Jesus explains that the Almighty Father responds to those who love His Son. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Gift of Piety from the Holy Spirit so he can always pray in the Holy Name of Jesus and by growing in the Virtue of Religion so he can study the Gospels and more clearly hear the voice of Jesus speaking to him.
Liturgy
6th Week of Easter – Saturday – Jn 16:23b-28
Commentary
Jesus nears the end of His Farewell Discourse (Jn 13:31-16:33) during Holy Week, preparing the Apostles for their mission to evangelize the world after His departure. After cryptically acknowledging the Apostles will have deathly sorrow when He is murdered, Jesus assures them of the everlasting joy they will experience upon His return.
Perhaps underplaying the history-changing effect of the Resurrection and the world-wide Holy Catholic Church, Jesus reveals that, instead of the many questions the Apostles still have, a time is coming when they will have a full understanding of His identity as the Son of God, and the truth He proclaims in His Holy Catholic Church. Because of His perfect union with God the Father, anything the Apostles ask for in Jesus’ name (previously revealed in Jn 14:13-14, 15:16), will be granted to them; this outpouring of grace will give the Apostles the complete joy of participating in the life of the Trinity.
Confirming His purposeful approach of teaching with sometimes cryptic revelation (for example, numerous parables), Jesus promises He will speak “plainly of the Father”, a revelation that will be perfectly fulfilled during the forty days between the Resurrection and the Ascension, when Jesus forms and fills the Apostles with wisdom and knowledge, and through the Holy Spirit after Pentecost when Jesus’ words will be given directly to those who love Him via the Holy Spirit. Because of Jesus’ coming sacrifice on the Cross and His union with God the Father, His own prayers are not necessary for Heavenly gifts to be given to those who love Him. Jesus reveals that God the Father will respond with overflowing love to those who love His Son and believe that God the Father has sent the Son.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Be impressed by Jesus, the Word, as He explains the Logic (a part of Reason) of why God the Father answers the prayers of men: the Son of God and His Father share the perfection of love; men who believe and love Jesus pray in the name of Jesus to God the Father; because men have proven their love of Jesus by praying in His name, God the Father loves men who love His Son and will answer their prayers, allowing them to enter into His Joy.
Pray in the Holy Name of Jesus
Realize: Jesus, whose name literally means “God saves”, confirms the power of praying in His Holy Name, promising that God the Father answers the prayers of those who pray in the Holy Name of Jesus.
Believe: Reflect upon the Holy Name of Jesus (CCC 430-435, 2614-2615, 2665-2669).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Piety so I honor the Father by obediently offering my many prayers in the Holy Name of Jesus as as the Son Himself has instructed me to do.
Listen as Jesus speaks to you in the Gospels
Realize: Jesus spoke “plainly” to the Apostles after the Resurrection, and His actual words were accurately and beautifully preserved by the Apostles, first in oral tradition, and then by the Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who, guided by the Holy Spirit, accurately preserved the actual words of Jesus in the Gospels.
Believe: Reflect upon the truth that the Bible is the Actual Word of God (CCC 101-119).
Pray: Jesus, Divine Word, help me build the Virtue of Religion (a part of Justice) so I give thanks that I can hear Your actual words to me in the Gospels, personally guiding and strengthening me, and so I seek to draw close to You in Sacred Scripture every day.