The gospel passage for today is John 14:1-6. As a preacher, there have been many opportunities for me to think about and reflect on this passage of John’s gospel. Why? Because it is one of the most often chosen gospel passages to be read at funerals. These are comforting words heard in times of loss and sorrow, “And if I go there and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3) They are words that tell us that when we feel like we are lost Jesus will point the direction to our salvation, away from our troubled hearts, to a place where we are near with Jesus and near with the source of all light and love, God.
The way to God is through Christ. Jesus makes that very plain and clear in John’s gospel. Jesus is the pattern for how we should live and how we should Quite simply, as we emulate Christ in our lives, we too, can help point the way to God for others. Importantly, there are many ways in which we can emulate Christ, ways that we can be those living signposts that point the way and lead toward God.
This past weekend the Rite 13 class, the adult leaders and I, travelled to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for the biennial “Beach Weekend.” The 16 Rite 13-ers and us three adults had a tremendous time together focused around three main activities: fellowship, eating, and worship. Over the course of the weekend there were several moments where I witnessed either an individual or the group act as a signpost, helping someone to, “know the way.” The result was always the same: the recipient felt more included, loved, appreciated, accepted.
As we examine our lives, where are the moments when we emulate our Savior? Where are the moments when we help another feel closer to the love that God gives to all of us freely? I wonder if we stopped and looked around us how often we would see that happening with others, or how often we realize that we are those living signposts, who like Christ, helps to lead another out of a place of a troubled heart and closer to the gracious love of God.
In Christ’s name,
The Daily Cup 