Reflection From

Fr. John

May 25, 2025

We hear this week in the Gospel from Jesus’ Last Supper Discourse with His apostles. He is speaking to them during the course of His final meal with them in Chapter 14 of St. John’s Gospel. He is addressing their anxieties and concerns. It is during this final meal and dialogue where Jesus institutes the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist before the start of His Passion.

During the course of their final meal, Jesus answers the questions of His apostles. Judas, not the one who betrays Him, asks Christ, “Master, [then] what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” (John 14:22). Jesus’ response to this question is our Gospel for this week.

Jesus tells his apostles that it is through their love and faithfulness to His Word that He reveals Himself to them. By following the commandments of Christ and being faithful to His teachings, the Truth of who God is and His love are revealed to the person. Without this relationship of love, actively following the commandments of Jesus, the truth of who Jesus is and who God the Father is, remains hidden. Jesus further explains that those who keep His words and follow Him will become dwelling places of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is truly remarkable! The word that Jesus uses to describe how God the Father and the Son will come to “dwell” within his disciples is the Greek word μονή (monē), meaning dwelling place or room. (John 14:23) Jesus used this same word when speaking about the dwelling place of the Father in Heaven, “In my Father’s house are many rooms (dwelling places)...” (RSV, John 14:2) Another translation of the verse we hear in today’s Gospel is “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home (dwelling) with him.” (RSV, John 14:23).

Jesus at the start of His last Supper discourse reminded His disciples of the rooms prepared for them in Heaven. However, Jesus continued to explain that Heaven isn’t just a place we get to when we die, but rather a union of love with God the Trinity. This is why St. Catherine of Sienna mentioned, “All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, "I am the way.” When we lead lives in accordance with Jesus’ commands and eagerly strive to follow Him, we can experience here and now union with God in our souls. Through our Baptism, we have been united to the life of the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God the Trinity has come to dwell within our hearts. As we prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost, may we prepare our hearts, through prayer and Confession, to experience the presence of God with us and rid ourselves of that which prevents us from experiencing His indwelling love.

Father John

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