A while ago, I had to make a tough decision: whether to confront an acquaintance about a problem that was between us, or let it lie, and go on as though nothing had happened. In this particular case, I chose gentle (I hope) confrontation because I didn't think going on as though nothing had happened was a good option. 

 

Confrontation is so hard, though, even with best intentions and with good-faith attempts to listen to each other. It would have been easier to let things lie, certainly, to go on as we always had. Confrontation, by contrast, involves forging new paths in a relationship, trying out things that we are not accustomed to, and that's tough work. As is the case with tough work, it's hard, often, to see whether the new paths being forged in relationships are having much effect, or whether we're getting better at all (or just going in circles)

 

I am reminded of that difficult conversation this week as I read today's gospel (John 14:1-6). Jesus talks about the many rooms in his Father's mansion and the love and care with which he goes to prepare a place for us. I love that image, and I think it's good to take time to realize this immense love Jesus has for us by meditating on this image.

 

It is equally important, though, to recognize that getting to this mansion isn't as simple as we Christians sometimes make it out to be. Sometimes we speak of Christian faith as being a simple matter of professing belief in Jesus. That's important.

 

But Thomas's question (Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?) speaks to the fact that as we live our daily lives, following Jesus isn't going to be a simple matter. That's because Jesus doesn't stand before us, marking the path we are to follow with clear trail markers.

 

Rather, he says we have to go THROUGH him. 

 

One of my kids' favorite books is an illustrated children's song about a group of children and their teacher who are going on a pretend "lion hunt." At every turn of their journey they encounter obstacles - rocks, water, hills, mud, and so forth. Every time they encounter a new obstacle the children and the teacher all say: "Can't go under it; can't go over it, can't go around it; gotta go through it." 

 

I think the idea of going THROUGH Jesus is a bit similar to this song. How do we go THROUGH Jesus? 

 

Believing in Jesus' life, death and resurrection (as proclaimed in Acts 13:26-33) means we cannot go on as though nothing has happened (just as in the confrontation with my acquaintance). Jesus has happened, and that makes a real difference. That means we end up needing to confront situations that require Jesus' love, truth, way and life. We believe we have real, tangible contact with Jesus himself. Jesus' resurrected Body permits us to become his Body, through the Eucharist. We are members of his Body and we are called to be his Body, to "think like Jesus, talk like Jesus, act like Jesus." Going THROUGH Jesus means acting as disciples and living out our faith, even when what we do seems odd to our surrounding culture. 

 

Today, let us reflect on ways we may be avoiding going THROUGH Jesus, and let us ask for God's grace to be courageous enough to live Jesus' way, truth and life.

 

- Jana M. Bennett