Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 20:17-27; John 17:1-11a)
The two principal readings today present parting words. In the first, Paul bids farewell to the
leaders of the Church in Ephesus. In the
gospel, Jesus prays for his disciples as he prepares to hand himself over to
redeem the world. Both men give strong
testimony to their faith, Paul in Jesus and Jesus in his Father.
Paul is not bragging when he mentions his efforts to preach
the gospel. He is saying that the gospel
deserves one’s best efforts. It brings
life if accepted and death if rejected.
Jesus says something similar. As he
prays, he tells his disciples that the Father has chosen them with the
implication that they go out to tell the world about Him. They must teach others
about God’s ways as he taught them.
We have had preachers and teachers tell us about God. We continue to learn God’s ways from them. But our responsibility does not end with knowledge. We too have been chosen to tell others
about God’s ways. As Paul says, it is a
matter of life and death.
