Acts 6:1-7
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
1 Peter 2:4-9
John 14:1-12
At the Last Supper Jesus reveals to his Apostles that he departs to prepare a place for them to dwell in. This dwelling-place, this temple, this house of God, is the Church. Jesus' disciples will live and abide within the Church, the Body of Christ.
In his Letter, Saint Peter speaks about this spiritual house that God has built. Jesus Christ is the "living stone" and cornerstone that God has established in Zion. Jesus was rejected by men, but has been raised up by God as the cornerstone of a new creation. We are called to believe in him and in so doing, we will not endure the shame of death, but be built into this spiritual house of God.
From the beginning, all creation was supposed to be a temple where God was worshiped and glorified and where men and women entered into communion with God. By their sin, however, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and lost the grace of holiness and justice. Creation needed a redeemer so that man could once again worship and glorify his creator and enter into communion with him. God later established a covenant with the people of Israel and provided a model for the tabernacle, where he would dwell with his people. Like the Adam and Eve, the people of Israel broke God's covenant and sinned. They worshiped the golden calf instead of the God of their fathers.
Centuries later, God established a covenant with David and promised that one of his descendants will build him a house: "I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father and he shall be my son" (2 Samuel 7:12-13). This promise to David is partially fulfilled through Solomon, David's son, who build the temple in Jerusalem, but is ultimately fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the Son of David. Jesus is the one who truly builds a house for God's name. Through Jesus, we can respond to God's original call to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation. This is what God wanted from the beginning.
Jesus, then, is the Way that leads to this communion with God. He is the Truth that reveals the Father. He is the Life, given to us on earth through faith and in the Eucharist. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation we are consecrated to be a holy priesthood: "The whole community of believers, as such, is priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king" (CCC 1546). The common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace - a life of faith, hope, and charity - a life according to the Spirit.
Priests and bishops also share in the ministerial priesthood, which is at the service of the common priesthood of the faithful. The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ - the Head of the Church - before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church and when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice. Deacons, mentioned in today's first reading, do not receive the ministerial priesthood (CCC, 1596), but do receive the first degree of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. They are configured to Christ who made himself the deacon or servant of all. They assist the bishop and priest in the celebration of divine mysteries (the liturgy), in the proclamation of the Gospel, and in dedicating themselves to ministries of charity.
As we contemplate the great mystery of our call to be a royal priesthood, we realize that each one of us is called in different ways to build up the Body of Christ and extend the Kingdom of God. The seven deacons offer to us an example as they responded generously to God's call. They welcomed the Holy Spirit into their lives and worked tirelessly at the service of the community and of the Gospel.
GOSPEL COMMENTARY JN 14:1-12
The way
Fr. Robert Wagner
Picture a family driving to the beach for vacation. The younger children cannot contain their excitement and so thus persistently ask, “Are we there yet?” Their focus is the destination, and it fills them with joy and anticipation. They care little for the preparation for the trip; they just want to get there and start having fun. The parents, on the other hand, concern themselves with the many tasks necessary for a smooth trip, such as packing suitcases and lunch boxes, filling the gas tank, planning the route and checking the traffic. For them, the joy of the destination often gets lost in the details. Yes, they want their children to laugh and play and have fun, but it takes a lot to make that happen, and such preparation often takes away from the joyful anticipation.
When we think of our journey through this earth to eternal life, we recognize something similar. We can get so caught up in our overwhelming schedules and responsibilities that we are distracted from our final destination. Jesus tells us that He will prepare a place for us with His Father in heaven, a promise that undergirds the courage of the martyrs and helps the saints remain joyful amid the difficulties and drudgery this life can offer. It should — and can — do the same for us. Like little children, we as Christ's disciples can revel in the destination that Jesus has promised us, even while we share the joys and sorrows of this life. However, like diligent parents, we also know there is a necessary preparation to reach heaven. We cannot simply expect to arrive there without knowing the way and being equipped for the journey.
When Jesus tells His apostles they are to follow Him to His Father’s house in heaven, the apostle Thomas asks, “We do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus responds, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” words which may have confused the apostles at first, but through the help of the Holy Spirit would provide strength, peace and joy for them in their trials to come. Two thousand years later, Jesus as the way, the truth and the life offers clarity on our journey, because He provides both the route and the preparation we need for our heavenly journey.
It is important to recognize that Jesus says He is “the way” and not “a way.” We hear St. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaiming: “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus Christ is the way to salvation and eternal life. In Him alone we are saved.
Reflection on Jesus as “the way” bears much fruit, for it reveals the love He has for each of us and for His bride, the church. Jesus is the way to eternal life because He has redeemed us in our flesh and opened the gates of heaven for each of us. He is the way because our salvation comes through our encountering Him and His saving grace in the sacraments. Through His teaching, upheld by the church, Jesus provides the way of life that leads to the life He promises. Similarly, Jesus tells us He is “the truth,” so we know we can trust His teaching and His promises. He is the source of all truth, both revealed and scientific.
As Christians, we praise God for offering us not only the unimaginable gift of eternal life in heaven, but also the means of reaching that glorious destination in the only begotten Son of God — the way, the truth and the life. Let us ask Jesus for the enlightenment to always place our faith in the truth with which He guides us, especially in these times when so many of His teachings are attacked or diminished. Through His grace, we will follow His way with faithful perseverance, peace and joy.
Fr. Wagner is Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde’s secretary.