Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
Today is the 11th Day of Christmas and the above citation from John is the first verse of the Gospel reading appointed for today.
This is one of those verses that often gets misused by Christians.
It gets used to prove how right they are and how wrong other people are. It gets used to condemn people to hell. It gets used to denigrate and devalue other religions and the people who follow them. It gets used in a decidedly unloving way, thereby being completely opposed to the message of love found in John's gospel and letters.
As I said in my sermon this past Sunday (the Feast of the Holy Name) and in Soundings, “The name of Jesus is holy and powerful because he was the one who gave us the example of what it means to live in complete unity with God.”
As Christians we believe Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, Son of God, and the Word incarnate. Jesus gave us the perfect example of what it means to live in unity with God. Therefore, following Jesus is following him in the way to the Father. Following Jesus allows us to live into the truth of God. Following Jesus gives us the life God intended from the beginning of creation. It is in following Jesus that we embark on the way, live into the truth, and are given life. We come to the Father by following Jesus and living into his example.
I think everyone would be much better off if Christians of all stripes spent more time following the way of Christ and living into his example rather than condemning people who are different and beating them over the head with the cross in an effort to correct their wayward ways and win converts.
As we come to the close of the Christmas season, maybe the best gift we can give God is not how many converts we notch on our bibles but is our willingness to follow the path of Jesus in all we do, pointing the way to the truth of God by how we live.
Merry Christmas,
Todd+
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