In the film Blood
Diamond, Solomon Vandy, a fisherman, is captured by the Revolutionary
United Front (RUF) rebels when they invade their small village. Separated from
his family, Solomon is forced to work in the diamond fields. He becomes a very significant character in
the story when he finds a large diamond of rare pink coloring in the RUF
diamond fields. He hides it in the field just as the government troops launch
an attack. He is captured along with the captain of the rebels and taken to
prison. In jail, the Captain, who has seen Solomon hide the precious diamond,
rants about the hidden treasure and is overheard by Archer, a diamond smuggler
who is in deep trouble. Archer becomes desperate to hunt down the stone for it
can mean his redemption. But he has not
the slightest idea where the stone is. There is only one way to find the large
hidden diamond: Solomon. He is the only
way. So he arranges for Solomon's release from prison and offers to help him
find his family in exchange for the diamond. Then they set out on an arduous
overnight trek back to the mining camp. And all along Archer cannot do anything
but follow the lead of Solomon for he is the only way to the precious diamond,
his redemption.
In the Gospel reading of today (Jn 14:1-12), Jesus is like
Solomon who alone knows where the treasure is. Jesus says to us, “I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (v. 6).
This gospel reading from John is a portion of the Farewell Discourse at
the Last Supper. Jesus addresses the concerns of his disciples as He announces
to them his departure, that is, his death. But in the liturgical context of the
Easter Season, our gospel today, as well as the first and second readings, is
an invitation for us to reflect on the eventual 'departure' of Jesus
in the 'Ascension' and the future of his disciples as Easter people. What
are we to do after his departure?
Trusting and Following
the Way. The departure of someone
very significant to us can be very unsettling. It can leave us insecure and
afraid for what is to come. Jesus addresses this anxiety by these reassuring
words: “Do not let your hearts be
troubled.” These words are clearly an invitation to trust in God as Jesus
indeed continues: “Trust in God still, and trust in me” (v. 1). Trusting
in God means facing the realities of our life as Easter people believing that
whatever happens, God will not allow us to crumble and be crushed. Trusting is
giving our best and allowing God to take care of the rest.
We are not to worry a lot too because we know our way to the
Father. Jesus has shown us the way. He is the way to the Father because He is
in himself the truth, i.e. the revelation of the Father, and the life, i.e. the
full knowledge of the Father, and gives the life of the Father to those who
come to him.
Our earthly existence is always characterized by a restless
search for what is true and meaningful. It is a journey towards the fulfillment
of our destiny. In this search for truth and this journey we call life, we need
Jesus. Jesus is our way. In the midst of this arduous trek, which is filled
with so much difficulties, sufferings, discouragements, and stress, we just
have to follow Jesus. Without Him, we do
not have the slightest idea where we are heading to.
In short, we are taught by Jesus what living the
Christian life is really all about-- it is living with Jesus in faith. It is to
make the Truth and the Life - the Father Himself - really ours by following
Jesus who is the Way.
Growing in Identity
and Ministry as a People. As the Easter season progresses, our attention is
drawn beyond the intimate encounters with the Risen Jesus to the activity and
organizational growth of the early Christians. In the first reading (Acts
6:1-7), we see the early Christian community effectively addressing the
changing needs of a growing community by expanding its leadership
structure adding specialized ministries to that of the Twelve. The community
chose seven reputable men filled with wisdom and the Holy Spirit and the Apostles
prayed over them for a special Church ministry. The seven chosen ones would 'serve
at table' and handle the charitable works especially for the
Greek-speaking Jews who were complaining that their widows were being neglected
in the daily distribution of goods. Many
say this is the beginning of the ministry of the diaconate in the Church.
We see here, therefore, the growth in the way the community
in Jerusalem would serve one another while giving priority to the Apostles’
main mission of spreading the Word of God.
Also, we see here the gradual shaping of the spiritual edifice which the
second reading from the 1st Letter of Peter 2:4-9 speaks of. Here, Peter depicts
our identity as Easter people and encourages us to be aware of our
responsibility as 'living stones,' with Christ as cornerstone, to
form a 'spiritual building.' The rich images that we hear in this
reading present our dignity as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people of his own” who announces his praises.
It means that through our sacrament of Baptism,
like the Israelite people of old, we become a holy nation, a people set apart. We
become God’s own people called to proclaim the mighty acts of him who called us
out of darkness into his marvelous light.
We are an Easter people. As such, we face the realities and
challenges of our personal and communal lives with fundamental trust in God’s
victory. We need not allow our hearts to be troubled, for, as an Easter people,
we have known the Way to the Father. With the Risen Lord as our companion in
our search and journey in life, we will never be lost for He is our way. The
trek may be arduous and dark but the Lord leads us by the hand. We only need to
cling to him and never ever let go when the journey gets rough and tough.
Besides, we journey as a people, the people of
God, or as the spiritual edifice whose cornerstone is Jesus. How can we ever be lost? With all these assurances
of our belonging to Jesus—the Way, the Truth, and the Life—how can our hearts ever
be troubled?
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