Jesus is in your love and in your joy. Photo by Maureen Kennedy Macel
John 14:6 -- Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The other day I read this passage and saw Jesus’ words as ones of comfort and not a statement about Christians being the only ones who are granted eternal life. (Which, to be clear, while Jesus is the sole redeemer of humankind, the Catholic Church does not teach that only Christians receive salvation from Jesus. Read more below.)
The setting: Jesus is telling his closest friends that his time is running short and he will be with them for only a little while longer. He tells his friends not to worry and to have faith. He says that he is going to be with God the Father, and he will prepare a place for them there. His friends are confused, and Thomas asks, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus responds by saying, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Imagine that you have been following Jesus and participating in his ministry for years. He is your best friend, your mentor, your long-hoped-for Messiah -- the one who would save your people and make all things right in the world (justice, peace, healing, etc.). And Jesus says his time on earth is coming to an end, but he’ll see you again soon in heaven.
His friends are stuck. They do not want to Jesus to leave them. They ask the practical questions: Jesus, how will we know what to do and where to go?
Jesus tells his friends, “I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.”
When Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” he is trying to comfort them. In effect, he is saying, “You do know the way because you know me! You know everything I have done and taught and shown you. Follow me, do what I did, have faith in God and in me. That is the way!” And Jesus tells them not to worry. He will be the one to take us to eternal life with God -- “I will come again and take you to myself.” The initiative is with him. Don’t worry.
When we know Jesus, we know God. There’s a nice note in the Catholic Faith & Family Bible: “Jesus is our guide and source of information about God the Father. By knowing Jesus, you will discover a God who is merciful, compassionate, just, forgiving, gracious, and loving toward all people, committed to the liberation of humankind, and so much more.” Take it to heart, page 1340
God, the God of the universe, loves ALL people and desires for us to love him. He wants to be in relationship with us so we can find our purpose, which is totally in him. He wants us to know truth and to be free. He wants us to be filled with everlasting joy.
All salvation comes from Jesus, but not only Christians receive the gift of Christ’s redemption: “The Catholic Church respects everything in other religions that is good and true. The Church knows that Jesus Christ is the sole redeemer of all humankind… The Church teaches that all people who by no fault of their own do not know Jesus and his Church but sincerely seek God and follow the voice of their conscience can attain eternal salvation. However, anyone who has recognized that Jesus is ‘the way, and the truth, and the life’ but is unwilling to follow him cannot find salvation by other paths.” Youth Catechism, paragraph 136
What does it mean to know Jesus but to choose not to follow him? This is more than “knowing” about Christianity but instead choosing another religion or being agnostic or being an atheist. If a person were to encounter the real Jesus, he or she couldn’t walk away from Jesus. We’re wired for God. An encounter with the real Jesus would transform our lives.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings of Jesus, due mostly to mistakes and things that Christians have done that are very un-Jesus-like. The Jesus I know, the divine person who lived and died for us all, would overwhelm you with love, joy, and hope. I bet you’ve met him but may not have known it -- the love you feel for your child, your family, your partner. That’s God. The joy you have in loving relationships, in nature, when playing or listening to music, when doing an activity you enjoy, when you see something funny. That’s God. And it’s God speaking directly to you. Next time, say hi back. See what happens.
Where have you encountered Jesus? Ask him to show you who he really is. He will. God is always trying to communicate with us, and he longs for you!
