The Sacred Page

One of the stories we find in the Elijah-cycle involves the duel between Elijah, the lone prophet of Israel, and the 450 prophets of Baal. The duel in fact is a duel between Yahweh and the Canaanite Lord of the Thunderstorm. The immediate context of the story is 1 Kgs. 18:1-46 which begins with... Sign in to see full entry.

When Moses asked God what his name was, God answered "I am 'I AM'". Only afterwards will Moses and Israel will realize, after years of being under His care, that the name of God indicates what He is for his people: I AM with you always. Gospel Passage (Matthew 28:16-20) 16 The eleven disciples went... Sign in to see full entry.

The present selection from John ( John 15:9-17 ) continues the vine metaphor. This time however the emphasis is on the loving relationship that should exist among the disciples who "cling" to the Lord. The main imperative here is "Remain in my love." The verb "to remain" (Greek, menein menein ) is... Sign in to see full entry.

The last statement of John 14:31 -- "Get up, let's go." -- signals the end of one discourse and the beginning of another. John 15:1-8 forms a unity with verses 9-17 with which it shares the following keywords: remain (4,5,6,7,9, 10) bear fruit (4,5,16) the Father (8,9,16) ask (7,16) However, because... Sign in to see full entry.

TEXT: John 6:60-69 The conclusion of the Bread of Life Discourse is a judgment: the disciples who cannot take the words of Jesus separate themselves from those who would: "From that moment, many of his disciples left him and no longer walked with him." It is Peter who speaks for the Twelve who would... Sign in to see full entry.

TEXT: John 6:52-59 The controversy surrounding the Living Bread discourse is as in the previous section, due to the person of Jesus. This time there is an added difficulty: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat." Jesus does not answer this difficulty. Some people claim that Jesus' declaration... Sign in to see full entry.

The present selection from John's gospel (John 14:6-14) is offered for reflection on the Feast of Philip and James. In the Gospel of John, Philip is a key charactering appearing at strategic points in the gospel story. Jesus finds him in Galilee and calls him to follow (1:43). John tells us that he... Sign in to see full entry.

In the OT, Moses asked God that He designate men to lead Israel so that Israel many not become like sheep without a shepherd (Nm. 17:16-17). By the time of Ezekiel, however, the shepherds designated to look after Israel have neglected their office. The sheep have gone astray because the shepherds... Sign in to see full entry.

John presents the commissioning of Peter in a way different from that of Matthew (Mt. 16:13-20). While in Matthew Peter is made the head of the apostolic college because of his knowledge of Jesus' identity, here he is commissioned because of his love for the Lord. The theme of love so dear to John... Sign in to see full entry.

The third appearance (v. 14) of Jesus recorded by John occurs at the Sea of Tiberias (a.k.a. Galilee). In Mark and Matthew, the apostles are instructed to go to Galilee where the Risen Lord will meet them. Luke, ties the appearances of Jesus to Jerusalem because it is from Jerusalem that the Gospel... Sign in to see full entry.