Jesus told his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, Amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.”
—John 14:1-12
We’re in the midst of the fifth Sunday of Easter. It is difficult to trust people in general. Normally, we only trust our family member and close friends, teachers and mentors, and those who had really proven themselves as trustworthy.
In our gospel reading, Jesus described himself to Philip as the way, the truth and the life, and only through him that one can go to the Father. Thus, Jesus is the only mediator to God. Philip and the other disciples still did not get and understand what Jesus meant, in fact Philip still asked Jesus to show them the Father.
We cannot comprehend what the Lord Jesus had referred to even if he had been with them for a very long time. Did they fully believe in Jesus? How about us today, do we really believe in Jesus fully?
Jesus described himself as the way to the Father, and that means we have to follow the way. He described himself as the truth. And the truth is God is with us. We should be truthful in return and we should be channels of God’s truth to the world. through our witnessing.
When one lives in truth, commits to truth, and works for truth, then life is worth living. Life in the Lord is when we belong to Him in truth, nothing more, nothing left. Then Jesus is life, the he alone gives life. Truly, when one follows the right way to truth, life is insured for the one who lives in truth.
Jesus as being the way, the truth, and the life are very concrete and powerful images of God. In the previous Sunday’s gospel, we have known him as the bread, the gate, the shepherd and was emphasized that we can only know God through Jesus, his son. Do we give Jesus the chance and opportunity in leading our families and communities to God our Father?
We have to believe completely to Jesus if we want to see the Father. Whoever had seen Jesus had seen the Father. And if you believe in Jesus, one must do what Jesus did and had done to others.
My brothers and sisters, my dear friends, let us focus on Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. And as followers of Jesus, let us anchor our lives in Jesus so we may not falter and fall. Let us allow Jesus to lead us so our traveler as pilgrims become enriching.
Let us let Jesus live in our hearts so we can bear him wherever we go. We will be known by our mark as Jesus’ own disciples, and that is our love for all. We will be known that we are Christians by our witness and deeds. Let us all go to God our Father through Jesus his son who is our way, our truth and our life.
In this Easter season, let us pray, reflect and ask ourselves:
Am I convince that Jesus is our only way to the Father?
Am I living in the truth of God?
Am I fully alive in the Lord and willing to share this life-blessing with others?
Do I work in the name of God and share God’s goodness with others in my family and in the community I belong?
Prayer
Almighty and Loving God, we believe in you and we follow your ways as they lead us to You. You are the way and you are the only truth that sets us free and that gives us life. May we do what you want us to do with sincere and pure hearts. May our faith be solidly established in Jesus who is our way to you, Father. With our hearts burning in love may we also become bearers of your Word to all the corners of the world. This we ask through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Intention
Let us pray for those who are searching for meanings in life, those who are confused, those who are in doubt, those who are lost. May they find the way to God—Jesus, and find rest in the heart of God. Let us also pray for those people whom we had promised to pray for, we shall bring to God their intentions and petitions.