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EASTER ENCOUNTERS 2008

The Sunday Gospel with daily meditations on the Gospel theme

-- encounters that define and illuminate our journey of faith

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The Fifth Week of Easter  -  April 20 - 26

I KNOW . . . THE WAY

THE SUNDAY GOSPEL: Saint John 14:1-14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, 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, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? 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 say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if

you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

DAILY ENCOUNTERS: I KNOW THE WAY

MONDAY OF THE WEEK OF EASTER 5 – APRIL 21

To poor, sad-hearted sinners—I repeat it—not a word of the Law must be preached…On the contrary, to such a person the preacher must say: “Do but come! There is still room! No matter how great a sinner you are, there is still room for you. Even if you were a Judas or a Cain, there is still room. Oh, do, do come to Jesus!” Persons of this kind are proper subjects on whom the gospel is to operate.    C.F.W. Walther

TUESDAY OF THE WEEK OF EASTER 5 – APRIL 22

Jesus is the Leader of our salvation, the Forerunner, who hath entered the veil for us, leaving behind His track and footsteps for us to walk. This is the new and living way which, through obedience and death, leads to life and to God. And so He is the Leader of our faith, too. He leads in the way of faith. He walked in it Himself. He opened it for us. He draws and helps us in it.        Andrew Murray

WEDNESDAY OF THE WEEK OF EASTER 5 – APRIL 23

God is shown to be eminently a God that hears prayer, by his giving such free access to him by prayer. God in his word manifests himself ready at all times to allow us this privilege. He sits on a throne of grace; and there is no veil to hide this throne, and keep us from it. The veil is rent from the top to the bottom; the way is open at all times, and we may go to God as often as we please.  Jonathan Edwards, 18th century

THURSDAY OF THE WEEK OF EASTER 5 – APRIL 24

We are tempted to believe that we are no longer praying to God, when we stop finding joy in prayer. To undeceive ourselves, we must realize that perfect prayer and love of God are the same thing. Prayer then is neither a sweet sensation, nor the enchantment of an excited imagination, nor the light of the mind which easily discovers sublime truths in God, nor even a certain comfort in the sight of God. All these things are exterior gifts.         Francois de Salignac Fenelon, 17th century

FRIDAY OF THE WEEK OF EASTER 5 – APRIL 25

These elements in the message of Jesus—the nearness of the rule of God, the clarity of his will, and the simplicity of discipleship, with joy, freedom, and lack of anxiety—are the interpretation of one thing, the call to faith. But it is all seen in the context of the remarkable authority of the Person of Jesus. If discipleship means sharing in the way of Jesus, then understanding his preaching of the will of God means sharing in his freedom, and understanding his message of the rule of God means sharing in his joy, his obedience, and his courage in face of the nearness of God.     Gerhard Ebeling

SATURDAY OF THE WEEK OF EASTER 5 – APRIL 26

We must often raise the heart toward God; He will purify it, enlighten it, direct it. This was the daily practice of the holy prophet David. “I had always,” he said, “the Lord before my eyes.” Let us often say these beautiful words of David, “Whom should I seek in heaven and on earth, save Thee, O my God? Thou art the God of my heart, and my portion forever.”   Francois de Salignac Fenelon