2026/09/21

266. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Distinction and Discernment I

Many of us believers are unaware of the strange words and deeds we perform during the Rite of Communion in the Mass, and so we continue to do so throughout the world to this day. Despite praying, "Give us this day our daily bread," in the presence of the Eucharist raised by the priest, we then declare, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed"; yet, even having done so, we proceed to receive the Eucharist. The reason the faithful fail to recognise the strangeness of their behaviour like this lies in a misunderstanding and illusion: that by emulating the centurion's human humility—which led him to refuse even Jesus' offer, "I will come and heal him" (Mt 8:7)—they will attain the faith that Jesus praised. However, the centurion's faith, Jesus had praised, lay in his belief in Jesus' authority, based on his simple experience as a soldier (cf. 8:9). 

This delusion, steeped in misunderstanding, obscures the reality that Jesus' words, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer" (Lk 22:15), were directed towards the institution of the Eucharist. Hidden within this is a lofty desire that, by acquiring virtue, one can become worthy of Christ. Underpinning this desire is the image of the bride standing shoulder to shoulder with the bridegroom at the table of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Yet Jesus said, "It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household" (Mt 10:25). The path along which Jesus guided his disciples lay not in virtue, but in the acquisition of truth. The truth leads them to the Eucharist. 

The reason Judas remained with Jesus whilst many of the disciples departed was that he was in charge of the money box (cf. Jn 12:6). He eventually went so far as to express his opinion against others in Jesus' presence (cf. 12:5). He was labouring under the delusion that he stood on equal footing with Jesus. Such delusion plunges a person into a state where the Holy Spirit cannot work—a state of the devil. In the scene of the multiplication of the loaves in John chapter 6, Jesus, seeing a multitude coming towards him, said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" (6:5). Although it is written that this was to test Philip, I believe it was in fact directed at Judas. This is because Judas, who was in charge of the money box, must have been more sensitive to that question than anyone else. However, Judas did not reveal his thoughts. Consequently, at the end of Chapter 6, Jesus could not help but say, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (6:70). 

Returning to the scene of the multiplication of the loaves, Philip replied to Jesus' question, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little" (Jn 6:7). Behind him, Andrew said, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" (6:9). Andrew saw the reality beyond Jesus' words "How are we to buy bread." And Andrew's response became linked to Jesus' miracle. 

Andrew had originally been a disciple of John the Baptist and was one of the two whom his master had urged to follow Jesus. When Jesus saw these two, to whom his master had given that chance, coming to follow him, He said, "What do you seek?" (Jn 1:38). As it was evening by then, they asked, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" (1:38). Jesus replied, "Come and see" (1:39). They stayed with Jesus that night. They—who had resolved to follow Jesus with one heart—could "discern" and respond to Jesus' call at once and could go with the subsequent flow of events. This was because the Holy Spirit was at work. 

The following day, Jesus found Philip and said to him, "Follow me" (Jn 1:43). Later, Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (1:45). However, Nathanael retorted, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (1:46). To this, Philip replied, "Come and see" (ibid.). He unconsciously "distinguished" between the information Nathanael had given and the knowledge he had gained from the experience with Jesus. And the words that came from his mouth were the same as those Jesus had spoken to the two men who had been disciples of John the Baptist. At that moment, Philip was working in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. 

As discussed in Blog No. 264, Genesis refers to the One who created the heavens and the earth and all things as "God" (cf. Gen 1:1–2:3) and calls the One who shaped the spiritual realm within humankind and bestowed the spirit upon them—so that the Holy Spirit might work in cooperation with them—"the Lord God" (cf. 2:4–25). In Genesis chapter 2, it is written: "So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name" (2:19). Jesus, who is one with God the Father, manifested the work of the Triune God through the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Him, even whilst in human form. Although Jesus had not yet received His glory (cf. Jn 7:39), He became "the Lord God" and could grant His disciples the experience of acting in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. 

The essential preparation for us believers to be granted such an experience is that we acquire the habit of "distinguishing" between ourselves, who desire to work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, and "human information," in accordance with the way of Jesus; and that we, those seeking to cultivate this habit, have the practice of two or three of us uniting our hearts in the name of Jesus to "discern" before taking any action (cf. Mt 18:19–20). When these habits lead the way, we will acquire the truth and reach the life. 

Maria K. M.