No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The Gospel of John continually confronts us with riddles. What does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the way and the truth and the life?” Saint Thomas is stumped, as are all the disciples.
I don’t know how the ancients discussed this question and I certainly don’t suppose the Church was clueless until the twentieth century; but in our time we frame Jesus’ teaching in terms of dialog and relationship. To know salvation we must be caught up in conversation with Jesus, an intense dialogue in the context of a very deep relationship.
Martin Buber, the Jewish philosopher and scholar, described dialogue in his classic work, I and Thou. Dialogue is an encounter of two profoundly mysterious entities; and their mysteries can only appear within that context. If I drive a car I am simply the driver. If I hammer a nail, I am only a carpenter. But if I speak with another human being, I become a person. Unless, of course, I am only using that person as one might use a car or a hammer. In that case I have no real personhood; I am only a thing among things.
Dialog enables a transparency of two persons to recognize and honor one another. They cannot penetrate one another; their integrity as individuals remains. And yet each knows the other exists; and the other cannot be manipulated like a tool. He or she has a separate existence and experience.
The narcissist is trapped in a world of self and is unable to know others around him. His world is himself and wherever he looks he sees only himself. The New Yorker Magazine had a cartoon several years ago which I thought perfectly described the narcissist. A very sick patient lies in a hospital bed, clearly in dire straits. Standing by the bed are a doctor with his clipboard and a woman. She is perhaps the patient's wife. She says to the doctor, “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”
Her distress may be forgivable when an ordinary day has turned into catastrophe; but if she persistently fails to see the patient and his distress, she may be a narcissist. Wherever she looks she sees only her feelings, her worries, her advantages and disadvantages.
Jesus comes to us as the apostle from God, the ambassador of Truth. He is a mysterious "Other" who cannot be classified, contextualized, controlled or manipulated. He insists upon being understood on his own terms; and his opponents cannot make head or tail of him. He remains defiantly untouchable until he permits himself to be arrested, tried, tortured and crucified. And there are moments even during that episode when he demonstrates his authority and freedom. With absolute assurance he says, “No one takes my life from me. I lay it down freely and freely I take it up again.”
To follow his way is to allow Jesus to take my hand and lead me where I cannot see the road ahead, where I have little authority or control. Discipleship means I am not the center of my world; and most things that happen have little to do with me. When someone tells me about his surgery, I should not suppose he wants to hear about mine. Hearing of catastrophes in the Mideast I need not think, “The price of gasoline will go up.” Approaching the ballot box, I should vote for the persons and policies that will best serve the common good, rather than my interests.
Political pundits say, “In international politics there are no friends or enemies; there are only interests.” That's a formula for narcissism on a global scale.
Jesus did not divide the world between friends and foes because He was not the center of his own world. He surrendered continually to the authority of his God whom he called Abba. When he warns "whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." he is simply telling the truth about his singular authority.
In obedience to his God he invites us to come to God through him. He is the way, the truth and the life.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.