Who You Know

Reading: Jn 14:7-14

If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? 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 say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Reflection Who You Know

When my eldest Paul was in preschool, he pointed to a boy across the yard and announced “That boy said he is not my friend…I think he just doesn’t know me.” Instead of being angry or upset with the other child, our then four-year-old sage saw beneath the playground taunting and saw the humanity in this other little boy, and in himself. “He just doesn’t know me.” If he knew me he would laugh at my jokes that make no sense; if he knew me he would cheer for me while I ran laps around the sandbox. If he knew me he would be as open to friendship with me as I am with him.

Some days I tell Jesus (by my words and actions), “I really don’t want to be friends with you.” I don’t like what He is asking of me. I want to choose the easier way.  I think about being petty and mean. I want to cut people out of my life who annoy or hurt me. I recently had a dream where I confronted someone whose actions have cut deeply. In my dream I said everything I could not say in real life. I really don’t want to be your friend today Jesus. Then I recognize in moments like this, I am just getting to know Him better. And what other friendship is more important than this one? 

Prayer
“If God Invited You To A Party”
By Hafiz

If God

Invited you to a party

And said,

‘Everyone

In the ballroom tonight

Will be my special

Guest…’

How would you then treat them

When you

Arrived?

Indeed, indeed!

And I know

There is no one in this world

Who

Is not upon

His jeweled dance

floor.