The manner and fruits of Jesus' Journey Home
April 26, 2024 - Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Acts 13:26-33; Psalm 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab; John 14:1-6
In the Gospel of John, Jesus prepares His disciples for His death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Father. Jesus is returning home through the cross. That seems a rather shocking way of going home, but there is no other. The cross is that narrow gate and path Jesus spoke about, which leads to life (Matt 7:13-14) and back home. For the Old Testament, home is the promised land with Jerusalem and Mount Zion, the dwelling place of God among his people at its center. However, for the New Testament, home is the heavenly Jerusalem descending upon the earth and a new heaven and earth where God shall dwell with His people.
In today's fragment from the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Luke provides us with a sample of Paul's sermon to the Jews of Antioch in Pisidia. At the heart of this sermon is the proclamation of Jesus' death and resurrection, which, according to the apostle, fulfills the Scriptures. Our fragment ends with a quote from Psalm 2, "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you" (Psalm 2:7). Paul also quotes a passage from Isaiah and from Psalm 16. The quote from Isaiah speaks about the promises given to David (see Acts 13:34 and Isaiah 55:3), and the quote from Psalm 16 states that God's Holy One could not experience the corruption of death (see Acts 13:35 and Psalm 16:10).
For the apostle John, Jesus is "the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him" (see John 14:6). For the apostle Paul, only in Jesus can humanity find forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:39). In the Gospel, the word “way” has many layers of meaning. It refers to Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, it refers to the cross, and it is also a metaphor for the Christian way of life: We are the people of the way. On the other hand, the word "sin" means to miss the mark, to live not according to our identity as creatures created in the image and likeness of God. By declaring "I am the way and the truth and the life," Jesus becomes our model for living. He reveals to us who God truly is and He also teaches us what it means to be truly human.
Saint Paul declares that God raised Jesus from the dead and "for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem who are now his witnesses to the people" (Acts 13:31). Among them was Mary Magdalene who on Easter morning was told by the risen Christ that He is ascending to the Father (see John 20:17). He went there not only to prepare a place for us but also to ask the Father to give us His most precious gift - the Holy Spirit. By breathing upon the disciples, the Spirit of God, each one of them became a new person and the temple of God. We experience the same thing upon receiving the sacrament of baptism. By becoming united with Christ, we have also become a new creation.
The reality of forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ offers us freedom from guilt and shame, inviting us into a restored relationship with God. It does what the law of Moses could not do (see Acts 13:39). Furthermore, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit empowers us to live transformed lives. The Spirit guides us in understanding and applying the teachings of Jesus, equipping us to walk in His ways and bearing fruit that reflects His character.