Fifth Sunday of Easter May 7th, 2023

First Reading: Acts 6:1-7  

Psalm #33   R: Let your love be upon us, Lord, even as we hope in you.  
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9  
Gospel Acclamation Verse: I am the way, the truth, and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father, except through me. (John 14:6) Alleluia Gospel: John 14:1-12
Theme: “I am the way, the truth, the life”.  

Commentary: By Jane Prini

Have you ever set out on a journey and got lost? What happened and how did you feel?  We use maps and GPS directions to plan a journey when we travel to places we have not visited before. In today’s Gospel Jesus confuses his disciples when he tells them that they already know the way to a place the have never been to. Jesus is preparing his disciples for his suffering, death and resurrection. He sees that they are troubled, even fearful. Maybe they were uncertain of what their life would be if Jesus was not with them, leading and teaching them. 

Fun fact: At the start of Christianity, followers of Jesus were known as THE WAY. It was not until Sts. Barnabas and Paul lived in Antioch that his followers were known as Christians. (See Acts 11:26)

Jesus puts his disciples fears to rest when he reminds them, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. Notice how JESUS is THE Way, THE truth and THE life. He is not a way, or a truth, or a life. He wants us to put all our trust in him because in doing so, we also put our trust is God the Father…they are that closely connected to each other. In the Gospel today Jesus reminds Phillip (and us), that ‘Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father….Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Then he says that the good works he has done we can also do. This is because by our belief in him, he can work through us to others. Jesus makes it clear and simple. He is the way, the truth and the life, there is no other.

Either Jesus is who he says he is or he is a madman. If we believe he is who he says he is, them we can trust that he will always want the very best for us. If he is a madman, them we should not follow him. 

He asks us to make that choice in a way that no other religious founder does. Some founder could claim he has found a way that he wanted to share. Jesus says,“I am the way.”  Another founder may say that through him, the final divine truth had been communicated to the world, but Jesus said,
“I am the truth”. Still another could maintain that he had discovered a new and uplifting form of life, but Jesus said,“I am the life.” So we get to make the choice; do we believe Jesus and choose to follow him and his way of and to a fulness of life, or not?

Jesus is the path to the kingdom of heaven. He gave his very life to restore our relationship with God the Father that was broken with Adam and Eve’s choice of disobedience. We can chose to believe that he is the way to our Father in heaven, that what he has taught us is the absolute truth and that believing in him will give us life in abundance. 

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, (Joshua 14:15) with our talents and treasures, in gratitude for all that God has so graciously given to us. Who do you choose? 

Prayer for Families:  Heavenly Father, as we follow the example of Jesus, may each step along the way lead us closer to you and your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

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