LIV ING WORD
BY Jose “joesum” Sumampong, Jr.
5 TH SUNDAY OF EASTER (A)
MAY 7 , 2023
Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year A)
Acts 6:1-7 / Ps. 33:1-2. 4-5. 18-19 /
1 Peter 2:4-9 /Jn. 14: 1-12
JESUS AS THE WAY,
TRUTH AND LIFE
Word: We are on a journey. Many times we have being told of this reality by our retreat master, or many
times by our teacher in religion class. And indeed, it is true. We are on a journey. We are journeying through
life on our way to the Father’s home. We sometimes lose our way temporarily – we are losing sight of our
destination. However the God who is all the times good has gifted us with a sure guidance that we can rely
on at every moment of our journey. During this Sunday, we can give thanks for Jesus – who is the way, truth
and life (Jn. 14:6)– for all He has done for us:
- Like, we can follow Jesus, who is the way to the Father. Even when we don’t feel like it.
Remember what He said, “If anyone wishes to come after me. He must deny himself and take up his cross
daily and follow me” (Lk. 9:23). - We can Grow in our knowledge of Jesus, who is the truth about the Father as he proclaimed,
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father… I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (Jn. 14:9-10). - And, we can receive Jesus, who is life of the father, into our beings. Let us remember what he
said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (Jn.
6:54).
o0o
Order: Paradise is not an escape towards a future and unreal dream …. Heaven -is not a piece of candy promised for the future, to allay the bitterness of the present … God is not an opium meant to put our
sufferings to sleep, in view of an eternity which “will sing” tomorrow!. ..
Heaven is already experienced, begun, for those who “do the works” of Jesus: a ‘certain manner of thinking and of taking decisions, … a certain manner of encountering ;God and men, … a certain manner of
living,-which is the way of life of Jesus Himself …
o0o Realities: In the spring of 1927, a shy young man climbed into a small plane in New York. The plane
taxied down the runway and then lifted into the air. Thirty hours later the young man landed his plane in Paris. As he taxied to a stop, thousands of people surged forward from all directions, almost crushing the
young man and his plane.Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. Days later President Coolidge had the famous pilot and his famous plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, put
aboard a ship, the U. S. Memphis, and brought home to a hero’s welcome in New York. Writing about the adventure later, Lindbergh recalled two exciting episodes.
One occurred as he neared Europe. Spotting a fishing boat in the ocean, he flew low over it,
shouting at the very top of his voice, asking directions. But the fishermen couldn’t understand him. So he continued on in the direction he thought was right. Fortunately, it was.
The second episode occurred a few days after the history-making crossing. Lindbergh had flown to England for something and was returning to France. But the visibility was bad, and he was having a hard time navigating, using only ground landmarks. Suddenly he spotted a plane ahead of him. Assuming it was
on its way to Paris, he caught up with it and followed it. Fortunately, the plane was on its way to Paris, and he arrived safely at his destination. (Illustrated Sunday Homilies)
o0o
Direction : Lord Jesus, you are the way to the Father. Help us pick up our cross daily and follow you along
that way. Lord Jesus, you are the truth about the Father. Help us grow in our knowledge of you and the
Father. Lord Jesus, you are the life of the Father. Help us open ourselves more fully to you, especially
through our worthy reception of your sacraments (Mark Link, S.J.)