Brothers and Sisters,

Today, we celebrate the fifth Sunday of Easter. Our Scripture readings of today’s mass call us to nurture a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus and let Jesus become our way, our truth and our life.  The first reading speaks of the struggle of the early Christian community to maintain their unity in Christ. The second reading speaks of Peter advising the community to be rooted in Christ and growing in him. The Gospel speaks of Jesus as the way and the truth and the life.

Jesus spoke about going to the father and Thomas wanted to know where that was. And Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my father.” I have heard the story of a missionary who was lost in the African jungle. When, finally, he reached a primitive village, he asked one of the villagers to lead him out. After more than an hour of hacking their way through thick jungle growth, the missionary said to his guide: “Are you sure, this is the way?  Where is the path? His guide responded, “Sir, in this place there is no path. I am the path.” In this jungle of our world – in the midst of doubts, fears, immoralities, political, racial and religious conflicts, poor political, ethical, moral and spiritual leadership, uncertainties, violence and war – Jesus is our way, our truth and our life. 

Once, a farmer lost a calf. He went searching for it following the path that the calf had made (calf path) through the field, into the woods, into the jungle. His wife became worried since he had not returned in the evening. She sent her oldest son in search of the Father. He too followed the calf path and didn’t return. The whole family went one after the other in anxious search - then the neighbors went and their neighbors. Soon, before anyone realized, “the calf path” became a highway.

This is how many habits are formed. This is how the paths of others become our own. This is how many prejudices are created and maintained. This is how many wrong paths are created and perpetuated. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can choose to follow the good and noble paths of others and make them our own. We can be inspired and moved by the good habits and practices of others and make them our own. We can and we must listen to Jesus, be inspired and moved by his word, challenged by his life and let him be our way, our truth and our life.

To read more of this Sunday’s reflection, please click on the links below….