Thought of the Day January 18, 2019 The joy of the Father in his Son

By 10:39 AM


The Father, too, expressed his joy over Jesus' decision to be the obedient Son. In fact, the Father, who is rarely heard, also publicly demonstrated his joy. We read in Luke: “After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Lk 3:21-23) The Fathers of the Church said that this was the kiss of the Father that was like a seal on the heart of Jesus sustaining him throughout his life. The Trinitarian joy becomes complete when the Spirit filled Jesus with a fresh new anointing, empowering the Messiah with spiritual gifts of signs and wonders.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It flows from living in the Spirit and following his lead. Jesus was full of the Spirit from the moment of his conception in Mary’s worm, when the Spirit overshadowed Mary.

The same love and joy of the Father was expressed at the time of Jesus’ Transfiguration prior to his passion. We read in Matthew: “While Peter was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,*then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’”(Matthew 17:5)

That love was mutual. Jesus loved the Father. He said that this in different ways. ““My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.(John 4:34) Jesus found great joy in doing the will of the Father, in pleasing the Father even by obediently embracing the mystery of the cross. Jesus knew that the Father would never abandon him, even in the times of his greatest suffering. In John he says: The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.”(John 8:29)  This gave him great joy.

In the same way, Jesus reminds us again and again that he will never abandon us, that he will be with us till the end of the ages. (To be continued)

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