Lord, We Don't Know Where You're Going, So How Could We Know The Way?

Gospel
Jn 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples:"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 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,so that where I am you also may be.Where I am going you know the way." Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going;how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Picture yourself sitting at table with Jesus and his disciples. As the Paschal Meal is coming to an end, Jesus speaks. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God, and also in me. There are many mansions in my Father’s house. If there weren’t, would I have told you that I’m going there to prepare a place for you? And, when I have prepared a place for you, I will come back and take you there myself, so that where I am, you also may be. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Then Thomas says, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going, so how could we know the way?” Jesus answers, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The message is one the apostles heard over and over again. But still they didn’t understand, until after Jesus rose from the dead. It is a message we hear over and over again, but it is one thing to hear the message, and another to live by it. We must make the choice over and over again. We know the way, but sometimes we would rather go our own way. We have learned that the way of Jesus is difficult, and we would prefer to follow a path that is not as steep, not as narrow, not as perilous. And yet, we are aware, deep in our hearts, that as tough as it is, this way leads to happiness here and hereafter, something we do not know about any other pathway up the mountain. There have been times, and will be again, that we head in the wrong direction, sometimes accidentally, sometimes knowingly and willingly. Whenever we make a wrong turn, we should be reminded of God’s patience with us, by the words at the beginning of this gospel: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God and faith in me.”