From this Thursday until the end of the Easter Season, our gospel readings are from the Farewell Discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper. (John 15-17) His disciples experienced him when they ate and drank with him at the Last Supper and after his resurrection. Their experience indicates how we meet Jesus in the Eucharist and the other sacraments. We know him in signs.

His disciples were troubled when told he would leave them physically. They feared becoming orphans. Now they were to know him in another way. “Do not let your hearts be troubled and afraid… I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (John 14:1-6)

 “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me,” Jesus told them. ”So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ [of which he speaks]? We do not know what he means.” (John 15:17)

Our experience of Jesus is similar to theirs, a “little while” experience. We know him in signs like bread and wine, through a faith that accepts his presence in signs. He called us blessed, who believe and do not see.

“In the sacraments Christ himself is at work” the catechism says, “ it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies.” (Cat. 1127)  Yet it’s the Christ of faith at work. “Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,” Peter says. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

John’s Farewell Discourse became the church’s basic source for learning about the world of signs that Jesus left his disciples after his resurrection. We read from it the next weeks of the Easter season. Reflecting on it refreshes our faith. He assured them. He is the Vine, we are the branches. He will strengthen us.

Readings here