Fifth Sunday of Easter
Jesus Is the Way - to God, to People, to Ourselves
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Greeting (See Second Reading)
You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a consecrated nation,
a people set apart to praise God.
May Jesus, our Lord and Saviour,
be always with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
- Jesus Is the Way
“Where are you going in life, or what are you living for?” is the most important question to ask ourselves, one another, the Church, our people. Many do not know what answer to give to this. Even we Christians at times feel lost. Yet we shouldn’t, for we have Jesus who shows us the way, who is our way to God, to ourselves, to people. Jesus is not only our way but he is our companion on the road. Let him show us his way here in this Eucharist.
- The Way to God, to People, to Ourselves
How sad when we have lost the way, looking for a person or address we can’t find. Sadder even, we feel totally “lost” when we do not know where we stand in life, when all looks confusing and senseless. Today someone speaks to us, who says not only “I will show you the way”, but: “I AM THE WAY.” Go with me, follow me, I will lead you to your goal in life. I will bring you safely to the Father and to people, even to your own true self. Live as I have lived, for I am the way and the truth and the life.
Penitential Act
When we knew the way to God and to people,
we chose to go our own selfish ways.
We now ask the Lord to forgive and to correct us.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, our way,
you were always on the way to people.
Take us along with you on that road:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, our way,
you went your painful way of the cross.
Give us the courage to follow you there.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, our way,
you are first of all our way to the Father:
Take us along with you on that road:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
forgive us and keep us from devious roads.
Go with us the way to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray to our living God
that in Jesus he may show us the road of life
(pause)
Lord, our living God,
you are a God on the way with your people;
you led them through the desert to freedom,
you sent us Jesus to be our way to you.
Let Jesus walk with us the road to you,
to our deepest selves, to people.
Quench your people’s thirst with the water of life,
keep giving us the food we need for the journey,
the bread of life of Jesus himself,
until we reach your eternal home.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading
A Ministry of Service: When the Christian community grew, it solved difficulties of organisation by creating new ministries of service to assist the apostles and elders.
Institution of the Seven
In those days, as the number of disciples increased, the so-called Hellenists complained against the so-called Hebrews, because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called the entire group of disciples together and said:
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at tables.
So, friends, choose seven respected men among yourselves, full of Spirit and wisdom, that we may appoint them to this task.
As for us, we will dedicate ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
The entire community agreed, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit; Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenus, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They introduced these men to the apostles, who first prayed over them and then laid hands on them.
The word of God kept spreading, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem grew significantly, and even many priests accepted the faith.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Second Reading
A Priestly People: Christ our high priest has made us a holy people of priests; our task is to continue the mission of Christ by making God known to people and giving praise to God in the name of all.
He is the living stone rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him; draw near to him,
so that you, too, become living stones built into a spiritual temple, a holy community of priests offering spiritual sacrifices that please God through Jesus Christ.
Scripture states: See, I lay in Zion a chosen and precious cornerstone; whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.
This is an honor for those who believe, but for unbelievers, the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,
and A stone that causes people to stumble, a rock that makes them fall. They stumble over it, rejecting the word, but this fulfills God’s plan.
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation—a people owned by God—to proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way, the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father, except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Christ, Our Way, Truth and Life: Those who believe in Christ can do what Christ did and go where he leads them, for Christ is the way, the truth and the life for us.
Jesus, the Way to the Father
“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; otherwise, I would not have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you.
After I have gone and prepared a place for you, I shall come again and take you to me, so that where I am, you also may be.
And you know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him:
“LORD, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way?”
Jesus said:
“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, you will know the Father also; indeed you know him, and you have seen him.”
Philip asked him:
“LORD, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him:
“I have been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever sees me sees 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? All that I say to you, I do not say of myself. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence of these works that I do.
Truly, I say to you, the one who believes in me will do the same works that I do. They will even do greater things than these because I am going to the Father.
