5th Sunday of Easter Reflection,
Year A
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
LINKS
- Summary of Ideas of the Sunday Readings
- I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the answer to the fundamental questions of human existence.
1. Summary of Ideas of the Sunday Readings
Today’s 5th Sunday of Easter year A first two readings help us to deepen in our understanding of the mystery of the Church, the temple of the Holy Spirit, whose cornerstone is Christ, and we as living stones, forming a sacred priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices to God through our union with Jesus Christ (2nd reading.).
- From its inception the Church’s mission, aside from salvific, is ministerial, that is, of service (“ministrare“, latin = to serve), where each acts according to its charisms at the service of the proclamation of the Word and in the practice of charity and mercy.
- Thus arose the first seven deacons, ordained by the apostles praying with the imposition of hands (1st reading).
- In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that He goes to the Father and that He will return to take us with Him, the way and the truth and the life.
2. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the answer to the fundamental questions of human existence.
After predicting the denial of Peter, Jesus uplifts the mood of the apostles and gives them hope by telling them that he is going away to prepare a dwelling place for them in heaven and for all those who believe in Him and do His Will.
The Apostles, however, did not comprehend to the full what Jesus was saying, hence Thomas’ question.
- Jesus explains that He is the way to the Father; by following His footsteps, His teachings, and imitating His virtues and living His Life, we will reach heaven and be with the Father, for this is the reason of His Incarnation: “that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:1 5);
- As St. Francis de Sales wrote:
“Just as children by listening to their mothers, and prattling with them, learn to speak their language, so we, by keeping close to the Saviour in meditation, and observing his words, his actions, and his affections, shall learn, with the help of his grace, to speak, to act, and to will like him.
We must pause here…; we can reach God the Father by no other route…; the Divinity could not well be contemplated by us in this world below if it were not united to the sacred humanity of the Saviour, whose life and death are the most appropriate, sweet, delicious and profitable subjects which we can choose for our ordinary meditations” (St Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, part II, chap. 1, 2).
Jesus is the Truth because by coming to this world he shows that God is faithful to his promises, and because he teaches the truth about who God is and tells us that true worship must be “in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:23).
Jesus is Life because from all eternity he has divine life with his Father (cf. Jn 1:4), and because he makes us, through grace, sharers in that divine life. This is why the Gospel says: “This is eternal life, that they know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent” (Jn 17:3).
Jesus is the answer to the fundamental questions of human existence:
“as it were, saying, Where do you want to go? I am the Way. Where do you want to go? I am the Truth. Where do you want to abide? I am the Life. Every man can attain an understanding of the Truth and the Life; but not all find the Way. The wise of this world realize that God is eternal life and knowable truth; but the Word of God, who is Truth and Life joined to the Father, has become the Way by taking a human nature. Make your way contemplating his humility and you will reach God” (St Augustine, De verbis Domini sermones, 54).
HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED READ ON TODAY’S READINGS BY POPE BENEDICT XVI IN
https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.org/pope-benedict-xvi-on-the-5th-sunday-of-easter-year-a/
O God, who by the wonderful exchange effected in this sacrifice have made us partakers of the one supreme Godhead, grant, we pray, that as we have come to know your truth, we may make it ours by a worthy way of life. Through Christ our Lord.
Prayer over the Offerings, 5th Sunday of Easter.
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