Friday in the Fifth Week of Easter - 2012
Gospel Jn 14:1-6
Jesus said to his disciples:"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way. "Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Fr. Al McBride, O. Praem [ the Order of Premonstratentions - original called to priests who dedicated much time "before the monstrance ] wrote this words about our world today: "Modern culturejas become a desert scattered with the bones of broken commitments."
The dedicated monk knows much about our world today through his commitment to his God, his religious order and theology.
He sees in Jesus' words that He is not simple dealing with the truth, He is the TRUTH. By this Jesus is teaching his disciples and us that commitment to the truth is more than an intellectual activity or way of living. Rather, truth is the vitamin that strengthens our efforts to be necessary for commitment but for loyalty and fidelity as well.
Jesus, throughout his life, remained faithful to the promises he had made. As the Truth, Jesus is the model for all ages to reflesh those bones of broken commitments. Recall the Old Testament reality of those bones in the desert who were refleshed by God. Now since the days of Jesus' Resurrection we know that he strives to help us heal the relationships that our human weaknesses have broken.
Today we might consider in prayer our own fidelity to the Lord and others. How faithful have we been to our commitments?
Today is a moment of great joy and peace for me because one of my closest priest-friends has been reinstated to full-time ministry following bogus charges that he had abused a student some forty years ago. My friend has been throughout his many years of priesthood a model of dedication and commitment to his vocational promises. Today his parish will, no doubt be celebrating the "re-findings" (of an earlier police investigation) into their pastor's life by the Delaware and Pennsylvania judicial systems. There will be great happiness and thanksgiving in Glenside, PA today! From this we might learn the reality of the saying: "the truth will out." Join with me in thanking God for this brother priest."
