Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Car trips in our family are never dull, never quiet, and always curious. I am struck by the awareness of our children when we drive places. They are very familiar with the routes that we take to get to frequently traveled destinations such as school, church, downtown, daddy’s work (CJ), and grandparents’ houses. Life in our family has its routines but also enough variance from being on the go with 5 kids that quite frequently, we hear the question, “Where are we going?”. The beautiful thing about children is that they trust (most of the time) that mom and dad know the way to get places. (They just want to know how long it’s going to take: are we there yet? How many more minutes?) Do we have that same trust in our faith in Christ?
There is both great challenge and reassurance in our gospel today. We are challenged to trust in the Lord, to follow Christ, to know the way to the Father. “Where I am going, you know the way” (Jn 14:4). Found more often than any other phrase in the Bible, we are once again reminded to be not afraid: “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (1). Read that again and again and again: Do not let your heart be troubled…Do not let your heart be troubled…Do not let your heart be troubled. Jesus is preparing a place for you. And you know the way to get there! Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (6a). Over two thousand years later, it’s easy for me to read these words and think, “Oh yeah, that makes sense. Duh”. What a simple message, right? But how often do I screw this up and get lost? Wandering around life in fear of making a mistake? What has been the focus of my attention lately…at work, at home, at church, with friends? What are conversations like with our family, colleagues, friends, and neighbors? When we have extra time, money, food, what do we do? Where are we going?
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Be not afraid. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way” (3-4). There is a place prepared for us. We waver; Jesus never does. There is much to be worried about on a daily basis, tragedies and atrocities to read about in the newspaper (or social media, tv, etc.). It’s easy to become overwhelmed and anxious. What are we supposed to do? One breathe at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. I was watching Frozen 2 with our daughters this past weekend and was struck by the line, “Do the next right thing”. We may not always feel like we know what we are doing, but we are capable of trusting in Jesus. Is Christ truly our way, our truth, and our life? Are we striving to think like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and act like Jesus? Let us join the likes of Paul as “witnesses before the people [...] proclaiming the good news that what God promised has been brought to fulfillment for us by raising up Jesus. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.” (Acts 13:31-33) He has risen, Alleluia! He is the way, the truth, and the life, Alleluia!
Peace,
Brandon Meyer