From: John 16:23b-28

Fullness of Joy (Continuation)

[Jesus said to His disciples,] [23b] Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything
of the Father, He will give it to you in My name. [24] Hitherto you have asked
nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

[25] “I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer
speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. [26] In that day you will
ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; [27]
for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed
that I came from the Father. [28] I came from the Father and have come into the
world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

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Commentary:

25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent
time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf.
Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)—to train them for their mission of preaching the
Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used
metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does
so in this discourse of the Last Supper—the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.:
He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him
questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when
He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly
what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even
now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that
He is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25).
Verse 28, “I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am lea-
ving the world and going to the Father” summarizes the mystery of Christ’s Per-
son (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading	Acts 18:23-28 ©

Paul came down to Antioch, where he spent a short time before continuing his journey through the Galatian country and then through Phrygia, encouraging all the followers.

An Alexandrian Jew named Apollos now arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate in all the details he taught about Jesus, he had only experienced the baptism of John. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak boldly in the synagogue, they took an interest in him and gave him further instruction about the Way.

When Apollos thought of crossing over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote asking the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived there he was able by God’s grace to help the believers considerably by the energetic way he refuted the Jews in public and demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Psalm	Psalm 46:2-3,8-10 ©

God is king of all the earth.

Alleluia!

All peoples, clap your hands,

cry to God with shouts of joy!

For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,

great king over all the earth.

God is king of all the earth.

Alleluia!

God is king of all the earth,

sing praise with all your skill.

God is king over the nations;

God reigns on his holy throne.

God is king of all the earth.

Alleluia!

The princes of the people are assembled

with the people of Abraham’s God.

The rulers of the earth belong to God,

to God who reigns over all.

God is king of all the earth.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation	Jn14:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

I shall ask the Father,

and he will give you another Advocate

to be with you for ever.

Alleluia!

Or	Jn16:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

I came from the Father

and have come into the world,

and now I leave the world

to go to the Father.

Alleluia!

Gospel	John 16:23-28 ©

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

anything you ask for from the Father he will grant in my name.

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.

Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete.

I have been telling you all this in metaphors,

the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in metaphors;

but tell you about the Father in plain words.

When that day comes you will ask in my name;

and I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you,

because the Father himself loves you for loving me

and believing that I came from God.

I came from the Father and have come into the world

and now I leave the world to go to the Father.’