parables. For God is not born from God after the manner of human birth; His is a coming forth from, rather than a birth from, God. He is one from one; not a portion, not a defection, not a diminution, not a derivation, not a pretension, not a passion, but the birth of living nature from living nature. He is God coming forth from God, not a creature appointed to the name of God; He did not begin to be from nothing, but He came forth from an abiding nature. To come forth has the signification of birth, not of beginning.

AUG. Lastly, He reminds them of their w weak tender age in respect of the inner man. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe?

BEDE. Which can be understood in two ways, either as reproaching or affirming. If the former, the meaning is, you have awaked somewhat late to belief, for behold the hour comes, yea is now come, that you shall be scattered every man to his home. If the latter, it is, That which you believe is true, but behold the hour comes, &c.

AUG. For they did not only with their bodies leave His body, when He was taken, but with their minds the faith.

CHRYS. You shall be scattered; i.e. when I am betrayed, fear shall so possess you, that you will not be able even to take to flight together. But I shall suffer no harm in consequence: And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

AUG. He wishes to advance them so far as to understand that He had not separated from the Father because He had come forth from the Father.

CHRYS. These things have I said to you, that you might have peace; i.e. that you may not reject Me from your minds. For not only when I am taken shall you suffer tribulation, but so long as you are in the world: In the world you shall have tribulation.

GREG. As if He said, Have Me within you to comfort you, because you will have the world without you.

AUG. The tribulation of which He speaks was to commence thus, i.e. in every one being scattered to his home, but was not to continue so. For in saying, And leave Me alone, He does not mean this to apply to them in their sufferings after His ascension. They were not to desert Him then, but to abide and have peace in Him. Wherefore He adds, Be of good cheer.

CHRYS. i.e. raise up your spirits again; when the Master is victorious, the disciples should not be dejected; I have overcome the world.

AUG. When the Holy Spirit was given them, they were of good cheer, and, in His strength, victorious. For He would not have overcome the world, had the world overcome His members. When He says, These things have I spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace, He refers not only to what He has just said, but to what He had said all along, either from the time that He first had disciples, or since the supper, when He began this long and wonderful discourse. He declares this to be the object of His whole discourse, viz. that in Him they might have peace. And this peace shall have no end, but is itself the end of every pious action and intention.

Catena Aurea John 16

May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Toward the end of the eighteenth century a zealous Jesuit priest, Father Lalomia, started among the students of the Roman college of his Society the practice of dedicating May to Our Lady. The devotion, which others had promoted in a small way, soon spread to other Jesuit Colleges and to the entire Latin church and since that time it has been a regular feature of Catholic life.

INVOCATIONS

Thou who wast a virgin before thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin in thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.
Thou who wast a virgin after thy delivery, pray for us. Hail Mary, etc.

My Mother, deliver me from mortal sin.
Hail Mary (three times).

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.

Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when thou shalt stand before the face of the Lord, that thou speak favorable things in our behalf and that He may turn away His indignation from us.
Roman Missal

Thou art my Mother, O Virgin Mary: keep me safe lest I ever offend thy dear Son, and obtain for me the grace to please Him always and in all things.

FOR THE HELP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be of one heart and mind: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Roman Missal

THE SALVE REGINA

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus! O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Roman Breviary

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

O blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay thee thy just dues of praise and thanksgiving, thou who by the wondrous assent of thy will didst rescue a fallen world? What songs of praise can our weak human nature recite in thy honor, since it is by thy intervention alone that it has found
the way to restoration? Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, though they be unequal to thy merits; and, receiving our vows, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Carry thou our prayers within the sanctuary of the heavenly audience, and bring forth from it the antidote of our reconciliation. May the sins we bring before Almighty God through thee, become pardonable through thee; may what we ask for with sure confidence, through thee be granted. Take our offering, grant us our requests, obtain pardon for what we fear, for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for the remission of our sins, and in thee, 0 blessed Lady, is our hope of reward. Holy Mary, succour the miserable, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for thy people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God; may all who keep thy holy commemoration feel now thy help and protection. Be thou ever ready to assist us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it thy continual care to pray for the people of God, thou who, blessed by God, didst merit to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen.
Saint Augustine

