The Way, The Truth, The Life

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (Jn14-6)

Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, therefore, no one comes to God except through the way and the truth and the life.

What are these things? The life of Jesus and his whole ministry, from birth to death to resurrection to ascension to Gospel and Holy Ghost, Jesus has defined the Way. And on this road to God, we will know compassion and wisdom. Truth shall be ours. Life we shall truly live, as God intended, not as animals running from fear and chasing after materials things, but happy in the simple knowledge and experience of a good life on Earth. If we follow this Way to Truth we shall know Life, and thus know God.

Jesus lets the disciples know that there is a place waiting for each and every one of them together with God, united, home, at peace in the bosom of grace, freed from samsara, forever freed from the suffering of separation of the Father, enlightened, fulfilled. And that Jesus we come to lead us to this 'eternal life'.

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 (Jn 14:3)

The good news is that we are all welcome, all expected, if we recognise the hand that reaches out for us: if we don't accept this hand, fail to hear the Word or reject is, then, as St. Paul says, we condemn ourselves as unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46).

Attachments to my old world, of fame and wealth, of fears and hungers, these old gods whom i can call the Fallen One, keep my mind numb and blind to all that is truly Light and Good. A stubborn Self refuses to give up its hard earned comforts. The pains and agonies this body knows as real keeps the mind in control, keeps us separated from one another, keeps me on a very short leash. Selfishness and Self-concern, Self-centeredness or ego-centrism keep me only focused on my own needs, my own survival in a cruel, hard world. Such lies! A dog eat dog world keeps me bound to these lies. Let go! Let it all go, put down that yolk suggests the Christ, because it is not real, not helpful, not serving the Truth who is Love. Attachments to my old world will blind me to the hand that reaches out for us when we stumble, when we fall. Lord, keep me awake so that i might see your guiding hand and take that place of honour in an eternal life that you have already prepared for me ... and that i, like you, might also reach out to others who stumble or fall and point them to the Way, remind them of you, the Father, your promise and your Love.

Deo gratias.

Great Chain of Divine Compassion

At today's mass the priest asks the Lord to dry our tears and help us through the maze of life. We wander. We go through the motions. I am reminded of Buddha's teaching of Dhamma / Dharma, cause and effect, of running away and chasing after, up and down, knowing no peace of mind, only being a slave to fears and desires, knowing no relief from suffering.

If you know me, then you will also know my Father. (Jn 14:7)

That which cannot be named, Creator, now has a human face, a man called Jesus.

I am in the Father and the Father is in me (Jn 14:10)

Thus we are told to pay attention, that getting to know Jesus is not a waste of time! Both is His words and works, Jesus continues to explain to the gathered disciples, are direct from God who is present in the Christ.

Hogwash? People of the Holy Land must have heard a lot of talk from prophets and rabbi's, holy men and mad men. Jesus had a tough audience, perhaps no different than today. Knowing this he adds:

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves (Jn 14:11)

Wonderful! If faith is a gift and one must accept the gift, perhaps even allowing time for it to nurture and grow, Jesus asks us to believe what we see, for is that not our basis of materialistic belief. St. Thomas said as much; he needed to touch the Christ, his wounds, to believe He had risen. Now we are allowed to let our belief solidify in our minds, but to accept the truth of Jesus' works of compassion, humanity, humbleness and mercy. If we cannot see Love in action, then we are truly blind, standing in the darkness of our own suffering.

Do as Christ does. Know no human aversions, such as washing the feet of a guest or breaking bread with sinners. Do as Christ does: Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father (Jn 14:12). Love heals the one who practises it. Love is infectious. Love teaches and brings peace of mind. Do as Christ does and be free, seems to be His magnificent message. From the Father to the Son to us, humanity, His children too. We are all capable of Love if we can let go of expectation, fear and the oxymoron of materialistic wealth.

If we act in the name of the Christ, God will be present, Jesus promises. If we act with compassion we will know God. The maze of life of which the priest spoke suddenly straightened out and became lighter. So simple, really.

Deo gratias.

Light of Love and Life

... whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world (Jn 12 45:47)

Equal. The Christ has come to save the world with his Light. Light shines on all: shadows and darker places are created by those things that come between us and the Light. 'Sin' we have labelled it. That which creates separation from the Light, creates shadows, so that we cannot see the one who sent Jesus. He says too, that belief in necessary: the mind creates the shadows in thought and deed, the mind is then needed to free itself from separation and rejoin with the Light.

How does the mind free itself? Will, determination, patience, meditation, mindfulness of thoughts and acts ... being fully present for every choice in life. No easy task when we are all trained to run on auto-pilot. Faith is given as a gift we can choose to accept. With belief we develop it, nurture it like sown crop, whose fruit we can reap. Through training ourselves to be less Self-ish we can be more present for others, we can remove obstacles that create shadows, we can allow ourselves to be saved.

Saved from what? Saved from a lifetime spent in shadow, wandering without in a vale of tears, suffering or the samsara of daily life, never knowing peace of mind, never knowing Love, that is never knowing being loved unconditionally by the Father, who in His wisdom has made all things perfect, who has left His Light shining for all to receive, who has blessed us with his Christ so that we might truly know what it is to accept His words; welcome them, become them, use them, give them to another in need so that the face of man, of Jesus, shines with the verysame Light and Love.

Love God and Love thy neighbour. Easy. And Christ shows us how.

Deo gratias.

The Good Shepherd

Each time i hear this ever so frequently quoted passage from St. John (10:11-18), i reap something new. Today it struck me, especially after a wonderful homily, that we are all shepherds, and we are all called to be 'good'.

Good? Like the love of the Father for his Son, unconditional, timeless. We are all sometimes either a shepherd, leading, teaching, protecting, caring, or one of the flock, learning, needing protection and care. 'Good' too, is not loving as a hireling, but as one fully committed. If we see all mankind, all living things, as part of ourselves, God, shared, brothers, One with the Holy Ghost, then we are committed: how can we then not care?

"One flock, one shepherd", says Jesus, even of those who are not part of his fold whom he must lead back to God, back Home.

Today we prayed for all those who have responded to God's call and chosen freely to be his shepherds. We prayed for all those who have yet to respond, who are distracted, confused, disappointed and lost, but can be found and given direction, perhaps by you or me. We prayed, too, for all those people for whom no one has ever prayed. This made me sad: to live without a prayer and with no one praying for you. Alone in ones own mind, living under the tyranny of isolation, Selfishness and stark materialism. In prayer today i asked God to include me in His fold, fill me with faith, let me accept faith, follow the Christ with vigilance, patience and wisdom and to be a good shepherd for those live without prayer. God bless them and may they be filled with Love.

Deo gratias.