Morning Prayer
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences – Cuthbert of Northumbria (635-87)
Lower my vengeance, my anger and my hatred, and banish my wicked thoughts from me; send down a drop from heaven of Your holy Spirit to vanquish this heart of rock of mine. Amen.
Morning reading
John 14:5-7 ESV:
“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
Reflections:
humble ignorance
Thomas asks rather than demands, which conveys a sense of humility (Chrysostom). He is also honest, admitting his ignorance. Without such humility and honesty real discipleship is impossible. Thomas says, in effect, If we don’t know the address, how are we supposed to know the route? Such a misunderstanding may seem amazing to those familiar with this Gospel, but all of us continue to have patches of such dullness, no matter how far we have traveled with God. Jesus’ response is encouraging because these disciples have been loyal to Jesus even in their ignorance.
I am the way
This “I am” saying, like the others, is grounded in Jesus’ divine identity and expresses something of his saving action. Throughout the Gospel we hear of Jesus’ coming from the Father, revealing God, bringing new life and then returning to the Father. But now the focus is on Jesus’ role as the one who leads people to the Father. The Father is seen as distant; one must undertake a journey to reach him.
the truth and the life
The other two terms explain how Jesus is the way. Truth and life correspond to Jesus’ roles in this Gospel as revealer and life-giver. God alone is truth and life, and when our rebellion separated us from God, we plunged into ignorance and death. It follows that the way to the Father requires both revelation, because of our ignorance, and life, due to our death.
Jesus’ fulfillment of the roles of revealer and life-giver is unique. Jesus’ unity with the Father means he is not just a law-giver, prophet or sage who conveys God’s truth, but, like God, he is the truth. Similarly, he is not simply one through whom God rescues his people. Rather, he was the agent of the creation of all life, and the Father has given to him to have life in himself, like God himself. Here Jesus, like God himself, is truth and life, and yet he remains distinct from God and is the way to God. As a fourteenth-century writer put it, “He Himself is the way, and in addition He is the lodging on the way and its destination” (Cabasilas).
only way
Jesus is the only way to the Father. This fact simply flows from who he is and what he has accomplished through his incarnation and upcoming death, resurrection and ascension. This verse scandalizes many people today since it seems to consign to hell large numbers of people who have never heard of Jesus, let alone those who have heard but have not come to believe in him.
It does not follow that every one who is guided by Christ is directly conscious of His guidance” (Westcott). This verse does not address the ways in which Jesus brings people to the Father, but what it does say is that no one who ends up sharing God’s life will do so apart from Jesus, the unique Son of God who is, not just who conveys, truth and life.
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Canticle:
Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Peanut Gallery: A brief word of explanation – the general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) The Scripture readings are primarily from the Gospel of John, with the intent to complete the reading by Easter. Other Scriptures which illuminate the Gospel of John will be included along the way.
Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.
On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.
Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.
The Peanut Gallery 