5TH
SUNDAY OF EASTER - A
John 14:1-12
Parting ways with a significant other or a beloved has
always been painful. We hate goodbyes most especially when the
separation with a loved one is permanent. When Jesus told his disciples
that he was leaving them, their hearts were wrenched. Like ordinary
people, they were filled with sadness and distress in the impending departure
of their Master. When their hearts were almost broken with grief, Jesus
gave them hope: “Let your hearts not be troubled; believe in God and believe
also in me.” He assured them a place in the Father’s house and
promised to take them one day to where he would be. To the question of
Thomas about the uncertainty of the future, He proclaimed “I am the way,
the truth and the life.”
Life is a journey and there are many
roads leading to different destinations. Religion has always led
humanity towards its final destination which is life after death.
Sometimes people think that all religions are one and the same and religious
founders like Buddha, Zoroaster, Mohammad, Jesus, Confucius, etc are all the
same. Whilst most of the world’s religions are based on the tenets and
teachings taught by the founders, Christianity is based on the person of Jesus
Christ. Because these founders are all human beings, they can only teach
their disciples a good way of life to follow. Jesus is the only one who
could say “I am the Way” because he did not only teach us a way of life but he
also leads us to walk through and with him in the journey that will
eventually end to him. Life’s journey becomes a pilgrimage when the
road is sanctified because of the presence of Jesus.
The founders of great religions also taught their philosophies which are truly
remarkable and worth following. Christianity is more than just a
philosophy, it is about the truth based on the person of Jesus Christ. In
front of Pilate, Jesus proclaimed that he was born to testify to the
truth. Pilate never understood what truth was, so he asked “What is
truth?” Jesus is the truth because he came from the father and wanted
to bring everyone into the home of his father.
An authentic religion has to bring its followers into the realm of life that
goes beyond death otherwise why would one follow a religion that does not know
where to place its followers after death. Among the religious founders
Jesus was the only one who rose from the dead otherwise our faith is useless as
St. Paul proclaimed (1 Cor 15:14). Is it not a simple logic that we
follow somebody who after rising from the dead will also raise us up after we
die? Not only that, he also makes sure that there is a place for
all his followers in his father’s house. Jesus is the life because
he is the only one who can assure us of a life that will last beyond our
earthly existence.
Jesus came into the world with the mission to bring humanity into a filial
relationship with his Father and to gather one day all God’s scattered children
back into the home of his Father. We don’t have to be convinced about this
because this is the truth that we believe in and there is no other way than
Jesus who can give us eternal life.
This gift that was given to us comes with a responsibility which is our
participation in the mission of Jesus to bring all peoples into the Trinitarian
life: with God as our Father, with Jesus as our Redeemer and with the Holy
Spirit as our Sanctifier.
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