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.
