Following the Last Supper, Jesus spoke about the time for His return to the Father. Jesus asked the disciples to abide in Him. Jesus is the way to the Father and shares the Father’s desire that, in Him, they may all be one. Imagine the disciples hearing all this for the very first time. They may have tried to work out what Jesus was saying. Jesus helps them with images such as rooms in the Father’s house, and the vine and the branches. Do we desire to live in union with the Father and Son?

In any Christian community, especially one growing in numbers, there would be challenges within and needs of people in the vicinity. We must not just look after ourselves and forget our neighbours. What do we learn from the Apostles? Firstly, they remained obedient to their time for the Word of God. Nothing should compromise the daily service of breaking the Word. Yet, they chose seven among them to reach out to the widows. Being Hebrew was no obstacle to the service of the Hellenist poor. In Dilexi Te, Pope Leo says that the poor are those “who are socially marginalised and lack the means to give voice to their dignity and abilities (9).” As Christians, we must be “living stones making a spiritual house,” built upon Jesus Christ and serving the poor of our time.