Fifth Sunday of Easter ( May 14, 2017): Why we can do greater works than Jesus

Acts 6:1-7
Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19 (with 22)
1 Peter 2:4-9
John 14:1-12
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/051417.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_05_14.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“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?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”

Good News Reflection:

The answer is found in the context of the entire chapter. Jesus is explaining his close relationship with the Father. Remember, Jesus was (and still is) both human and divine. We need to look at these verses with that in mind. How did he serve the Father as the Son of Man? And how did he serve the Father as the Son of God?

The “works I do” come from his human nature: He loved, he taught, he conversed with a listening heart, he dined with others, he worked hard at his job, he took his ministry very seriously. “Whoever believes in me will do the works I do” — he is our example of what it means to be a holy human. We will love others as he loves them, teach the faith to others, listen to those who need someone to understand them, work hard at our jobs, offer a helping hand when we see a need, etc. There’s nothing supernatural about it. It’s being who we are: human children of a loving Father.

The “greater” works come from his divine nature: He did the supernatural works of his Father. “Whoever believes in me will do the works of the Father.” We are called to be the Father’s conduits of miracles in our world today.

When Jesus united himself to us as a human, he showed us how to rise above our human limitations. Now, through the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation, we are united to Christ’s divine nature so that we can continue the works of the Father. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, any disunity is removed. We can love the unlovable after they’ve pushed us past our human limits. We can be conduits of the supernatural. We can do everything that God asks of us, despite our inadequacies.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Make a list of your gifts and talents. Then reflect on how each of these are the human works of Jesus for the world today. How has the Father also worked through you supernaturally?

Questions for Group Faith Sharing:
Name some of the good works being done in your parish or group: How do these reflect the human nature of Jesus? Name some of the ways that your parish or group shows the Father’s supernatural nature to the world. How can we become better able to do the “greater works” of the Father?