I WILL TELL YOU CLEARLY ABOUT THE FATHER

At 18,23-28; Ps 46; Jn 16,23b-28
12 MAY
Before the immensity of beauty, wisdom, love, charity, justice, fidelity and omnipotence of the Father, all of Scripture is only a very tiny flame. Neither can the comparison between sunlight and that of an oil lamp wick be made. God is the eternal infinite. Meditating on the mystery of his wisdom, St. Paul is limited only to singing a hymn to his greatness. You cannot act otherwise. The apostle himself, after his abduction to the third heaven, says that he saw things that no human language could describe. Heaven cannot even be imagined.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counsellor?” “Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen (Rm 11,33-36). I must boast; not that it is profitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter. About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2Cor 12,1-10).

The most eloquent Word of the Father’s heart is Christ Crucified. But who among us understands the mystery of the Cross? If we had understood it, we would certainly not act towards the Crucifix in such a hostile manner, with the satanic will to remove him even from our sight. We would stay with our sight set on him for eternity. Paul who had understood something of the mystery, had decided to preach only Him, the Crucifix.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.” Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (1Cor 1,18-25).

How will Jesus speak to us of the Father openly? Sending the Holy Spirit to his disciples. He comes and makes us participate in the divine nature in Christ. The more for his work we grow in the participation of the divine nature and the more we know the Father. It is the same knowledge that iron has of fire when it is immersed in it.

Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. “I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints, help us to grow in the Father.