"In my Father's house there are many rooms."

[zgraf]

"In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places." (John 14:2)

In today’s gospel we read these words from the gospel of John.

In notes from a commentary, it explains that the author was likely addressing a common polemic and divergence among the communities. One community would say to the other: “Our way of living the faith is better than yours. We are saved! You live in error: If you want to go to heaven, you have to convert yourselves and live like we do!”

But Jesus says: “In my Father’s house there are many rooms!”

As the commentary explains, it is not necessary that everybody think in the same way. The important thing is that all accept Jesus, the revelation of the Father, and that out of love for him, they have attitudes of understanding, of service and of love…

In addition to this, I might submit that those individuals today who insist on too strict an interpretation (or dare I say it – on a specifically “Catholic” observance) – might be partly missing the message of Jesus…

Because the Father has a house for us with “many different mansions”…

 

[JerryZ]

St. Augustine comments on this:

from Augustin’s Lectures on John
Tractate LXVII.

Chapter XIV. 2-3.
2. But why have we this that follows, “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” but that they were also in fear about themselves?
And therein they might have heard the words, “Let not your heart be troubled.” For, was there any of them that could be free from fear, when Peter, the most confident and forward of them all, was told, “The cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice”? *n1254 Considering themselves, therefore, beginning with Peter, as destined to perish, they had cause to be troubled: but when they now hear, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you,” they are revived from their trouble, made certain and confident that after all the perils of temptations they shall dwell with Christ in the presence of God. For, albeit one is stronger than another, one wiser than another, one more righteous than another, “in the Father’s house there are many mansions;” none of them shall remain outside that house, where every one, according to his deserts, is to receive a mansion. All alike have that penny, which the householder orders to be given to all that have wrought in the vineyard, making no distinction therein between those who have labored less and those who have labored more: *n1255 by which penny, of course, is signified eternal life, whereto no one any longer lives to a different length than others, since in eternity life has no diversity in its measure. But the many mansions point to the different grades of merit in that one eternal life. For there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory; and so also the resurrection of the dead. The saints, like the stars in the sky, obtain in the kingdom different mansions of diverse degrees of brightness; but on account of that one penny no one is cut off from the kingdom; and God will be all in all *n1256 in such a way, that, as God is love, *n1257 love will bring it about that what is possessed by each will be common to all.

---

 

[KD8TZC]

In notes from a commentary …

Just curious, which commentary?

I have always thought of it in a very simple (and maybe naive) way. To me, I have thought of it as God will never have to turn anyone away because Heaven is too full. I’d like to read this other commentary though so if you don’t mind mentioning the source, I’d appreciate it. I’m always eager to learn new viewpoints.

 

[zgraf]

Thank you JerryZ for St. Augustine’s analysis. It is (of course) another wonderful interpretation.

KD8TZC, looks like the commentary I was mentioning is not specifically named but is in a Lectio Divina reading here:

ocarm.org/en/content/lectio/lectio-divina-john-141-6

Hope your discerning for the diaconate is going well. BTW is your name your amateur callsign?

John, KG7FIU

 

[KD8TZC]

Thank you JerryZ for St. Augustine’s analysis. It is (of course) another wonderful interpretation.

KD8TZC, looks like the commentary I was mentioning is not specifically named but is in a Lectio Divina reading here:

ocarm.org/en/content/lectio/lectio-divina-john-141-6

Hope your discerning for the diaconate is going well. BTW is your name your amateur callsign?

John, KG7FIU

Thanks John… yes that is my call sign. 73’s from 8-land.

God bless,

John

 

[Ignatius]

"In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places." (John 14:2)

In today’s gospel we read these words from the gospel of John.

In notes from a commentary, it explains that the author was likely addressing a common polemic and divergence among the communities. One community would say to the other: “Our way of living the faith is better than yours. We are saved! You live in error: If you want to go to heaven, you have to convert yourselves and live like we do!”

But Jesus says: “In my Father’s house there are many rooms!”
.

That’s right, The authors are Carmelites. So as Carmelites, they are saying as long as you are in The Church that Jesus Christ founded, you should not feel superior to other Catholic orders, even Jesuits, or Franciscans. As long as you are in the Truth that has been handed down by Jesus through His Apostles to His Church.