This last line appears in other liturgies as the first line of that passage. I find it very interesting how the same line can speak to us in different ways on different days. I am sure that there are more than just 2 ways to take this line, but today, I am struck by this: Thomas feels lost, and does not know how to follow the resurrected father, he says “how can we know the way?” And Jesus’s answer is so powerful, because His message, His teaching, and His ministry are not just words on a page, they are the answer and “Way” to live your life. If you choose to follow His way, believe His truth, and model your life after Jesus, then you will find the path to Jesus’ kingdom open before you.
So many ask what about where the Jews, Muslims, and the eastern religions stand? Are they walking the wrong path? In a word…, YES! Does that mean that god’s grace cannot overcome their error? Of course not! The church fathers always said that even though we are subject to the laws that God has given us, He is not. And as such we should never, ever forget that God’s grace and His mercy are greater than our sin. And He always wants to be more generous with His mercy than He is with His judgment.
But we cannot deny that Jesus’ is making it abundantly clear in this reading that His way is, what Thomas Aquinas called the “privileged way.” It is not “privileged” because it affords us something that others cannot attain…, but instead it means that if you follow His way, believe in His truth, and live in His life, then you will most likely die in friendship with Him, and can be reasonably assured that you will find your way to heaven.
This is indeed the best and most certain way of getting to heaven, but clearly not everyone chooses it. We as Christian’s are called to make those that are on a different path aware of their error, and show them “The Way.” If we do this, if we work to get others off of the path to hell, and onto “the way”, then Jesus assures us that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. Vatican II says that there are many lights that lead to heaven, and this statement while misleading points to the fact that we can not ever account for God’s grace and mercy, but do you really want to bet your eternity on this “nice thought” and presume in His grace and forgiveness.
Presuming in god’s forgiveness is a sin, and I for one don’t want to risk my eternal soul or the souls of those I love on a hopeful wish. So we must speak to those whom we love, evangelize them, and show them the way. If you don’t then who will, and do you want to risk not having them with you in heaven forever? That is a gamble that I am not willing to wager, I want you all in heaven with God, in an eternity of happiness and joy. What else matters, certainly nothing this world has to offer could ever compare. So turn to Him today, and start walking “the way,” and I’ll hopefully see you in heaven.
