Beloved in Christ,
Jesus says to his disciples: “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2). Prior to his ascension to heaven, Jesus taught his disciples of his divine identity, his heavenly destination, and his plan to have them follow in his path: “I will come again and take
you to myself, that where I am you may also.” He also adds, “and you know the way where I am going.” Thomas expresses our uncertainty about our ultimate end or destination, and how to get there. Jesus answered him: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The goal of Jesus’ teaching here is to assure his followers that they will be rewarded with eternal covenantal communion with the Father after a lifetime of loving God and their neighbor. We all must long for the presence of the Father in heaven, where Jesus has gone ahead of us, as we say in the Creed, to sit at the right side of the Father. All our life on earth must be devoted to knowing Jesus and longing to follow in his way to the Father’s house, where he has gone ahead to prepare a place for each and every believer.
Pope St. John Paul II imbibed and lived the faith in his lifelong longing for God's eternal presence. According to Vatican News, Pope John Paul II’s last words at his bedside indicate his knowledge of Jesus as the way to the Father. Pope John Paul II’s last words, spoken in Polish around 3:30 pm on April 2, 2005, on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, were “Pozwolcie mi odejsc do domu Ojca (”Let me go to the house of the Father”). To get to the Father’s house, to experience the beatific vision on the other side of the world, we must come to know Jesus. Jesus says, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also, henceforth you know him and have seen him” (John 14:7). Jesus and the Father are equal in essence, substance, and nature. Hence, to know Jesus is to know the Father since Jesus is the incarnate Word of the Father. Now, how do we know Jesus? Apparently, spending a long time with him is no guarantee, as we see with Thomas and the other disciples. To know Jesus is to have absolute faith in Him and do His works. We must be in union and communion with him to know and follow where he has already gone ahead of us.
So, the question arises: Do I know Jesus? Do I know the promise he made about coming to take those who believe, know him, and do his work to the Father’s house? Do we recognize our identity as a part of “the holy priesthood” called “to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”, a chosen people called “to announce God’s praise”? (1 Peter 2:5,9 ). What we must do is to revisit our followership and faith in Jesus. Are we totally submissive to him? Do we love Him with everything we have, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength? It is clear from Jesus’ dialogue with Thomas that being a follower of Jesus does not necessarily mean one “knows” Jesus well enough to be assured of being on a sure path to truth and life. Jesus is the sole way to happiness and the presence of God. Do we know this to be true and live by our conviction? Let us review and renew our commitment to our baptismal promises, renouncing Satan and worldly allurements in order to fully commit to a deep daily longing for “the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, 1). Having this encounter, described by Pope Benedict XVI, is what it means to be a Christian, a follower of the Way, the truth, and the Life.
We have come to yet another opportunity to strengthen our devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of Heaven, who intercedes for all her children, all who believe and follow Jesus closely. May is the Month of Mary. When our religious education students crown the statue of Mary this Sunday, they indicate to us Mary's special role as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Mary is the Queen Mother who intercedes on behalf of all who love and are devoted to her. The act of crowning Mary, dating back to a 13th-century custom, will hopefully inspire us to express our love for the Mother of Jesus more deeply by praying her Rosary and imitating her virtues. Most canonized saints are known for their devotion to Mary and praying the Rosary. Let us join in that procession of embracing the Blessed Virgin Mary as our mother, crowning her with the rosary's rose beads.
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Alayode, OP
Jesus says to his disciples: “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2). Prior to his ascension to heaven, Jesus taught his disciples of his divine identity, his heavenly destination, and his plan to have them follow in his path: “I will come again and take
you to myself, that where I am you may also.” He also adds, “and you know the way where I am going.” Thomas expresses our uncertainty about our ultimate end or destination, and how to get there. Jesus answered him: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The goal of Jesus’ teaching here is to assure his followers that they will be rewarded with eternal covenantal communion with the Father after a lifetime of loving God and their neighbor. We all must long for the presence of the Father in heaven, where Jesus has gone ahead of us, as we say in the Creed, to sit at the right side of the Father. All our life on earth must be devoted to knowing Jesus and longing to follow in his way to the Father’s house, where he has gone ahead to prepare a place for each and every believer.
Pope St. John Paul II imbibed and lived the faith in his lifelong longing for God's eternal presence. According to Vatican News, Pope John Paul II’s last words at his bedside indicate his knowledge of Jesus as the way to the Father. Pope John Paul II’s last words, spoken in Polish around 3:30 pm on April 2, 2005, on the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday, were “Pozwolcie mi odejsc do domu Ojca (”Let me go to the house of the Father”). To get to the Father’s house, to experience the beatific vision on the other side of the world, we must come to know Jesus. Jesus says, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also, henceforth you know him and have seen him” (John 14:7). Jesus and the Father are equal in essence, substance, and nature. Hence, to know Jesus is to know the Father since Jesus is the incarnate Word of the Father. Now, how do we know Jesus? Apparently, spending a long time with him is no guarantee, as we see with Thomas and the other disciples. To know Jesus is to have absolute faith in Him and do His works. We must be in union and communion with him to know and follow where he has already gone ahead of us.
So, the question arises: Do I know Jesus? Do I know the promise he made about coming to take those who believe, know him, and do his work to the Father’s house? Do we recognize our identity as a part of “the holy priesthood” called “to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”, a chosen people called “to announce God’s praise”? (1 Peter 2:5,9 ). What we must do is to revisit our followership and faith in Jesus. Are we totally submissive to him? Do we love Him with everything we have, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength? It is clear from Jesus’ dialogue with Thomas that being a follower of Jesus does not necessarily mean one “knows” Jesus well enough to be assured of being on a sure path to truth and life. Jesus is the sole way to happiness and the presence of God. Do we know this to be true and live by our conviction? Let us review and renew our commitment to our baptismal promises, renouncing Satan and worldly allurements in order to fully commit to a deep daily longing for “the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, 1). Having this encounter, described by Pope Benedict XVI, is what it means to be a Christian, a follower of the Way, the truth, and the Life.
We have come to yet another opportunity to strengthen our devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of Heaven, who intercedes for all her children, all who believe and follow Jesus closely. May is the Month of Mary. When our religious education students crown the statue of Mary this Sunday, they indicate to us Mary's special role as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Mary is the Queen Mother who intercedes on behalf of all who love and are devoted to her. The act of crowning Mary, dating back to a 13th-century custom, will hopefully inspire us to express our love for the Mother of Jesus more deeply by praying her Rosary and imitating her virtues. Most canonized saints are known for their devotion to Mary and praying the Rosary. Let us join in that procession of embracing the Blessed Virgin Mary as our mother, crowning her with the rosary's rose beads.
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Alayode, OP
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