We just asked the prayers of SS Philip & James for our faith journey, that we be given a share in the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ so we can go to God and behold him for ever. In the second reading we heard how James saw Jesus risen from the dead and our Gospel included Philip’s stated desire to see God. By describing himself as ‘The Way’ Our Lord reminds us of the direction we can find in life that leads to the vision of God.
We come from God, we belong to God, we go to God.
As Christians we don’t expect to be dragged to God as we approach death but to be gladly going to God as part of the forward movement of life in Christ even if that brings increased frailty, loss of mobility and the need to depend on others. The passion of Our Lord takes the strain as we give our pain to him. On our way to God pains are sweetened as we keep close to Christ in his passion and resurrection. Grant us … a share in the passion and resurrection of your Only Begotten Son that we may merit to behold you for eternity.
As Christians we travel to God like anyone else through suffering and joy but with the difference of thankfulness for the joy and assurance of God’s love in the suffering.
Our Lord who’s the Way has trodden that way before us and expects nothing of us he’s not been through himself, which is the message of Holy Week.
We come from God, we belong to God, we go to God.
You and I, each one of us are on that journey with Our Lord who is himself the way. On that journey keeping close to him in his passion and resurrection sweetens our sorrow and deepens our joy, as does the fellowship we have with one another in God’s holy Church.
Through this festal Mass may we be heartened for the ongoing journey of faith which will one day, as it has for many we love but see no longer, vanish into sight. Then, in a prayer I’ve said many times at the altar when every tear is wiped away we shall see God as he is. We shall become like him and praise him for all eternity.
Grant us, Lord, a share in the passion and resurrection of your Only Begotten Son so that we may indeed merit to behold you for all eternity.
Picture Fr John Twisleton’s First Mass at SS Philip & James, New Bentley, Doncaster 4 July 1977
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