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Last week we heard the story
of the Good Shepherd. This week Jesus the gospel speaks about Jesus
going back to the Father. Jesus told his disciples, "I am indeed going
to prepare a place for you..." It was absolutely necessary for Jesus to
leave this world in order for the Spirit of God to descend upon the
Church.
When the first part of Jesus
ministry: his life, passion, and resurrection were completed, it was
necessary for him to return to the Father so that the Spirit could
empower the Church.
Jesus has given us everything that we need to live his life in this
world. Thomas asked, "we do not know where you are going. How can we
know the way?" In response Jesus gave him one of the most beautiful
teachings of the New Testament: "I am the way, the truth, and the
life..."
When someone asks you for
directions, you can try to explain the route or draw them a map, but the
kindest way to help is to go with them and take them to their
destination. That is what Jesus has done for us - He is the way.
We can talk about the truth and be very sincere in trying to share it
with others, but each of us has blind spots. Jesus lived out the truth
throughout his life. In him there is no darkness, no compromise; in him
we see truth.
Jesus is life. Separated from Jesus we have no life in us. We may be
alive but we have no share in God's divine life. Jesus is the only
answer that makes life worth living. In Jesus we see God become man,
struggle to earn a living, suffer the joys and sadness of family love,
and ultimately suffer rejection and hate. In Jesus we see the
divine way to live a human life.
Jesus assured Philip, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father..." That
is why Jesus had to return to the Father in order to send the Spirit.
Jesus’ mission was to show us the Father. In Jesus' life we see the
Father's love and care for his children. Jesus was only one human being.
He could only walk so many miles, cure so many people, preach to a
limited number. By going back to the Father and sending the Spirit to
us, he has given us the power to do far greater than he did.
Through our baptism we have become members of the very body of Christ.
Just as seeing Jesus is seeing the Father, so seeing us should mean
seeing Jesus. Each one of us is empowered by the Spirit to be Jesus in
this world. We are the ones who must remind the world of what Jesus
taught in the way we care for the poor, the sick, the defenseless. We
are the ones who must give comfort to the suffering, teach the ignorant,
and accept our share in the suffering of Christ, in so doing we bring
Him to our brothers and sisters.
The words of Jesus in today's
gospel are being fulfilled in our lifetime. Our faith, our prayer, and
our service make it happen! |
