FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, May 7, 2023
(Acts 6:1-7; I
Peter 2:4-9; John 14:1-12)
Today’s gospel is
one of the masterpieces of the New Testament.
It ranks with the Sermon on the Mount for profundity of message and for
breadth of recognition. Jesus is giving his final discourse in the Gospel of
John. It deals with various topics such
as his commandment of love, the promise of the Holy Spirit, and the need to stay
connected to him. In the section we just
read, Jesus comforts his disciples because of the sorrow they will feel when he
goes. In the process he shares with us some
of the keys to the spiritual life.
First, he shares
a little about his destiny and, eventually, the destiny of his followers. He compares it, that is eternal life, to a
hotel with rooms for everyone. When
Thomas, here as elsewhere skeptical, asks him about this place, Jesus answers
him with reference to himself. He says
he is "'the way, the truth, and the life.'" Because this phrase is so dense, we have to
unpack it a little.
When Jesus says
he is "the life," he means that he is our destiny of eternal
life. Seeing God, the beatific vision,
is the essence of eternal life. Jesus
will tell Philip, "'Whoever sees me, sees the Father.'" St. Paul
indicates the wonder of this vision when he writes to the Corinthians:
"Now we see as in a mirror, confused; then we will see face to face"
(I Cor 13:12). Knowing Christ like this must be more tremendous than any
natural sight, be it the summit of Mount Everest or the beach of Cancun. It is experiencing and delighting in the
glory of the Creator of the universe who deigned to become like us!
Jesus provides us
with another key to the spiritual life by saying that he is the way. We remember how the early Christians in the
Acts of the Apostles were known as followers of the "Way." The word "Way" here refers to Jesus
as the model of moral conduct. In the
Sermon on the Mount he says to his disciples: "...how narrow the entrance
and how narrow the road that leads to Life!'" He is referring to his disciplined and
principled life. We see this quality of
life also in the saints. Puerto Rican
Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodriguez dedicated his life by teaching other laymen. Because he had several health problems, he
could not follow a priestly vocation.
But his condition did not stop him from teaching and animating groups on
the liturgy of the Church.
Jesus also claims
to be the truth. He is the truth of God
the Father incarnate in a human being. In
other words he is self-sacrificing love that humbled himself to share our human
lot. Moreover, as our companion, he not
only extended a hand to cure our infirmities but also suffered a horrific death
to free us from sin. When we follow him
one hundred percent, we have to expect to suffer as well. Unfortunately, many
do not want to suffer at all. They don't
want to walk a couple of blocks to conserve the environment, much less are they
willing to sacrifice a couple of hours to visit the sick. We might learn from those brave Ukrainians
who are risking their lives to defend their homeland even though they could have
fled the country as refugees.
There is some
interest in the spiritual life today.
Bookstores have sections full of titles about spirituality from
different sources. All of these books –
whether Christian, Jewish, or "new age" – will refer to the supreme
spiritual guide of the ages, Jesus Christ.
He remains like no one else "the way, the truth, and the
life."
