Last Supper Discourse: John 14:15–21
Jesus does not abandon his Church. There is “no child left behind” in his politics. Yet Christian representatives—parents, teachers, preachers, even bishops—may choose to speak as if some children of God are more beloved than others or that some children might even be shunned by their Father.
It’s vital to remember that Jesus leaves no orphans. There can be no lonely or distant corners of our community where “undesirable” members must sit or remain less fully Catholic than the rest of us.
The tragically unjust era of racial segregation in our assembly is over, thanks be to God. We must not replace that sad legacy with a new kind of segregation based on language, politics, economics, sexuality, theological purity, or any other chosen and divisive factor.
Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” It’s a wonderfully simple statement. Love of God, and no other criteria, makes us eligible to stand in the assembly of God’s own.
- How does your parish provide an atmosphere of welcome?
- What signals do you send that “all are welcome in this place”?
(Reflection and questions by Alice Camille in Exploring the Sunday Readings)
Since the Sunday Gospel is the heart of the Gospel Weeklies, an important part of preparing to share the Gospel with children is to read and reflect on it in advance of your class session. The Gospel at Home and the Gospel for All Ages (see Gathering Rituals/Questions) are resources on our website that can help you do this. While these resources take a break in the summer months, we’ll be drawing our weekly reflections from Exploring the Sunday Readings.
Photo credit: Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Wikimedia Commons