PETITION TO MARY

Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the queen of the universe, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I who am the most miserable of all sinners, have recourse this day. I venerate thee, great queen, and I thank thee for the many graces thou hast bestowed upon me even unto this day; in particular for having delivered me from the hell which I have so often deserved by my sins. I love thee, most dear Lady; and for the love I bear thee, I promise to serve thee willingly for ever and to do what I can to make thee loved by others also. I place in thee all my hopes for salvation; accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or at least obtain for me the strength to overcome them until death. From thee I implore a true love for Jesus Christ. Through thee I hope to die a holy death. My dear Mother, by the love thou bearest to Almighty God, I pray thee to assist me always, but most of all at the last moment of my life. Forsake me not then, until thou shalt see me safe in heaven, there to bless thee and sing of thy mercies through all eternity. Such is my hope. Amen.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Magnificat Prayer
My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior,
For he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed.
God who is mighty has done great things for me,
holy is his name; His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm; he has confused the proud in their inmost thoughts. He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. The hungry he has given every good thing, while the rich he has sent empty away. He has upheld Israel his servant, ever mindful of his mercy; Even as he promised our fathers, promised Abraham and his descendants forever.
(Lk 1:46-55)

Seen above is the Blessed Virgin Mary, portrayed as Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
It was she who was chosen by God, to provide His Son with His Sacred Humanity.
She did so in humble and total cooperation with the Holy Spirit and the Divine will of the Holy Trinity; providing God's Son with the Blood He shed for us on the Cross.

TO MARY, REFUGE OF SINNERS
Hail, most gracious Mother of mercy, hail, Mary, for whom we fondly yearn, through whom we obtain forgiveness! Who would not love thee? Thou art our light in uncertainty, our comfort in sorrow, our solace in the time of trial, our refuge from every peril and temptation. Thou art our sure hope of salvation, second only to thy only-begotten Son; blessed are they who love thee, our Lady! Incline, I beseech thee, thy ears of pity to the entreaties of this thy servant, a miserable sinner; dissipate the darkness of my sins by the bright beams of thy holiness, in order that I may be acceptable in thy sight.

FOR THE GRACE OF LOVE
O Mary, my dear Mother, how much I love thee! And yet in reality how little! Thou dost teach me what I ought to know, for thou teachest me what Jesus is to me and what I ought to be for Jesus. Dearly beloved Mother, how close to God thou art, and how utterly filled with Him! In the measure that we know God, we remind ourselves of thee. Mother of God, obtain for me the grace of loving my Jesus; obtain for me the grace of loving thee!
Cardinal Merry del Val

TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY FOR MAY

O most august and blessed Virgin Mary! Holy Mother of God! glorious Queen of heaven and earth! powerful protectress of those who love thee, and unfailing advocate of all who invoke thee! look down, I beseech thee, from thy throne of glory on thy devoted child; accept the solemn offering I present thee of this month, specially dedicated to thee, and receive my ardent, humble desire, that by my love and fervor I could worthily honor thee, who, next to God, art deserving of all honor. Receive me, 0 Mother of Mercy, among thy best beloved children; extend to me thy maternal tenderness and solicitude; obtain for me a place in the Heart of Jesus, and a special share in the gifts of His grace. 0 deign, I beseech thee, to recognize my claims on thy protection, to watch over my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of all who are dear to me; to infuse into my soul the spirit of Christ, and to teach me thyself to become meek, humble, charitable, patient, and submissive to the will of God.

May my heart bum with the love of thy Divine Son, and of thee, His blessed Mother, not for a month alone, but for time and eternity; may I thirst for the promotion of His honor and thine, and contribute, as far as I can, to its extension. Receive me, 0 Mary, the refuge of sinners! Grant me a Mother's blessing and a Mother's care, now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.

TO OUR LADY

Saint John Vianney, better known as the Cure of Ars, when asked how long he had loved Mary, said: "I loved her almost before I could know her." In this prayer he expresses that love.
O thou most holy virgin Mary, who dost evermore stand before the most holy Trinity, and to whom it is granted at all times to pray for us to thy most beloved Son; pray for me in all my necessities; help me, combat for me, and obtain for me the pardon of all my sins. Help me especially at my last hour; and when I can no longer give any sign of the use of reason, then do thou encourage me, make the sign of the cross for me, and fight for me against the enemy. Make in my name a profession of faith; favor me with a testimony of my salvation, and never let me despair of the mercy of God. Help me to overthrow the wicked enemy. When I can no longer say: "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I place my soul in your hands," do thou say it for me; when I can no longer hear human words of consolation, do thou comfort me. Leave me not before I have been judged; and if I have to expiate my sins in purgatory, oh! pray for me earnestly; and admonish my friends to procure for me a speedy enjoyment of the blessed sight of God. Lessen my sufferings, deliver me speedily, and lead my soul into heaven with thee: that, united with all the elect, I may there bless and praise my God and thee for all eternity. Amen.
Saint John Vianney

