Have
you ever come into the middle of a group having an intense conversation and not
having a clue
what’s being said? Today’s Gospel from John feels like that. “Do not let your
hearts be troubled, have faith in God...in my Father’s house are many dwelling
places.” Jesus is midway through a talk with his friends and what he is saying
sounds so strange.
This
whole scene takes place before Easter on HolyThursday, at the Last Supper.
Jesus begins to tell His disciples one of them will betray Him and that he will
be leaving them soon. That would certainly give a feeling that something
horribly bad is about to happen, and we all know what that something was. As we
read, we can tell his disciples were beginning to sense trouble as well. But in
this conversation, (which will conclude in next week’s Gospel), Jesus is
letting his friends know that no matter what will
happen next, they need to KEEP CALM! (“Do
not let your hearts be troubled.”)
While
it may appear that everything they had hoped for and devoted their lives to was
going to end in disappointment on Calvary, things won’t be as they seem. Yes,
Jesus will leave hem…yes he will die, but it will not be the end, he is going
to come back! And when he does, he will take us with him to the Father! That’s
what he means when Jesus says he is going to the Father to prepare a place for
us.
Philip
wondered how we can be so sure that Jesus can deliver on this promise! If Jesus
could give him a glimpse of the Father, it will convince him. Jesus then makes
a statement that could bring nothing but hope: “Philip…whoever has seen me has
seenthe Father…(because) I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” “The
Father...dwells in me.” To our ears, more strange language. To the Jewish disciples,
they fully understood this to mean: “I AM God!” Yes!
Jesus
is going to the Father for another very special reason: that we may be able to
continue to do the work Jesus did while he is in the world. “Whoever believes
in me will do the works I do and will do greater ones.” We will hear in next week’s Gospel
how that will occur: that Jesus will ask the Father to equip us to accomplish
his work. Wow! That sounds like a tall order considering Jesus cured the sick, raised
the dead, and cast out demons. Are we up for the challenge? Jesus will not leave
us unequipped.