Dear Friends:

In today’s Gospel Reading Jesus promises his eternal presence will be with his disciples. However, “to believe” involves committing the whole self to the care of God. If Jesus goes to prepare a dwelling place for them in his Father’s house, there will be room for all of them.

So, just where are we headed then? It is the prayer of a faithful Christian trying to make sense of things. Do we let Christ guide us through life and point us to the ultimate victory that is ours in eternity? Our primary response to God’s self-revelation should be one of faith, faith in the one who cares about us, about our well-being and needs, about our joys and sorrows. God has a place for us. These words have very often been of great comfort when read during a funeral service, it being one of the choices for the Gospel Reading. One day we will be securely at home with God for all time. But here is even more joyful news: not only will we be in that home then, we are invited to live in that home now. As St. Peter reminds us, we are a holy people, called to proclaim the one who called us out of darkness into light. In words and deeds we bear witness to the Risen Jesus, who says to us – “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

And this is the Good News of today.