Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – Fourth Week of Easter – Saturday – John 14:7-14

The daily Gospel reading from the Mass for Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter is John 14:7-14.

Christ continues His Farewell Discourse (John 13:31-16:33) in Jerusalem during Holy Week, preparing the Apostles for their mission after His departure. Despite Christ’s revelations of His betrayal, Passion and Resurrection, the Apostles are confused and deathly afraid. Christ reconfirms that He and the Father are one and mysteriously promises He will return and bring them to Heaven.

When the Apostles remain confused by Christ’s mysteries, Christ rebukes their disbelief. Christ reasserts His Divinity (twice) by confirming that those who see Him see the Father, an incredible revelation of the unity of the Trinity.  He rebukes Philip (and by extension, all the Apostles) for his ignorance and disbelief that Christ is in in the Father and the Father is in Him. To break through the Apostles disbelief and confusion, Christ challenges them to accept the evidence of His Divinity: His works and miracles are proof that the Father dwells in Him and that He and the Father are one.

To further strengthen the Apostles, Christ makes an emphatic (“Truly, truly…”) prophesy about the power of belief: those who believe in Christ will be able to perform miraculous works like Him because Christ is going to the Father. To glorify the Father, Christ promises to grant miraculous power to those who “ask in His [My] name”; He will soon reveal the power He grants will be given through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17).  Christ’s revelation is also an exhortation: He expects that His Apostles to carry on and spread the Gospel after His departure.

Awed by Jesus Christ – Person of the Trinity, Christ reveals that He and the Father are one. Son of God, Christ confirms that the Father has given Him the supernatural power to perform miracles and to give that power to those who ask in His name. Divine Prophet, Christ reveals that those who believe in Him will perform great miracles. Divine King, Christ rebukes and commands His Apostles to carry out His will.

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1) Marvel at Christ’s power to not only perform supernatural miracles but to grant mere men the power to perform even greater miracles.

2) God is beyond the ability of men to fully grasp so it is not surprising that men become confused by Christ’s mysteries (at “one” with the Father, the power to grant miraculous power), some to the point of the complete rejection of God (atheism). During Easter, reflect on the Mysteries of Christ (CCC 514-521) and pray for Christ to give you the faith to believe what you don’t fully understand.

3) Because Christ has gone to the Father, He has the power to answer the prayers to those who “pray in His name.”  During Easter, study Church teaching on Prayers of Petition (CCC 2607-2616, 2629-2636, 2825) and pray more fervently for those in need, believing that Christ hears and answers your prayers.

Spiritual Practices – Include in Today’s Prayers

Sacred Mystery of Rosary – The Joyful Mysteries

Daily Devotion – The Blessed Virgin Mary

Virtue of the Day – Hope

Corporal Work of Mercy – To bury the dead

Spiritual Work of Mercy – To pray for the living and the dead