Prayers of the Faithful
Through Jesus, our way to the Father, let us bring before God the needs of the Church and of the world, and let us pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
– Jesus, teach us and all your people your way, that we may be sure where we are going and that we live your way, doing what is right and good, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
– Jesus, make our road through life smooth, filled with justice, mercy and goodness, that it may be a way of peace for all, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
– Jesus, make all your people find the way to one another’s life and heart, that we may no longer remain strangers, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
– Jesus, make us also discover the road to ourselves, that we may know who we really are and what we want in life; let what we want be what you want for us, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
– Jesus, make us build roads that are safe and that lead people to one another rather than away from one another, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
– Jesus, inspire each of us and our communities to become with you a way of light and love that leads people to God, we pray: R/ Lord, show us the way.
Lord Jesus, we entrust ourselves to you. for we are sure that you will lead us safely home to the house of the Father, for you are our brother and friend now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God and Father,
your Son Jesus Christ showed us what it means
to be for us the way, the truth and the life
by giving himself for us on the cross
and here in the Eucharist to us.
May we learn from him
to give to one another
our time, our compassion, our service
and above all to give ourselves,
as Jesus did, your Son and our Lord,
who lives with you and also with us
now, and we hope and pray, for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Through Christ we go to the Father and with him we offer his sacrifice of praise. He has made us a chosen people to give thanks to the Father in the name of all the world.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
“No one can go to the Father
except through me,” said Jesus.
Let us go then, with our prayer to the Father
in the words of Jesus himself. R/ Our Father...
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus our Lord,
who said of himself:
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life;
no one can come to the Father except through me.
Happy are we to receive him
as our food on the road to the Father. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
you Son Jesus Christ said:
he who sees me, sees my Father.
May the people around us
see your Son and you, Father in heaven,
when we become to one another
the way to hope, justice and love,
the truth that uplifts and reassures,
the life that is given freely
even when the cost is high.
May Christ thus become to all
the way, the truth and the life for ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
In this Eucharist we have been
the holy, priestly people of God.
In union with the whole Church
and in the name of all people,
we have offered to our Father in heaven
the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ.
We will go back to our homes,
but the Mass is not really ended.
It has to continue to be offered,
in every day life.
For it is there that we become with Christ
the way to God and one another,
the credible, reliable truth,
and the life of the people around us.
May you do so wholeheartedly,
with the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go and take Christ to people.
R/ Thanks be to God.
REFLECTION:
John 14:1-12
Please show us the Father
The passage in today’s Gospel is taken from the first of three farewell speeches pronounced by Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus today speaks of the dwelling places that have been prepared for us. The entrance to this dwelling place is Jesus himself. Thomas the Apostle asks Jesus for the way to reach him. When we accept the person of Christ and his teaching—we have accepted the way. Jesus is the Way to the Father
Tolle et legge! “Take up and read!” St. Jerome teaches that to be ignorant of the scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ. One chapter each day would take us less than a month to finish reading one Gospel prayerfully. Responding to the Gospels in faith ultimately leads to that heavenly dwelling that has been prepared for us.
“There are many places in my Father’s House”, says Jesus. But this House of the Father is not a place where the Lord will take us after our death, nor is it a faraway place. This house is not paradise but the Christian community - the Church. In his Church, Jesus has prepared a place for everyone who agrees to follow Jesus’ “way”.
His Church is where he lives today – his Father’s house. He promises to take us to his Church so that we can be together with him, where he is. The house has many places which refer to the many services and tasks that need to be carried out there. The “many places” are nothing but the “various ministries” of the Church and the many gifts received from God.
Many people in their lives echo Philip's request: “Show us the Father.” Since God in himself is invisible and unseen, it is not unusual to hear similar questions: “What is God like?” The truth of the matter is that for us Christians, this question has already been answered. God is like Jesus. To know the person and teaching of Jesus is to know God.
When Christians act Christ-like, they also reveal to us the face of the Father in different ways. The friend by our side in times of distress, the person who stays by our bedside in times of illness, and the one who forgives and does not condemn us when we make a grave mistake – they all reveal the merciful face of the Father. In the scriptures and our personal experience, there are countless ways in which we are being shown the face of the Father.