'I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.'

His death on the cross, Who ever lives to intercede for us!

Jesus is truly the only way to God!

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 13:26-33

Brothers, children and descendants of Abraham,

And you, also, who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent.

It is a fact that the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus. Yet,

in condemning him, they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath,

but not understood. Even though they found no charge against him that deserved death,

they asked Pilate to have him executed. And after they had carried out all that had been written concerning him,

they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.

 

But God raised him from the dead, and for many days thereafter,

he showed himself to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.

They have now become his witnesses before the people. We, ourselves,

announce to you this Good News: All that God promised our ancestors,

he has fulfilled for us their descendants,

by raising Jesus, according to what is written in the second psalm: You are my Son, today I have begotten you.

 

Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

John 14:1-6

"Do not be troubled! Trust in God and trust in me! In my Father's house there are many rooms;

otherwise, I would not have told you that I go to prepare a place for you.

After I have gone and prepared a place for you, I shall come again and take you to me,

so that where I am, you also may be. Yet you know the way where I am going."

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going; how can we know the way?"

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"I am the way, the truth and the life."

"Do not be troubled! …you know the way where I am going."

Jesus offers words of comfort to the Apostles as he prepares them for his departure,

but they struggle to understand at first, and fear rises in their hearts.

"Lord, we don't know where you are going; how can we know the way?"

 

He has to reassure them once more and so he says, "I am the way,

the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."

The Franciscan mystic Francisco de Osuna wrote a reflection on Christ as the way to heaven.

However, he said that it had snowed on the footsteps of Christ, making it difficult to see the way.

The snow is a symbol of our wayward hearts and false idols that lead us to struggle to find our way.

 

But Jesus does not leave us in our selfishness and confusion.

He comes again and again to help us clear away the snow, and to walk before us on the heavenly way.

Just as he reassured the Apostles in their fear and confusion, so does he come to us to lead the way.

So, "do not be troubled" - follow Jesus!