Did the same thing happen to you? What about a friend? He lost his way in a foreign country, and when he found out, he asked a passing man: “I’m sorry, I’m lost. Can you help me?” “Where are you going?” asked the man. “I’m going…” and said the name of the city and place. The man smiled and replied, “Then you are not lost. You know where you are going. I will be happy to show you the direction, and I believe that you will reach the destination of your journey without any problems.”
To Thomas, to the question: “Sir, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?!” and not only to him Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father. You already know him and have seen him” (Jn 14,5.6-7).
The dialogue took place at the Last Supper and is a certain instruction by which Jesus gives the disciples hope that although separation awaits them, he promises them eternal life in his kingdom. The Holy Spirit has not yet descended on the disciples. Therefore, Jesus’ words seem incomprehensible to them. They have a hard time understanding them. Jesus fulfilled his mission on earth. He announces to the apostles that he will leave, but only so that “you may be where I am.” And you know the way I am going” (Jn 14:3-4). Jesus assures them that everything they have seen and experienced in his school will be enough for them to realize all this with their lives and thus be able to participate in Jesus’ kingdom.
In this situation, Jesus wants to help the disciples and at the same time explain to them the meaning of what must happen. “Let not your heart be troubled! You believe in God, believe in me too” (Jn 14:1). Regarding that goal and the way, Jesus makes a statement: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father. You already know and have seen him” (Jn 14,5.6-7).
The path and the destination cannot be separated from each other. Jesus himself is the way, the approach to God. However, it is also the goal, truth, and life. Therefore, God’s truth is not some teaching but a person, truth is life. A person can understand this truth to the extent that he can be captivated and transformed by it.
Being a Christian does not mean having some doctrinal system or some morals. Believing in Jesus Christ as God and fulfilling everything he taught is essential. It means meeting him in his word and the sacraments, in the “mystery of faith”.
If Christianity were just a sum of rules and regulations, it might be easier to understand and fulfill but also easier to replace and replace. But Jesus says: I am… He is the Rock. The basis. He is the Shepherd who preceded us through death to life. He is both the Life and the Way. Those who follow him experience God’s joy, his freedom already on the way. He no longer knows fear, he is hidden in God’s truth and faithfulness.
When Jesus leaves, he does not leave his people alone. Whoever believes in Christ should try to seek him and fulfil his will. Even if the path to Jesus is difficult, no one stays on the way – life alone. Jesus promised to be with us all the days until the end of the world. Jesus is hope. The resurrection of Jesus is hope. “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
We receive what man would never be entitled to because of his sin. Jesus gives assurance that we can become God’s children. “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me” (Jn 14:11).
Man is looking for his place on earth. He does it not only in a physical, material, and material sense but also in a spiritual sense. It is not difficult to meet people without meaning and purpose in life. Many are disorientated by life, small-minded, and therefore they can be mistaken, they throw themselves into alcohol, sex, drugs, money, and nothing is sacred to them, they will not stop at anything, they cannot be discouraged, intimidated… Why is there so much sadness, hopelessness in their life, eyes, and behavior? A life rooted in earthly values is desolate and empty.
Only Jesus can give real meaning and flavor to life. “I am going to prepare a place for you” (Jn 14:2). The meaning and goal of life should be heaven. Defining heaven is not easy. What can we say about heaven? Perhaps simply put: heaven is the state of the greatest happiness after death, which we do not know on earth; we cannot even imagine what God has prepared for those who love him. For others, it is enough that heaven is the fullness of Truth, boundless Love, absolute Peace, Joy without end. How do we know that? Jesus said: “If not for other things, at least for these works believe” (Jn 14,11).
Only through Christ and with Christ, when we fulfil his words, can we obtain the promised state of which Jesus says: “In my Father’s house are many mansions… I am going to prepare a place for you” (Jn 14:2).
Pope Paul VI. said: “Today’s world listens to witnesses rather than teachers, and listens to teachers only if they are also witnesses.” The words apply perfectly to Jesus, who not only teaches the truth, but only he can say about himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life ” (John 14:6). Only in it can a person find, know the true life, the right direction, a specific goal of life. Jesus’ words: “No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6). No one can remain neutral, unbiased, impartial before Jesus. One will either serve him, or fight against him, or love him, or hate him. And so a person is the mastermind of his own happiness, eternity, salvation. It is a man’s eternal tragedy if the tempter, the body, or the world can seduce him. On the contrary, devotion to Jesus is a guarantee of values unimaginable on earth, which a person will receive as a reward in heaven.
You don’t have time to wait, to put it off until later. It’s time to act. Good luck to the brave. If the farmer does not sow, will he reap? It is spring, for our enrichment and understanding of God’s word, let’s imagine a scene:
One thing he says to himself: “I want to grow.” I want to sink my roots into the depth of the earth under the house and let a shoot grow through the crust of the earth that is over the house… I want to spread my buds like flags to grow and one day bring a harvest.’ Two seeds are lying next to each other in a fertile field.
The second seed said to himself: “My fate is terrible! I’m scared. When I sink my roots into the earth that is my home, I don’t know what I will encounter in the darkness. If I push through the hard soil above me, I might injure my tender shoots… What if I open my buds and a slug eats them? And what if I bloom and some person rips me off? Not. It will be better to wait until there is no danger.” And it waited. And this speck on the surface of the scroll saw a bird. It took off – and one bite was all it took.
Each of us has an immortal soul. We received it from God, as we received physical, natural life, and all gifts… All this is rightfully requested to be returned to God multiplied. Every day is only one. It cannot be repeated. Repair is not possible. Therefore, it is right to live in harmony with the will of God. Life, deeds, words, and thoughts should be used correctly to glorify God on earth, to recognize God in created things, revealed things, in one’s neighbours. In our everyday life, we should act in such a way that those around us see us as Christians.
Yes, as long as we live on earth, we can go astray as friends. Because our country is in the heavens. Even if we go astray, let’s keep our awareness of where our goal is and where we want to get to. In the Gospel, Jesus shows us the way, like a man to a friend.
