Friday of the
Fourth Week of Easter
(Acts 13:26-33; John 14:1-6)
During the first years of the Church, Christians considered
themselves members of “the Way.” They were
not the first group to do so. Essenes,
living in the desert, also identified themselves by that name. Of course, “way” here does not designate a
road as friends living on Willow Way. Rather, “the Way” indicates a form of
living, a “way of life.” Jesus’ disciple
in today’s gospel confuses these two senses of “way.”
Jesus is trying to console his companions as he prepares
to leave them. He gives them the reason
for his departure - to prepare a place for them in the family home. He adds that he will return to take them to his
Father’s eternal home. Finally, he says
that they know “the way” to go until his return. At this point Philip, who at the beginning of
the gospel was eager to follow Jesus, demurs.
He claims ignorance of “the way” as if following Jesus were a matter of
walking up an avenue.
We know “the way” of Jesus. It is conforming ourselves to his mode of love. Where that word has been terribly distorted
these days, we strive to restore its original meaning. We seek the well-being of one another without
worrying about the cost to ourselves.
This is the way that Jesus has shown us.
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