Today, the fifth Sunday after Easter, the gospel reading at Traditional Catholic Mass continues on from last week — Jesus explaining to his disciples, at their Last Supper together, what will soon happen.

* * *

Jesus said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

Until now you have not asked anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you clearly about the Father.

On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God.

I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.

His disciples said, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realise that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.”

* * *

Jesus reminds them that he will soon leave them because he belongs in heaven and is merely visiting this earth.

This is a message for us. We, too, are just visiting this place. Soon enough we’ll be gone — simply pilgrims passing through.

Saint Teresa of Avila was one person who never forgot where she really belonged. In her characteristic terse fashion she described our time on earth as “a night spent in a bad inn”.

* * *

About prayer:

Think of a happy family where a child grows up surrounded by love. He is welcome to ask for whatever he wants.

His requests are always answered.

He may ask for sweets and be given vegetables.

But he still knows he is loved.

We ask God for things and do not always receive them. This can be very puzzling and even seem unfair.

The Christian faith reassures us that we are loved nonetheless.