7 November 2026 · Syro-Malankara Rite
Open in the Daily Word appAlso: Latin Rite · Syro-Malabar Rite · മലയാളം
“They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”” John 12:21
The Church in Corinth was splitting into parties: “I belong to Paul,” “I belong to Apollos,” “I belong to Cephas,” “I belong to Christ.” Paul's answer is sharp: “Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you?” Every preacher is only a servant. Paul was sent “to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.”
In the Gospel some Greeks come to Philip with a request that every parish should hear: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” People do not come to church to see us, our quarrels or our cleverness, but to see him. A united community that points away from itself to Christ is the best answer to that request. The martyrs we remember today gave the same answer with their lives.
Theme: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Unity that points to Christ.
“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
“Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you,” 1 Corinthians 1:10
Apply: Speak kindly to someone you are estranged from.
“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,” Isaiah 55:11
“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.” 1 Corinthians 1:17
Apply: Read the Sunday Gospel in advance.
“One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD,” Psalm 27:4
“They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”” John 12:21
Apply: Invite one person to the Holy Qurbono.
A divided Church hides Christ.
A united Church shows him.
Take-home resolution: Pray daily this week for unity in your parish.
Dear friends, the Church in Corinth was splitting into parties: I belong to Paul, I belong to Apollos, I belong to Cephas, I belong to Christ. Paul's answer is sharp: has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you (1 Corinthians 1:12–13)?
In the Gospel some Greeks who came up for the feast ask Philip: sir, we wish to see Jesus (John 12:21). This is what the world wants from us: not our parties, but to see Jesus.
Today the Church remembers the 33 martyrs of Melitene, who, tradition says, gave their lives together for the one Christ. This week take one step to heal a division in the parish or in the family; then others will see Jesus in us. Amen.
Children, some people said: we wish to see Jesus. Let others see Jesus through your kindness!
Lord Jesus, you are not divided. Heal the divisions in our families and parishes, keep us faithful like the martyrs, and let all who wish to see you find you in us. Amen.
Today the Church remembers the 33 Martyrs of Melitene, soldiers honoured in the Eastern calendars, of whom little is known for certain. The readings ask what people see when they look at the Church. Paul pleads with the Corinthians to stop dividing into parties, because Christ is not divided. In the Gospel, some Greeks come with a request every parish should hear: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Setting.
Right after his opening thanksgiving, Paul goes straight to the first problem at Corinth: quarrels. People from the household of Chloe have told him that the community is splitting into groups around favourite preachers. Paul had founded the church; Apollos, an eloquent teacher from Alexandria, had worked there after him (Acts 18:24–28); some may have known Peter, or claimed his authority.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” (1:10)
“Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1:13)
Three questions with one obvious answer. Christians belong to Christ, who was crucified for them, and into whose name they were baptised.
“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.” (1:17)
Paul is not belittling baptism, which he himself administered (vv. 14–16). He is saying that his particular mission was preaching, and that no minister should become the centre.
How the Church reads it.
The Second Vatican Council teaches that division among Christians openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalises the world and damages the preaching of the Gospel (Unitatis Redintegratio 1). The Catechism speaks of the wounds to the unity of the Church and of the call to pray and work for the unity of all Christians (CCC 817–822).
Setting.
It is the last Passover of Jesus' ministry. He has just entered Jerusalem to the crowd's acclaim, and the Pharisees say, “Look, the world has gone after him!” (12:19). At once John shows “the world” arriving: some Greeks, probably Gentiles who worshipped the God of Israel, come up for the feast. Their coming leads Jesus to say, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (12:23).
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”” (12:21)
Philip and Andrew both have Greek names and come from Bethsaida (1:44), a town in a mixed region. Perhaps that is why the Greeks come to them.
“Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.” (12:22)
The disciples do not keep the seekers for themselves; they bring them to Jesus. Andrew has done this before: he brought his brother Simon (1:41–42) and the boy with the loaves (6:8–9).
How the Church reads it.
The coming of the Greeks shows that the Kingdom is meant for all nations: first announced to Israel, it is open to people of every nation (CCC 543). In some churches these words, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus”, are written inside the pulpit where only the preacher can read them, as a reminder of what the people have come for.
Why does John not tell us whether the Greeks met Jesus?
Because the answer Jesus gives is about the cross. From now on, the nations will “see” him when he is lifted up (12:32). We too see Jesus by faith, through the word and the Holy Qurbono, and in a Church that points to him.