5th Sunday of Easter – Gospel Reflection
The Way, the Truth and the Life
If I am conscious in my last hours on earth, my wish is that somebody will be at my bedside reading today’s Gospel, John 14:1-12. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still and trust in me.”
After the Last Supper, Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he is going away from them. They are taken aback. But he explains that ultimately it will be for their good. His death will be the door to his resurrection. In this way he is going to prepare a place for us, with him in heaven. Thomas always has a question. “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
The reply of Jesus gives us plenty to ponder. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
Philip seeks a clarification about seeing the Father. “Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.”
Jesus replies: “To have seen me is to have seen the Father.” Jesus is the Word made flesh. God has spoken to us in a human life, a body of flesh and blood, a language we understand.The best way of knowing what God is like is to reflect on the life of Jesus Christ, on his teaching and his example. There we learn the way, the truth and the life.
He is the way in the beautiful moral code that he has left us. All is summed up in the double commandment of love: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; and to love our neighbour as ourself. This means reverence and respect. Reverence for God in thought, word and action. Respect for other people in justice, neighbourliness and caring.
Jesus is the truth for he gives us such a dignified meaning to life. We are children of God, brothers and sisters with all of creation.
Jesus is the life. He offers us a sharing in heavenly life. In his resurrection he has gone before us to prepare a place for us and he will come again to take us to himself. If we follow his moral way and walk in the light of his truth, then we are on the road to sharing in God’s life, united once more with our loved ones who have gone before us.
Without the way there is no travelling. Without the truth there is no knowing: Without the life there is no living.
As Saint Peter says in today’s second reading, “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of darkness into his wonderful life.”
Christians, know your dignity.
Recent Posts
Archives
- September 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- August 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- August 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014