ACT OF REPARATION

O blessed Virgin, Mother of God, look down in mercy from heaven, where thou art enthroned as Queen, upon me, a miserable sinner, thine unworthy servant. Although I know full well my own unworthiness, yet in order to atone for the offenses that are done to thee by impious and blasphemous
tongues, from the depths of my heart I praise and extol thee as the purest, the fairest, the holiest creature of all God's handiwork. I bless thy holy name, I praise thine exalted privilege of being truly Mother of God, ever virgin, conceived without stain of sin, co-redemptrix of the human race. I bless the Eternal Father who chose thee in an especial way for His daughter; I bless the Word Incarnate who took upon Himself our nature in thy bosom and so made thee His Mother; I bless the Holy Spirit who took thee as His bride. All honor, praise and thanksgiving to the ever-blessed Trinity, who predestined thee and loved thee so exceedingly from all eternity as to exalt thee above all creatures to the most sublime heights. 0 Virgin, holy and merciful, obtain for all who offend thee the grace of repentance, and graciously accept this poor act of homage from me thy servant, obtaining likewise for me from thy divine Son the pardon and remission of all my sins. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Memorare of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Blessed Virgin Mary

Remember O Most Gracious Virgin Mary!

That never was it known
That anyone who fled to thy protection,
Implored thy help or sought thy intercession
Was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee!
O Virgin of virgins, My Mother!

To Thee I come before Thee I stand,
Sinful and Sorrowful,
Oh Mother of the Word Incarnate,
Despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy,
Hear and answer me.

Amen

May Devotion: Blessed Virgin Mary

From: Acts 19:1-8

Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus

[1] While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and
came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. [2] And he said to them, “Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have never
even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” [3] And he said, “Into what then were you
baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” [4] And Paul said, “John baptized
with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was
to come after him, that is, Jesus.” [5] On hearing this, they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the
Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. [7]
There were about twelve of them in all.

Paul’s Preaching and Miracles at Ephesus

[8] And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and
pleading about the kingdom of God.

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Commentary:

1-7. This presence in Ephesus of a group of disciples who had received only
John’s baptism is open to various interpretations. The text seems to imply that
they were not, properly speaking, Christians but people who followed the Baptist’s
teaching and whom Paul regarded as incipient Christians, to the point of calling
them disciples. We say this because in the New Testament being a Christian is
always connected with receiving Baptism and having the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5;
Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 12:3; Gal 3:2; Acts 11:17; etc.).

2. Leaving aside questions as to the origin and composition of this group of dis-
ciples, their simple statement about knowing nothing about the Holy Spirit and
his part in fulfilling the messianic promises points to the need to preach Christian
doctrine in a systematic, gradual and complete way.

Christian catechesis, John Paul II reminds us, “must be systematic, not impro-
vised but programmed to reach a precise goal; it must deal with essentials,
without any claim to tackle all disputed questions or to transform itself into
theological research or scientific exegesis; it must nevertheless be sufficiently
complete, not stopping short at the initial proclamation of the Christian mystery
such as we have in the kerygma; it must be an integral Christian initiation, open
to all the other factors of Christian life” (”Catechesi Tradendae”, 21).

3-4. “The whole teaching and work of John,” St Thomas Aquinas writes, “was in
preparation for Christ, as the helper and under-craftsman are responsible for pre-
paring the materials for the form which the head-craftsman produces. Grace was
to be conferred on men through Christ: ‘Grace and truth have come through Jesus
Christ’ (Jn 1 :17). And therefore, the baptism of John did not confer grace, but
only prepared the way for grace in a threefold way—in one way, by John’s tea-
ching, which led men to faith in Christ; in another way, by accustoming men to
the rite of Christ’s Baptism; and in a third way, through penance, which prepared
men to receive the effect of Christ’s Baptism” (”Summa Theologiae”, III, q. 38,
a. 3).

