The
Gospel
for Sunday has a touching story about Jesus and the
disciples. He is helping them get ready for his suffering
and death.
For the apostles this was a huge reversal. Remember when
he asked them whether they would leave him, along with the
rest of the crowd? Now it is he who is leaving. They are
stunned.
Peter’s reply then might have been appropriate now.
"Where will we go? You have the words of eternal
life” (Jn 6:67-8)
Jesus helps them. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You
have faith in God, have faith also in me.” The
straightforward meaning of this directive is, you know how
to trust, you do it with God. Use that same trust with me.
It goes right over their heads.
Of course, today we know that there is a much deeper
meaning to what he said. To put it theologically, he is
telling them, “I, Jesus, am in complete union with God. I
am a revelation of everything that is in the Father. When
you trust the Father you are trusting me in the very same
act.
But theology did not help the disciples. So Jesus tried a
metaphor.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If
there were not, would I have told you that I am going to
prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come back again and take you to myself.
A comforting image, to be sure, of a home where we can all
be together. He will come back and take us there. Who
could misunderstand this?
The apostles could, and did, blocked by fear and grief. So
Jesus used a different approach. He said, “Where I am
going you know the way.”
Doubting Thomas barked out an answer. “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can
we know the way?” To translate: paths have to lead somewhere. Just
name the place and we will get there! But tell us!
Obviously Thomas was missing the deeper meaning. They
would know the way to the Father because the Way is Jesus.
He had often referred to himself as “the Way, the Truth,
and the Life.”
This is a beautiful depth of truth.
Too bad it did not work. Philip cut to the chase. “Just
show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
This was a masterpiece of practical misunderstanding.
Jesus, now shocked too, says loudly,
Have I been with you so long a time and you still do not
know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the
Father! How can you say, “Show us the Father”?
He could because he was scared and distracted and checked
by the ordinariness of our human existence. To lose the
leader/messiah to whom he and the others had committed
their entire lives, well, it would devastate them.
Sunday’s tender Gospel thus shows us Jesus’ attempt to
draw the disciples into profound love. Only this could
give meaning to Jesus’ suffering, which was just around
the corner—just across the ravine of the brook Cedron in
Jerusalem.
Peter had declared that he would lay down his life for
Jesus (John 13:36)! Would he, Jesus asked. Like us, ultimately yes, but
for now, no.
Something changed that "no" to "yes".
Was it Pentecost?
Wait and see!
John Foley S. J.
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