The opening words of today’s gospel were addressed to the disciples at the Last Supper. Moments earlier, Jesus had said, “Where I am going you cannot come,” so we can imagine that they were distraught. He then spoke words that have since reassured many people, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”
Even though they had been journeying with Jesus for three years, Thomas and Philip completely missed his point. “Master,” Thomas protested, “we do not know where you are going: how can we know the way?” They hadn’t yet grasped what they had encountered all along. In one sentence, Jesus then sums up his mission: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
In the face of much persecution the early Christians believed in Jesus. They had faith in Jesus. They also believed in God and had faith in God, but it took centuries filled with many disagreements and councils for believers to come to accept the notion of a triune God, the belief we resonate whenever we recite the Nicene Creed.
The leap from the Jesus at the Last Supper to the Jesus after the resurrection is one giant step, one that the disciples had not yet taken but we have. We are an Easter people. As Peter points out, we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people called out of the night into his wonderful light. We have received the Holy Spirit who empowers us to know Jesus and through him, to know the Father. Believing this mitigates all troubles and anxiety.
Friday afternoon I ventured out to have dinner with some parishioners. I entered their address into the GPS system in my dashboard and off I went, arriving there safely 15 minutes later. Technology has come a long ways in the years I have been a pastor but no GPS system, much less any road map, can show us the way to the Father, the truth, and the life, which Jesus offers. He is our ultimate GPS. Our roadmap to heaven is only found through him.
Jesus’ claim that he is “the way and the truth and the life” is a sweeping one that dares us to see Jesus as everything we need to come to the fullness of risen life ourselves. The way that he speaks of isn’t always appealing, namely dying to our self-interests, and self-giving for the sake of others.
How sensitive the early Christian community was, as we heard in the first reading, concerned about caring for the needy in their midst. They realized early on that paying attention to both worship and service is Jesus’ way of leading them to eternal life. Ultimately being a Christian is about service in the name of Jesus.
The good news is that we follow Jesus’ way oftentimes in less dramatic ways everyday. Our simple acts of reaching out to others, alleviating their suffering, or eliminating their need, whatever that may be, is how we follow Jesus’ way. By serving as the hands and feet of Jesus, we become more like him, we take on his care, his love, his passion for others. As we do his works, we become the way to the Father for others. No greater work can we do!
For us to be people of authentic faith, we cannot simply admire Jesus or respect his teachings and nod approvingly whenever the gospel is read. To be a true disciple, we must endeavor to follow him by following his example.
According to a recent Pew Research survey, one third of their respondents experienced high levels of psychological distress at some point in recent months. That number rises to 55% among those who describe their financial situation as being poor. Alas, anxiety, sleeplessness and depression are coloring the lives of many people due to this pandemic. Their hearts are troubled. Are they hearing what Jesus is saying?
As the way, the truth and the life, Jesus tells us how we must act if we don’t want to find our hearts troubled. Many times we make choices thinking we will be happy and untroubled but instead we end up being either sad or mad instead of glad. Why? Because we thought we could do things our way and ignore the way that Jesus shows us. The way he shows is always done out of love rather than selfishness. Our hearts will be troubled whenever we don’t care about others.
The American poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, once said, “Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: it might have been!” Our lives might have been very different had we dared to follow Jesus’ way when we chose not to.
The truth that Jesus spoke of so long ago is still the truth today and those who believe that truth are the living stones that make up the church today. When we act out of love, our hearts will be happy. Even the smallest act of love brightens our hearts and the hearts of others. An example close to home are the many caring parishioners who are making masks, personal protective equipment, and leaving them here for anyone who needs one.
To take whatever you have, no matter how little, to give whatever time you can, no matter how limited, to put aside your own needs and challenges, no matter how great; that is to do the work of Christ, to be his hands and feet. Such humble yet complete giving, such simple offerings compelled by compassion makes real the kingdom of God in our midst especially in these difficult times.