5. “They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus”: the view of most commen-
tators is that this does not mean that the Trinitarian formula which appears in Mt
28:19 (cf. note on Acts 2:38) (”in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit”) was not used. The reference here may simply be a way of
distinguishing Christian Baptism from other baptismal rites which were features
of Judaism in apostolic times—particularly John the Baptist’s rite. Besides,
Christian Baptism was administered on Jesus Christ’s instructions (cf. Mt 28:19),
in union with him and using his power: Jesus’ redemptive action is initiated by
the Father and expresses itself in the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

6. This passage speaks of the laying on of hands, something distinct from
Baptism, as seen already in Acts 8:14-17, whereby the Holy Spirit is received.
This is the sacrament which will come to be called Confirmation and which has
been conferred, from the beginnings of the Church, as one of the sacraments
of Christian initiation.

Referring to Confirmation, John Paul II has said: “Christ’s gift of the Holy Spirit is
going to be poured out upon you in a particular way. You will hear the words of
the Church spoken over you, calling upon the Holy Spirit to confirm your faith,
to seal you in his love, to strengthen you for his service. You will then take your
place among fellow-Christians throughout the world, full citizens now of the
People of God. You will witness to the truth of the Gospel in the name of Jesus
Christ. You will live your lives in such a way as to make holy all human life. To-
gether with all the confirmed, you will become living stones in the cathedral of
peace. Indeed you are called by God to be instruments of his peace [...].

“You, too, are strengthened inwardly today by the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that
each of you in your own way can carry the Good News to your companions and
friends. [...]. The same Holy Spirit comes to you today in the sacrament of Confir-
mation, to involve you more completely in the Church’s fight against sin and in her
mission of fostering holiness. He comes to dwell more fully in your hearts and to
strengthen you for the struggle with evil [...]. The world of today needs you, for it
needs men and women who are filled with the Holy Spirit. It needs your courage
and hopefulness, your faith and your perseverance. The world of tomorrow will be
built by you. Today you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit so that you may work
with deep faith and with abiding charity, so that you may help to bring to the
world the fruits of reconciliation and peace. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit and
his manifold gifts [...], strive to be unselfish; try not to be obsessed with material
things” (”Homily at Coventry Airport”, 30 May 1982).

As is the case with Baptism and Holy Orders, Confirmation imprints an indelible
mark or character on the soul.

8-10. This summarized account of Paul’s activity in Ephesus is filled out by the
account we are given of the Apostle’s farewell to the elders of that city (cf. 20:
18-35) and by information contained in his letters to the Corinthians. Paul made
Ephesus the base for his missionary work in the surrounding region, for which he
counted on help from Timothy, Erastus, Gaius, Titus and Epaphras of Colossae.

During his stay in Ephesus he wrote 1 Corinthians and the Letter to the Galatians.

8. Paul returns to the synagogue where he taught previously (cf. 18:19-21); the
ews’ resistance and lack of understanding do not lessen his zeal.

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

For: Monday, May 5, 2008

7th Week of Easter

From: John 16:29-33

Fullness of Joy (Continuation)

[29] His (Jesus’) disciples said, “Ah, now You are speaking plainly, not in any
figure! [30] Now we know that You know all things, and need none to question
You; by this we believe that You came from God.” [31] Jesus answered them,
“Do you now believe? [32] The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you
will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave Me alone; yet I am not
alone, for the Father is with Me. [33] I have said this to you, that in Me you may
have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have over-
come the world.”

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Commentary:

25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent
time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd
(cf. Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)—to train them for their mission of preaching the
Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used
metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does
so in this discourse of the Last Supper—the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.:
He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him
questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when
He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly
what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even
now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that He
is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25).
Verse 28, “I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am
leaving the world and going to the Father” summarizes the mystery of Christ’s
Person (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).

31-32. Jesus moderates the Apostles’ enthusiasm, which expresses itself in a
spontaneous confession of faith; He does this by asking them a question which
has two dimensions. On the one hand, it is a kind of reproach for their having
taken too long to believe in Him: it is true that there were other occasions when
they expressed faith in the Master (cf. John 6:68-69; etc.), but until now they
have not fully realized that He is the One sent by the Father. The question also
refers to the fragility of their faith: they believe, and yet very soon they will aban-
don Him into the hands of His enemies. Jesus requires us to have a firm faith:
it is not enough to show it in moments of enthusiasm, it has to stand the test
of difficulties and opposition.

33. The Second Vatican Council teaches in connection with this passage: “The
Lord Jesus who said `Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33),
did not by these words promise complete victory to His Church in this world.
This sacred Council rejoices that the earth which has been sown with the seed
of the Gospel is now bringing forth fruit in many places under the guidance of the
Spirit of the Lord, who is filling the world” (”Presbyterorum Ordinis”, 22).

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Regina Coeli

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