God reveals the secrets of our lives.

We witness different approaches to God, the Church, spiritual and material things. You also know people who are baptized say “we believe” and their life reveals something else. Jesus told Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (Jn 14:6).

In the Easter season, we read from the Gospels, especially from those parts where the apostles’ faith matures. Thomas called Didymium said: “Unless I see the marks of the nails on his hands and put my finger into the nail wounds and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (Jn 20:25). And on the eighth day, “Jesus said to him: “You have believed, because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (Jn 20:28-29). Here, too, we see that reproach is not just reproach. Thomas was experiencing great disappointment. We already have many comments on the words of the Lord Jesus. We have heard many interpretations of the Gospel texts. We have become convinced that Jesus is truly the Good Shepherd and the “gate to the sheep” (John 10:7). The apostle Philip was also reprimanded at the last supper, when the Lord Jesus said goodbye to the apostles. Yes, he witnessed the teachings and miracles of the Lord Jesus for three years. He has not yet matured in faith. Jesus had not yet died and risen from the dead, and especially the Holy Spirit had not yet descended upon him. And yet Jesus reproaches Philip – he did not cooperate with God’s grace – which is what the Lord Jesus wants to remind us.

We are taught, explained that it is necessary to cooperate with God’s grace. Faith is a constant struggle between good and evil as long as we live on earth. However, we are not dependent only on our own strength in our battles and works of faith. Jesus reminds us: “Do not let your hearts be troubled! You believe in God, believe also in me” (Jn 14:1). Jesus sent us the promised Holy Spirit. Not only the apostles on the fiftieth day after his resurrection, but we also received him, especially in the sacrament of confirmation and many times before after receiving the sacrament. No one will come to the Father who wants to bypass Christ. He says, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (Jn 14, 6). The path means orientation, meaningful direction, constancy, certainty. This is what Jesus gives to the person who believes. When the Bible speaks of God’s truth, it means God’s faithfulness and reliability, on which man can unconditionally rely, on which he finds his salvation. And life – life is the gift of Jesus. This is not about natural life, supernatural life, or salvation. Whoever accepts Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life comes to the Father. Fellowship with the Father is the ultimate goal and complete fulfilment of human search and desire. So our life acquires meaning and security when we rely on Jesus. Therefore, unnecessary fear and anxiety have no place in our lives. It is true that life sometimes brings sorrow. For example, when a loved one leaves us. However, death is not the end. It is just a change, a transition from earthly life to eternal life.

In his book Through Your Eyes, Michael Quist writes: “Do the dead exist? No, there are no dead, Lord. They are only alive on our earth and in eternity. Death exists, Lord, but only for a moment, it’s a moment, a second, just a step, a step from the temporary to the eternal.” We will also hear in the liturgical texts that for those who believe in God, life is not taken away, only changed. And the holy apostle Paul encourages us: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2, 9). Jesus says to his disciples: “And the way I am going, you know” (Jn 14, 4). In the Easter season, we should remember the strengthening of the Holy Spirit in faith. Today’s Gospel text wants to remind us to prepare for the feast of the Sending of the Holy Spirit. In the early times among Christians, the power of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit manifested themselves more visibly. This does not mean

The words of the Lord Jesus do not lose their relevance and meaning today and until the end of the world. It is up to us to cooperate with God’s grace. It started at our baptism. Through baptism, we incorporated ourselves into Christ and became members of the Church, and accepted the role of the general priesthood. We recognize a dual priesthood. The first is baptismal, when by accepting the sacrament of baptism we participate in spiritual goods. The second priesthood is sacramental, that is, the sacrament of priesthood. One cannot exist without the other. Each has its role and mission. Apostle Philip was overcome by reproach. Today, Jesus wants to show us his love even more.