Rejoice! Jesus Knows You! Implications for Our Spiritual Journey!

Rejoice! Jesus Knows You! Implications for Our Spiritual Journey! We humans, living within time, experience things with a beginning, a middle and an end. However, God does not work that way. With regard to salvation, the end always comes first. That may sound a little strange when we first hear it. The end is always before the beginning. When we think of life, we should know what that statement means. There are two ways of living. One is basically directionless. We drift along and feel caught up in things that move independent of us and are beyond our control. Many of us, if we are not careful, can spend many of our years on earth like this . . . directionless. Direction Implies a Goal This is very different from a life that has direction. Because direction implies a goal. It is a life going somewhere. And because of the light of this direction and goal, I do everything else. First, I know the end, then I know how to begin and what steps to move. Hear the significance of this reflection within the Homily. The Foundation of the New Jerusalem In the first reading of the Apostle John, he tells of the new Jerusalem. We hear this new city has gates and walls. We hear about the twelve tribes of Israel. But these gates and tribes rest upon something. There is a foundation with the names of the twelve Apostles. These twelve men upon whom Jesus built His Church. Israel of old, sits upon the foundation of the Church. It does so, even though in time, the Church comes later. Hmmm. Hear more in the Homily about what this means! What the Lord does is prior to everything else, even though in time, it may have happened later. Why was David king? Because Jesus Christ will come! Why is Abraham called? Because Jesus Christ will come! Why is Israel established? Because the Lord will form a new people. The Church. The Church is not founded on Israel. Israel is founded upon the Church. It is a marvelous mystery. Jesus Knows Bartholomew Before He Meets Him The Gospel talks about Bartholomew meeting Jesus. With the backdrop of the first reading, we hear about this meeting. It’s an odd exchange in scripture. Philip tells Bartholomew they have found the Lord, Jesus of Nazareth. Bartholomew’s response … can anything good actually come from there? Bartholomew asks Jesus, How Do You Know Me? Even before Philip called upon you … I saw you. Hear Bartholomew’s response. How can Jesus know him, if they haven’t met previously? Jesus saw Bartholomew under a fig tree, before they met. Understand the significance of that statement for our own spiritual journey. Before you were even born, Jesus saw you. Jesus looks out and sees you at Mass. He sees you before you do so, listening to this audio. Jesus knows You! What does that mean for our Spiritual Journey? Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: Rejoice! Jesus Knows You! Implications for Our Spiritual Journey! --------------------------------- Image: The Apostle Bartholomew: Dutch Painter: Rembrandt: 1657 Note: This image is used because late in the Homily, Jesus Tells Bartholomew He knows him before they meet. Listen more within the Meditation Media. --------------------------------- Gospel Reading: John: 1: 45-51 First Reading: Rv: 21: 9-14