Acts 13:26-33,
Psalm 2:6-7.8-9.10-12a,
John 14:1-6 Full Readings
Jesus, the way, The truth and the life
Brethren, today's Gospel reading is taken from the beginning of Jesus’ discourse after the Last Supper. In the classical form, it is a speech by a departing leader, preparing his followers to carry on his mission after his departure. It is right and fitting to read it as we prepare for the ascension of Christ as well as the descent of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus told his disciples that he is going to his Father's house to prepare a place for them and after he will come and take them to be with him in eternity. This has also come to our hearing today but the question is, are we ready to go with Jesus if he comes now?
Jesus went to heaven to prepare a place for us. In this Gospel heaven is used as the Father's House. Jesus uses the term House to bring the reality of heaven to us and aid our understanding of heaven. Imagine how safe and secure you are when you are in your house or in your father's house, you feel at home, the sweetness of home food, the loving kindness of your family members and no homesickness. However, such an experience cannot be compared to the one we shall have in heaven, it will be far more greater than the one we experience in our homes. The question again is that are we ready to enter the father’s house?
Brethren, the time to be ready is now not tomorrow because we never know when Jesus will call us to join him in his Father’s house. We have to prepare and live as children of God because it's the children of God who live in His house. Jesus assures us that there are many rooms and so when we are prepared we shall not lack any space. It is an assurance. Therefore, let us put on the armour of faith and prepare for that eternal life in the Father's house.
We may, as Thomas, ask how shall we go or reach that house. Jesus answers us that he is the way to His Father's house. Recently we heard him saying that he is the gate through which His sheep attain eternal life and today he tells us He is the way, the truth and the life. What did he really mean? Let us reflect together on each of them.
Jesus is the way. There are several aspects involved here. Firstly, Jesus is the way through which God fully revealed Himself to humanity so that whoever sees him, he has seen God (John 14:9). It is through Jesus that God has spoken to us (Hebrews 1:2) and has shown us his love, mercy, Kindness, power, and whatever he wants us to know about Him.
Secondly, Jesus is the way through which we know God. As Jesus is a full revelation of God, he tells us everything about God and what he tells us is his truth. He has truly shown us what really God is through his words, actions and above all through his life. It is only through Jesus that we know God as he is the one who has come from heaven and he was with God from all eternity (John 1:1).
Thirdly, Jesus is the way through which we reach God and through which we enter God's house. He is the mediator between God and us because he has both Divinity and humanity. Therefore to reach God we must believe in Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the truth. Most philosophical reflections about God assert that God is the truth. Jesus is God and so he is the truth. Jesus calls himself the truth before Pontius Pilate and asserts that the truth will set us free and indeed Jesus sets us free; He is the truth beyond telling. Throughout his teachings, Jesus said truth and only truth, that is, the truth about God and words which bring eternal life. There is no lie in the person of Jesus. Lastly Jesus teaches only the truth and all who follow him devoutly only say the truth, no Jesus follower says something untrue unless he or she gives in to the devil's temptation.
Jesus is the life. For a number of times we have reflected on this aspect and so we can summarize it as follows. Jesus as the gate to eternal life, Jesus as a life- giving Spirit(1Cor 15:45), Jesus as a destroyer of death by his resurrection and thus maker of life, Jesus as a promoter of life seen through his miracles and Jesus as the Bread of life. All these show that truly Jesus is Life and in him is the fullness of life. He came that we may have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10).
Therefore brethren, let us put all our trust in him for he will surely take us to His father's house. It is an assurance for us who believe in him. Let us continue to reflect today on how ready we are to enter the Father's house through our believing in Jesus as the way, the truth and the life. We continue to pray for ourselves that we may always long and work for entering the Father's house where eternal happiness dwells.
Let us Pray
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