Word of the day

ACTS 13:26-33

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”

JN 14:1-6

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.”

These words of Jesus are really very beautiful. In a moment of farewell, Jesus speaks to his disciples from his heart. He knows that his disciples are sad, because they realize things are going wrong. And he says, “Let not your heart be troubled!” He thus starts talking to them like a friend, even with the attitude of a pastor. The music of these words of Jesus is the attitude of the shepherd, just as the shepherd does with his sheep. "Let not your hearts be disturbed. Have faith in God and also me.” And he starts talking. About what? About heaven, about the definitive homeland. As if saying, "Have faith also in me: I am faithful." And like an engineer, an architect he tells them what he will do. “I go to prepare a place for you, in the house of my Father where there are many dwellings." (Santa Marta, 26 April 2013)