Portion of the cemetery at Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, VA
If you live according to my teaching, your are truly my disciples;
then you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.
Jesus presents another human reality to the people following him that is as real today as it was when he spoke those words. It is this: IF a certain condition exits, THEN there will be specific results. IF you walk in today's showers without an umbrella, THEN you will get wet. IF you eat and exercise properly, THEN your body will be in good shape. IF you pay your taxes properly, THEN the IRS will not bother you. Our lives are little else than IF....THENs. We have to face the reality that IF we wish to achieve anything, THEN we have realistic criteria to follow. IF good vision is to continue for many of us as we grow older, THEN we have to have our eyes checked and wear the prescribed eyeglasses.
Today's reading speaks about a kind of seeing, a kind of understanding. IF we want to remain in God's word, we have to follow Jesus' teaching. First, what is this reality God's word? An example will help answer: When I was a Sophomore at Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC, my history teacher was very clear about a weekly assignment that had to be (1) turned in every Monday at the beginning of the history class; (2) the assignment was to prepare a synopsis of the next chapter in our history text book (everyone was lengthy, I assure you); (3) the paper was to be typed -- it was 1961, mind you; (4) the front page format the teacher put forward was to be followed precisely -- with the student's name in the upper right corner; and (5) every misspellling -- again remember for spell check --- resulted in a one point deduction from the final grade for the paper. As students, we knew the teacher was very demanding. So, to be in his good graces when he marked our papers, we knew we had to follow the directions precisely or we were not in his "word."
To remain in God's word is an easy assignment to understand: follow the teachings of the Father's will for us as presented by his Son, Jesus Christ! Fortunately for us today, we have a spiritual spell check, we have computers and excellent word processing realities and we have remarkable communications that make the word of God clear for us us, understandable and available.
It boils down to this, I believe: "IF I accept God's role in my life, THEN I will know true freedom. So, philosophically speaking -- a phrase rare from this man's mouth -- the "word" is the dwelling place of being. What? In your experience there have been men and women you may have described as "She is a holy woman; or He is a holy man." There is just something about him, about her, that clearly signals sanctity. His/her "word" is an external presentation of his or her very being.
So, IF you want to live in God's word, THEN you need to live the teachings, the gospel of Jesus Christ. IF we live a good life, if we do all that is in our power to live the life God has called us to live, THEN we believe a life with God in his kingdom will be a reality. Human death will not be something we have to fear! We know then that we will rest in peace!
