Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
And Memorial of Saints Nereus & Acheilleus, Martyrs
Readings for Friday of the 4th Week of Easter
Biographical Information on St. Acheilleus
Biographical Information on St. Nereus

First Published: Friday, May 12, 2006

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Reflection:

It is well that we are given the good news of hope and eternal life as we remember today two of the Churchs early martyrs. Acheilleus and Nereus were brothers in the Roman Army serving in the Praetorian Guard who were converted by St. Peter in the first century. They were killed for the faith and as such received the great reward we hear about today.

As we think about them, let us also remember in prayer our brothers and sisters in military service stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan where public worship of our Lord and Savior is forbidden and where recently an Afghan man was sentenced to death for revealing he was a Christian.

For the past several days we have been very focused on our faith in Jesus and how that faith leads us in life. Today we are given a glimpse of the reward. Johns Gospel is so full of familiar phrases and sayings, today we get two;

In my Fathers house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

And

I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.

Two concepts are linked within this scripture. First, the heavenly reward for living a life of faith the Lord goes on before us to prepare a place for us. If we are faithful to what he has asked of us we are given a home. This scripture is frequently used as our consolation at wakes and funerals because of the great need for hope at these times. We get it here today and are grateful because we who struggle with our mortality need to be given this hope as well.

The second half of the second quote above; No one comes to the Father except through me , is problematic for many Christians and non-Christians alike. It tells us if we look at it from the other direction that unless you accept Jesus as God and Savior, you cannot get to the Father. Thats pretty unambiguous. It also begs the Gandhi Question as it has been called (Thanks for that label Nic.)

This one statement is frequently used by our Fundamentalist Christian (Biblical Literalist) brethren to say that Jesus excludes any who do not, upon hearing of the existence of Christ, convert to Christianity. They point to this as an absolute doctrine of faith. (I point out that this same group also rejects the equally unambiguous statement My body is real food and my blood real drink and says that is symbolic somehow. Sorry Jen I still disagree.)

Just as we disagree with some who believe that the earth was created in 6 twenty four hour days because we disagree about Gods time sense, we also remember that Gods time and ours are different when it comes to looking at eternal life.

All Christians believe that they will, in the end, come before the judgment seat of Christ. He will look at our faith and actions and decide if we are to come to him. As Catholics, our belief is more complex. We believe that before we can take our place with the Father and His Son, we must be washed clean of the earthly burden we take with us when our mortal bodies parish. (Would we go before Christ in filthy rags?).

This cleansing takes place in a state (not place) we call Purgatory and thank God for it. In this state we have time/space to recant our earthly sins and come to a perfect understanding of God.

With this in mind the next statement should fell right. As we understand Jesus, true God and true Man, the Only Begotten Son of God who came into the world to save all mankind, he was perfect love and forgiveness. We look at very good people who do not believe in him because of geography or circumstance and say, Jesus would understand, Jesus would love; Jesus would forgive and give another chance. As someone very dear to me has said; Gandhi may not have believed in Jesus but Jesus believed in Gandhi.

We, as Catholics say each time we attend Mass; Lord, I am not worthy to receive you. Yet say but the word, and I shall be healed. We receive Christ and He receives us, not by some merit on our part but because of his great love for us. We cannot be perfect in this life, but we believe we will see him, in His Glory, face to face when we are perfected in the new resurrection.

Tough love today - Pax