I am the way , the truth, and the life

"Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know."

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do; that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

- John 14:1-14

Yesterday was Easter Sunday, and there was no Gospel reading for Saturday. But today we return to Jesus' words to His Apostles at the Last Supper. We start in the text right after Friday's reading, in which Jesus told Peter that he would deny Christ three times that night, despite Peter's protests to follow Him even into death, that Peter would lay down his life for Jesus' sake. Of course, Peter will eventually do so, and his words will be true in time. See Lord, where are You going?

"Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." My study bible has a beautiful note on this passage which is worth repeating: "Many mansions is literally 'many dwelling places,' a word-picture of numerous living units surrounding a central courtyard -- an abundance of living accommodations. Mansions also speak of the multiplicity of blessings which await those who enter the Kingdom of God." But in these verses we see Jesus linking Himself with the Father, and His disciples with both of them, even unto the eternal reality of heaven. He prepares a place for them -- and by extension, for us who are faithful, so that where He is, we may be also. He is announcing His departure from this world as incarnate man.

Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Once again, I will quote from my study bible: "The way, the truth, and the life is a Person, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is so because of His perfection union with His Father. The way we reach the Father is forever established through the Son. Jesus is the truth because He is the unique revelation of the Father, who is the goal of our journey through life. Christ is the life, the uncreated eternal life manifest in the flesh, so that we might have life. Because of this, 'no one comes to the Father except through' the Son. While aspects of goodness and truth are found among all people by virtue of their being created in the image and likeness of God, salvation comes through Christ alone." Jesus again emphasizes His union with the Father, and that the Father is reflected through Him - that we know the Father through Him. All in all, this summing up of His life and mission is to bring us to the Father, to create union for us as well, reconciliation, relationship, love and knowledge.

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works." Philip is our wonderful Apostle who asks the questions for us, and Jesus answers. Has Philip not been with Him since the beginning of His ministry, does he not know Him by now? The union of Father and Son, separate Persons, but of the same essence, is our interpretation of these words, as it is written in the Creed. Jesus' words are the words of the Father, because He serves the Father in all things, and the Father in Him does the works (the signs or miracles) He has done. My study bible notes that, "if we believe in Christ and follow Him, then we ourselves become 'sons of God,' living eternally in the love of the Father." So we also recall Jesus' earlier words to the temple leadership, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods."'?"

"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do; that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." Jesus begins His departing speech to His Apostles with these words about what is to come in their lives and the life of the Church, the believers. My study bible points out something important here: "As shown in the Book of Acts, the disciples will later do even 'greater works' in spreading the gospel throughout the world because Jesus will have completed the work of salvation and they will be endowed with the Spirit. In Christ, and through the Holy Spirit, the Church makes God's salvation available to all in every age."

Jesus completes the circle of relatedness and union: He goes to the Father. But, He is saying, He will also take us: He prepares a place for us where He goes so that we may be with Him. But there is much more to it, after all. If we know Him, we know the Father -- and so, we come also to be sons of God. He draws us with Him into union, friendship, love and reconciliation. Is there any way to calculate what this really means, and all the ways this feeds us with true food in our lives? I don't think so. An eternity is not calculable, nor are the depths of that relationship and relatedness and how it impacts us in our lives, in every moment. So, think today about Jesus' mission and His departure to return again, to keep us with Him wherever He is, and to teach us also to know the Father. In this is our salvation, our joy and rest. I hope Easter is blessed for you on this day of Resurrection, as is every day.