EASTER V [A]: Acts 6:1-7, I Pt 2:4-9, Jn 14:1-12

Karl Barth was lecturing to a group of students at Princeton. One student asked the German theologian "Sir, don't you think that God has revealed himself in other religions and not only in Christianity?" Barth's answer stunned the crowd. With a modest thunder he answered, "No, God has not revealed Himself in any religion, including Christianity. He has revealed Himself in His Son." In no uncertain terms let me say to you this morning that there are three great religions in the world today: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. But there is only one Son of God; only One through whom God has revealed Himself and only One whose teachings stand above all others. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life for all men and women.

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."  In fact, Jesus took three of the great basic concepts of the Jewish religion, and made the unique claim that in him all the three found their full realization.  This means that he alone is the surest way to God.  He alone can authoritatively and flawlessly teach us truths about God and he alone can give God’s life to us. John’s central message is that Jesus is both the revealer and the Revelation of God. If we wish to know who God is, what God thinks and what God wants of us, we must attend to Jesus the Word of God. 

Among all the words that Jesus spoke, these are also some of the most controversial and debated. Notice — Jesus did not say, "I am one of the ways." He did not say, "I am one of the truths among others." He did not say, "I am a life among many others." No, he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life."

The great Catholic theologian, Thomas à Kempis, caught the meaning of Jesus' words and said this about them, "Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; and without the life, there is no living. For Jesus said, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.' "

He is not a physical path, nor a program, but a person whom we know.  We have seen him on his way: it is a way of forgiveness, love, hope, justice.  No one can come to God by force or violence, by tricks or shortcuts….

"I am the Truth," he said.  The truth is not abstract, then; it is living with the eyes and mind and heart of this Friend.  We cannot reach it simply by thinking, nor even by agonizing about it; it is not a formula or a theory; it is word made flesh. 

"I am the Life," he said.  Not just survival, nor half-life, but life to the full. 

"Lord, show us the Father," said Philip.  His request echoed that of Moses, who said to God, "Show me your glory" (Exodus 33:18).  He believed that Jesus was capable of organizing an experience for them such as that of Moses or Isaiah.  There was daring in the question: God had replied to Moses' request, "You cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live" (Exodus 33:20).  His reply to Philip has shaped Christian awareness of Jesus' identity, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father…. I am in the Father and the Father is in me" (see also John 10:38).  He does not simply represent the Father, he presents him.  His words and actions have the Father as their source. 

We need to know Jesus the Truth and walk Jesus the Way: Jesus asked Philip: “Have I been with you all this time and you still do not know me?” He is asking us the same question: “Have I been with you all this time –  in the Mass, in the Sacraments, in the Bible in the worshiping community – and you still do not know me?”  If we really believe that Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life, then we will find fresh and creative ways to keep alive his memory. Jesus asks us to keep alive his memory by reading and praying the Scriptures, by gathering in Jesus’ name and celebrating the Eucharist “in memory” of him, by handing on the great tradition of Christian Faith and by living according to his wise teachings.  Our actions, our words and our life should be a testimony to the contemporary world that we walk in the right path.