The way, truth, and life

Today's Gospel from John comes prior to his suffering and death. Jesus is preparing his disciples for the experience of the Pascal Mystery. There is a 'right' orientation to approach this mystery of of faith. Jesus is trying to remove them from the Sin and confusion which comes of of anxiety or fear. Such a reaction, rather than that of faith, overlooks the presence of God. Jesus even reflects that if we have experienced him, Jesus the Christ, then we have experienced God the Father.

The letter from St. Peter is most powerful. Through baptism and confirmation we become one holy people. More so we are living stones being built into the household of God. The reaction of God's people to the anxieties of life needs to be as people of hope and peace. Faithful people move about in the darkness of life with the light of Christ, responding with courage to the demands of this life. St. John Paul II reminded us so often not to be afraid, and to open wide the doors to Christ.

To be sure faithful people do not respond to the pains and frustrations of the world with bright eyed smiley faces, but realistically engage the world through understanding and compassion. Some of these same faithful people we have known through the formal 'St' before their names, but more often than not we know them as family and friends who are not deterred from doing what is right in the middle of a culture of death.

Jesus presents himself as the way in all of our responses in life. I always get nervous when people present Jesus in a shallow or convoluted way. Jesus places the Holy Spirit within us, but it also includes the cross. Its time for us to become super-heroes in the name of Christ.