Acts 13:26-33 ;
Psalm 2:6-11;
Jesus said to 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? And if I go and 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.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we 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.”
The Way, the Truth and the Life
The gospel passage is from the farewell discourse (Jn 14-16) in the gospel of John. Here Jesus explains the significance of his departure to his disciples and instructs them how their life should be lived in his absence. He says: “I am the way, the Truth and the life. This is the summary of John’s doctrine of salvation that is available in and through Jesus Christ. Here Jesus is asking the disciples to walk through path he has shown, believe in the truth that he is and to attain life eternal.
In the gospel Jesus first identifies himself with the symbol “the way”. Many religious leaders tried to show the way to their followers. But none of them could point the way that leads to eternal life, a way that leads us to the Father after death. Jesus is the way because he is the access point to God’s promise of life. He explains it saying “No one comes to the Father except through me.” He leads us to the Father’s house. He also tells us that how we get access to the Father. We have access to the Father only by obeying the instructions and imitating his example. Jesus is the leader, the guide and the teacher on the path of our journey to the Father.
Jesus is the truth means that he is the one who presents things as they are. He makes the Truth available to the world. He is the unique revealer who can speak and show the truth about God. He reveals us also the truth about the Father’s house. Thus he could say: I am the truth. Our minds possess by nature an insatiable desire to know the truth (Cicero). There are many great religions in the world which indicate the truth. But the founders of those religions never made such a statement. Many could point out the truth but nobody could embody it. During the trial Pilate asked Jesus: what is truth? The real reason that Jesus has been handed over to Pilate was that he has borne witness to the truth and embodied it. When he testified to the truth people called it blasphemy. Thus neither the representative of Romans nor the Jews could grasp the truth that Jesus was.
Jesus says: I am the life. He gives eternal life to those who believe in him. Once Rabbi Alexandri, a contemporary of Jesus was shouting out, "Who wants life, who wants life?" All the people came and gathered around him saying: "Give us life" He then quoted to them, "if you desire life keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it" But Jesus was not pointing out a way to attain life. He said: I am the life. Raising Lazarus from the dead he convincingly proved that he is the resurrection and the life.
Let us confess that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Let us follow the way, know the truth and attain the life.
Fr. Sebastian Mulluparambil CMI
