The Last Supper Discourses - The Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn. 14:1-14)

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.  2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.  4 Where [I] am going you know the way.”  5 Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”  6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  7 If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”  8 Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”  9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.  12 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.  13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  14 If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.

Jesus was trying to stop his disciples from being troubled or anxious and told them to keep their faith in God and also have faith in him.  Speaking metaphorically, he called heaven his Father’s house and told his disciples that there was more than enough room for them, and he was going ahead to prepare a place for them, that is to intercede with the Father on their behalf, and would come back for them so that they could be with him for all eternity.  The many mansions are places where the diverse multitudes of God’s holy ones hope to be in heaven.  Jesus told them that they knew the way to where he was going.  Thomas told Jesus that he did not know where he was going or how to get there to which Jesus told Thomas that the only way to the Father is through him.  He is the gate (Jn. 10:9), the mediator with the Father, and salvation is through him alone.  Jesus told the disciples about the unity between himself and the Father (Jn. 10:30).  He has an intimate relationship with the Father so if they know him, they know the Father.

Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father and Jesus told him that seeing him, who has been with them a long time, is the same as seeing the Father.  Jesus again stressed the unity between himself and the Father with whom he shares the same divine nature.  There is a mutual indwelling, so if he looks with the eyes of faith he will see the Father.  The Father dwells in him and the words he speaks and the works he does are the Father’s.  Jesus told his disciples that if they had any doubt about the unity of the Father and himself, observe the divine works that he did which speak for themselves.  Those who believe in him will not only do the works he does but even greater works and prayers made in His name will be answered.  

Almighty Father, help us to trust not only in You but also in Your Son, Jesus Christ, who assures us of a place prepared in Your heavenly kingdom.  Grant us the grace to find strength in prayer with the promise that through Jesus our requests will be heard and answered.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.