From Pastor Jess:
In this coming Sunday’s Gospel from John 14, Jesus tells his confused disciples, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”
I wonder if, like me, they didn’t get it for a long time because they were still putting themselves at the center of the story and imagining that walking the path of faith was up to their own grit and determination and intelligence.
Maybe they could call on Jesus from time to time to help or show the way, or a better way, but basically, they would be on their own.
Jesus doesn’t say that he will be available to stop what he’s doing and give us advice as we make our way through life.
And the emphasis is not on exclusion, as when someone says, “It’s my way or the highway.” He says that he IS the way. To grasp this we have to de-center ourselves and remember who and what is truly at the center, the source of all life and love. Jesus is what God wants us to know about being fully human in this world. He IS the roadmap, he doesn’t possess the roadmap to either give to us or withhold. His life, his love, his mercy, his peace, his lovingkindness, his justice, his death, his resurrection. All of that, is the way.
This puts us quite at odds with the world and the powers that be, as it did Jesus. But that’s okay. We’re in good company.
My Office Hours for the week of 5/4 are: Monday and Wednesday, 8:30-3:00.
P.S. Will Kleffner’s last day as Executive Director of the Cooperstown Food Pantry is Wednesday, 5/6. Feel free to stop by to say “Thank You” or “Good Luck!”
He is moving on to become Senior Director of Grants at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.
Rev. Jess Lambert