Scripture Scribbles: May 7, 2023

the Gospel

John 14:1-12

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."

the devotion

“Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?” Jesus says this shortly after Philip tells him, if you just show us the Father, that will be enough.

“If you just show me a sign, I will believe. If you just do this one miracle for me, I’ll pray more, I’ll serve more, I’ll go deeper, it’ll be enough for me to change my life and follow you.” For some of us, this is just the beginning of our journey, dipping our toes in the shallow waters of faith. For others, we’ve taken a deep dive as Philip did in his relationship with Jesus.

Yet, how much do we trust in Him? How much do we truly Know Him? Am I asking for one more favor before I say “yes” to discipleship? The longing in my soul burns for Him and so often I miss the mark, not trusting in His Trinitarian Love.

Jesus and Philip’s conversation, however, shows us the importance of deepening our conversion in His Love. When we don’t open our hearts to it, we begin making those, “if you just…, then I’ll believe” statements, even among regular practitioners of the Faith.

He’s inviting us to radically reorient ourselves in this Love so we may dwell in the place he’s prepared for us. He is the way to heaven, the truth of God’s Mercy, and the life mending our wounded hearts.

Is that enough for you to commit to radically following Him?

Today’s devotion was written by Diana Giard