In Acts
we learn that life in the early Church had problems to deal with and resolve. From
our Epistle we learned that Jesus referred to as “…
a living stone ….” And St. John in the Gospel reminds us that Jesus
didn’t want His followers hearts to be troubled, and that includes us.
He wanted
us to know He will take us to our heavenly dwelling place and in this Gospel
Jesus prays what Biblical scholars describe as His “Farewell
Discourse.” He shared with the
Apostles on Holy Thursday.
One
Saturday night Fr. O’Reilly went into a local pub in Donegal and announced, “Anybody who wants to go to heaven, line up over there!” Everyone
but O’Hearn got up and lined up near the wall. Fr.
O’Reilly said, “O’Hearn don’t you want to go to
heaven?” “Oh Yes I do Father, I thought
you were getting a group together to go now.”
Each of
us wants to go to heaven, so what is the path? Jesus
tells us, plainly, He is The Way, The Truth and The Life. Jesus is our Hope and our Salvation. The Apostles resolved
their ministry of service problem by praying with the community and the Holy
Spirit which led them to choose deacons to help the Apostles in their ministry.
The “Living Stone” [Jesus] called each one of us “… a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated
nation…” to follow Him. God doesn’t want our hearts to be troubled.
This
story may aid us living our call to follow The Way, The Truth and The Life.
Dad
starts with Altheimer’s or Dementia, so he needs help and so Mom needs help; help the Way Jesus
would. Few people like wearing name tags, but what
if wearing one could help?
Putting
a name tag on to enter our childhood home, where our parents still live, after more
than 50 years of marriage is awkward. However when the adult children come to
visit they put on name tags before they enter: “I’m
Doreen your daughter, I’m Paul your son.” They recruited the
neighbors to wear name tags: “I’m Mary, your
neighbor,” I am Joe, your neighbor, etc.
The fill up with tears as they depart, realizing this act of love as small as
it is, offers a glimpse of the divine, a simple
sign of God’s love in our midst; a look into love lived. [Adopted
from Connections, May 2019]
One of
my grandsons, Deacon George [my namesake], attends Christ The Teacher School in
Newark, DE, he’s in 4th grade.
Last week when we visited he told me a joke
that I want to share with you.
Pop Pop why is the math book so sad?
I said I don’t know Deac why ?
Because it is filled with problems.
Life does
seem like it is filled with problems, but we believe that Jesus is with us and He
shows us The Way, The Truth and The Life.
To encourage
His Apostles and us Jesus offered them a poignant [Farewell] a poignant Good-Bye,
He speaks mystically about a place not limited by space or time. He promises
them and us He will return and take us to a place
He has prepared.
Jesus is that “place.”
Following
His Way, Truth and Life is a great challenge, but it offers us a rich and fulfilling
life. St. Francis de Sales advises us, “Work
hard every day at increasing your purity of heart, which consists in appraising
things and weighing them in the balance of God's will.” And “Walk joyfully through life and if at times you cannot
walk with faith and courage.” Jesus reminds us today to have Faith
in Him and have the Courage to follow Him, if we do that our lives will be
filled with the deepest and most profound meaning.
For a
few minutes reflecting on how you can live The Way, The Truth and The Life?
May God
Be Praised.
