“Master, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?”(Jn 14,5)  In the gospel of John, Thomas expresses a frustration and a hesitation that many people experience on the road to discipleship:  where will all of this lead us?  Where does our faith in Jesus take us?  What is the “end game” to discipleship?  Often it seems that committing to a life of faith and discipleship in Christ will lead us away from the world, away from our friends and away from our family.  This is true and Jesus often talked about leaving family and home to take up the road of discipleship but where does the road of discipleship lead us?  What is our destiny as believers?  To say “heaven” or the “kingdom of God” seems too remote, too far removed from our experiences and too abstract.  How can we know the way to get somewhere when we don’t know where that somewhere is?  

    Why should we follow Jesus in our lives?  If you asked many good and faithful Catholics where they were going in their journey of faith, I would guess that many of them would not have a clear idea of where they were going or how to express it.  We have set out on a journey of faith but what is our hope and what do we expect to find when we arrive at our destination?  The destination of faith is a little vague for most people.  I would guess that many people might be able to express some hope in eternal life but their idea of eternal life is something beyond this world.  Is there a more immediate destination that we might set our sights on?  Honestly, when I first answered the vocational call to the priesthood and completely turned my life around and set out on a new course in life, I did not have a clear idea of where this new journey would take me.  I guess I just thought that I would figure it out along the way.

    Philip takes a stab at it in the gospel when he says, “show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”(Jn 14,8)  The journey of discipleship will lead us to God.  Jesus is not satisfied with this response.  This seems to miss the true purpose of discipleship by setting our sights on something too distant and remote.  The road of discipleship passes through Jesus and will only arrive at the Father through the Son.  Jesus tells Thomas today, “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 know the Father.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.”(Jn 14,6f)  The journey of faith leads us to Jesus who is with us now.  Our immediate destination on the road of discipleship is to be conformed to Jesus.  Eternal life is not something offered as a future reward but it is something that is begun in baptism and never ends.  “All who live and believe in me will never die.”(Jn 11,26)  The path of our discipleship is to live and believe in Jesus.  The road of discipleship leads us deeper and deeper into the mystery of Jesus Christ.

    “I am the way.”  Throughout our lives we must always walk the way that is Jesus.  We must become more and more identified with him.  “What I have done for you, you must do for one another.”(Jn 13,15)  “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn 13,34)  Jesus shows us the way to live our lives in love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness and humble service.  Where he leads, we must follow.  “Follow me.”  Jesus becomes the itinerary for our spiritual lives.

    “I am the truth.”  “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (Jn 18,37)  Jesus tells Pilate his mission is to lead us into the fullness of the truth.  We must constantly listen to the voice of Jesus who reveals to us the true meaning of our lives.  Listening to the Word of God we can come to know who we are and how we are to live.

    “I am the life.”  “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world…I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst…For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” (Jn 6,33ff)  “I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”(Jn 10,10)  Our hope for eternal life is a sure and certain hope because we already possess it and live it in Christ Jesus.  St. Paul tells the Philippians, “For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.”(Phil 1,21)  

    So, where are we going?  To the Father’s house.  But the Father’s house is being built up now of living stones that form a spiritual house of worship here on this earth.  We have been called out of darkness into light, so let us always live in the light of Christ Jesus, our risen Lord.  May he always be the cornerstone of our lives.