Words of Encouragement....
Words of Encouragement....
Words of Encouragement…
The Gospel passage for the 5th Sunday of Easter from John 14:1-12 is part of the Last Supper Discourses. Jesus was preparing their hearts by giving them encouragement and consolation in the face of his death, and when persecution came their way. Jesus says, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” He was going to prepare a place for his disciples. It is more than consoling words. To understand the deeper meaning, we need to look at a Jewish wedding. We read in the Gospel that Mary and Joseph were betrothed, but not living together. They were officially married, but not living together; it was a part of a Jewish wedding.
The groom would spend this phase of the wedding preparing a home. This could mean building a home or adding a room to a larger home with extended family. The groom needed to make everything ready for his bride.
In this sense, Jesus is acting as the Eternal Bridegroom, who is preparing a place for his Bride, the Church, his disciples. Understanding a Jewish wedding puts these words of Jesus in context. Jesus' words also help us understand heaven as a home and the place of the eternal wedding feast!
Jesus promised them that “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?” Jesus was talking about the fact that he's going to die, be raised, and ascend into heaven; and then one day he will return in the second coming to take his people to be with him. In John 2:16, while he cleansed the Jerusalem temple, he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace,” and in Revelation 21:22, hinting at the heavenly Jerusalem. We see in Hebrews 21:22 the eternal dwelling place. Jesus promised the disciples eternal life.
Thomas asked Jesus, "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.” In reply to Thomas, Christ reminded them that the way to the Father is to know Christ and to live up to his teaching and example. He is the only way, because he is the revelation of the love of the Father and perfectly revealed for each one of us to achieve holiness and everlasting life. We read in Acts 4:12, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” As St Augustine famously wrote, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in God." Jesus is the way that brings us to the Father, the truth that gives us a reason to struggle, the life that prepares us for our eternal home. Our poor and weak existence is transformed by his presence in a marvelous way.
Then Philip told Jesus, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." In Colossians 1:15, Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God, in John 1:15 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” in 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth” and 3:16 says that through faith we see how Christ’s entire life shows us the heart of the Father and his love for the world.
Jesus came to bring us salvation and offer his life as a ransom for us. We are not able to pay it in full. So, he took our debt and paid it in full on the Cross. He gave the Eucharist to remain with us, and at the second coming, he will take us to the heavenly banquet to remain with him. While we are here, we need to possess Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. He gave us the means through the church: a) By actively participating in the Eucharistic celebration and properly receiving the body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion and other sacraments. b) Through daily prayer and daily reading of the Word of God. c) By following the guidance of the life-giving Spirit of God and living the baptismal call by sharing our life/faith with others.