The Way, The Truth, and The Life
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 4: 6)
On this Sunday, the Fifth Sunday of Pentecost (Pashons 22), the Church reads an account from the Gospel of John, in which Christ describes Himself as the “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:1-11). This Gospel passage comes as a message of comfort and hope, emphasizing the importance of trusting in God and holding steadfast faith during times of tribulation and uncertainty.
Prior to saying this, Christ had informed the disciples that one of them will betray Him and that another one will deny Him three times. The disciples were very anxious because of this. As Father Tadros Malaty explains, “Anxiety is often the result of fear of the unknown, or due to the expectation of a great loss that would affect the soul, body, or possessions. The cure for anxiety is to have faith.” Therefore, in order to comfort the disciples, Christ gave them words of encouragement, showing them that through Him all obstacles can be overcome. As Pope Shenouda III repeatedly taught that anxiety grows whenever we carry burdens alone, but peace enters the heart when we place our concerns in God’s hands. He reminds us that faith is not merely believing.
Christ begins by saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Notice how Christ makes a direct connection between anxiety and believing in God. When we are anxious, we must look to God to give us the strength and courage to endure difficult times. As St. John Chrysostom explains, “…the Lord intends to say that ‘all these difficulties will surely pass away since by having faith in Me and in My Father you become far more powerful than all the hardships that you will encounter. That faith will shield you from being conquered by any evil.” A belief in God is the antidote to the anxiety in our lives, and Christ encourages his disciples to have unconditional faith, especially with the difficulties that they were going to face.
Christ also emphasizes the importance of looking to the heavenly rather than the worldly. He tells the disciples, “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3). In the original Greek translation, the term “take you” or “receive you” is paralēmpsomai, which is a term that indicates a great love, attraction, and yearning. Thus, Christ is saying that He yearns for us to be with Him because of His love and that if we reciprocate that love and trust, we will be with Him for eternity. The world may give temporary comfort and joy, but the only way to eternal comfort and joy is through Him. St. Augustine reflects on this promise by saying that Christ prepared a place for us through His Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension, opening heaven for humanity once again. Similarly, St. Athanasius the Apostolic reminds us that through the Incarnation, Christ came to restore humanity to communion with God and lead us back to eternal life. The world may offer temporary comfort and fleeting joy, but true peace and everlasting joy are found only in Christ.
The Lord simplifies His teaching to one simple message, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Through Him we find the way to salvation, the one true faith, and the promise of eternal life. St. Augustine warns us saying, “Every person seeks the truth and the life, yet not everyone finds the way.” Thankfully, we have been given the way to salvation through Christ’s death on the Cross. As Pope Cyril VI often taught, closeness to Christ through prayer, repentance, and participation in the sacraments is the source of true comfort and strength.
Let us unite ourselves with Him so that we can gain eternal comfort and joy in paradise.
“Lord, I am weak and in need of Your mercy, grace, and love at all times. Please strengthen me during my tribulations and open my eyes so that I constantly see that You are all that I need. You are the way, the truth, and the life, and through You, I find the comfort that I seek. Amen.”
Sources
The Holy Bible. (ESV)
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, Commentary on the Gospel of John, John 14.
St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 74.
St. Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John.
St. Athanasius the Apostolic, On the Incarnation.
Pope Shenouda III, sermons on faith, anxiety, and trusting in God.
Pope Cyril VI, teachings on prayer, trust in God, and spiritual life.