5th Sunday of Easter, Congregation for the Clergy: 'Show us the Father'

The desire that makes the discourse develop between the protagonists and today's interlocutor's isn't any longer the desire for happiness, but the very core of man's most profound expectations: the desire to see God, face to face!  'Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father'. (cfr Jn 14:8)

P>VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?"

In this fifth Sunday of Eastertide, the Church offers us, as in the previous week, a part of St John's Gospel in which the Lord Jesus reveals some profound truths about Himself to His disciples.

The desire that makes the discourse develop between the protagonists and today's interlocutor's isn't any longer the desire for happiness, but the very core of man's most profound expectations: the desire to see God, face to face!  'Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father'. (cfr Jn 14:8)

We may consider that the way that the disciples spoke to Jesus was somewhat scandalous.  Philip's phrase, 'and that will be enough for us' and the words with which Thomas affirms that he doesn't know the way to place that the Lord is going (cfr Jn 14:5) all place the disciples in a bad light. 

In fact, we instinctively want to distance ourselves from them.  However, in truth, very often during our day, in addition to leaving aside the numbness of our faith that brings such a heavy spirit, our minds eye becomes blinded to the 'works' that God has done in each of our lives.  Therefore, we also leave Jesus' invite to, 'Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.' (Jn 14:11)

It is an undeniable truth that we decide to follow the Lord, and that we say it in truth. However, that following may only be in reality at the intellectual level because we do not allow His word to settle in us and allow it to grow through prayer. (cfr Acts 6:4) Above everything, His word makes us willing to do His work so that, regenerated by the sacraments, Christ can make Himself present through our humanity: 'to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God' (1 Pt 2:5)

The Risen Lord, overcoming death, has offered us an example and has opened the door to Paradise showing us that He is not only the way that leads to the Father but also the truth and the life.  'He who has seen Me has seen the Father' (Jn 14:9)

Let us ask the Father to always give us His Spirit because it is clear that only through Christ we are able to know the great design that God's Divine Providence has in store for us.  On Him we can found our certain hope and actions.  In this way, it will become easier to notice how the Lord is always beside us and we will become efficacious instruments, through which He will show Himself to the whole world.

The first disciples mission was born through God's predilection and it is clear that they were selected: 'You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood a holy nation' (cfr 1 Pt 2:9).  We must reclaim this awareness for ourselves as hoping in a new life in Christ, we can sing with the psalmist; 'O you righteous! Praise befits the upright' (Ps 32:1).

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