I am the way, the truth, the life...

Image by Mary Padgelek

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter 

(Scriptures for today's Mass)

Audio for homily

So, Jesus says,
“I’m leaving to get a place ready for you.
and then I’ll come back to take you with me.
but don’t worry about that because you know how to get there!”

But Thomas, the practical guy, says,
“Jesus, we have no idea where you’re going!
How could we possibly know how to get there?”

Have you ever been in a place where you feel lost,
where you don’t know the way out,
where you don’t know the way home?

Have you ever wanted to go where the Lord was leading you
but just couldn’t figure out where he was leading you?

Have you known the frustration of believing
that you want to know the way,
that maybe you should know the way,
that you need to know the way: but you don’t - you’re lost!

What Thomas really wants here is a GPS
all set up with the destination and route all calibrated.

But what Jesus offers is more like:
“Well, Tom, it’s down the road apiece.
Just follow me – and if you lose me…
well… just keep following me…”

Jesus says,
“Thomas, I AM the map!
Stay close to me, as close as you can,
and you’ll always be heading in the right direction.
Follow whatever path leads you to what’s true
and avoid the shortcuts that skirt the truth.”
Follow the way that brings you life
and stay off the paths that dull and deaden you.
Even when you don’t know where you’re going or how to get there;
stay close to me and you won’t lose your way.”

It’s easy to get lost.

And it’s especially easy to get lost if I begin to think
that I can find my way without God’s help,
that I can know the truth apart from the Lord’s Word,
that I can lead a good life without God being a daily part of it.
As soon as I begin to think like that, I begin to lose my way.

But when I walk with the Lord and stay by his side,
letting his Word map my route;
when I walk and work and pray with this community of believers
who seek and follow the Lord’s way,
that’s takes me to the life I’m called to live.
and takes me to where I’m called to be.

In a few moments we’ll come to this altar where Christ will meet us
in the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper,
Though it may be easy to lose sight of the Lord along the way,
we can always find him here in the Eucharist.

He waits for us here every Sunday,
ready to renew his friendship with us,
and to show us again the path that leads to peace.

He promises to be the way for us when we are lost,
to show us the truth of things when we are confused,
and to be our life even when we stand in the shadow of death.

Come to the table, then, and be refreshed
by the One who is our way, our truth and our life.



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