Fifth Sunday of Easter
April 24, 2005
John 14:1-12

The central statement of the gospel is without doubt Jesus’ famous yet puzzling introduction of himself as “the way, the truth and the life” (14:6). Ancient commentators with their bent toward a word-for-word examination of such a text are often very insightful. St. Bernard’s work “On the Steps of Humility” offers such a passage:

Let the Lord describe for us the fatigue of the road and the reward of the fatigue. For he says, I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH HAND THE LIFE. He calls humility the road that leads to the truth. The first means work, the second means the result of work. But you say: “How do I know that he is speaking of humility when he said in general: I AM THE WAY? Listen to what he says more clearly: “Learn from me because I am meek and humble” (Mt11:29). He presented himself as the example of humility and the model of meekness. If you follow him, you will not walk in darkness, but will have with you the light of life (John 8:12). What else is the light of life than truth that illuminates all human beings coming into this world (John 1:9) and shows where true life is to be found? This is why when saying I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH he also added AND THE LIFE. As if he had said: I AM THE WAY, I who lead to the truth, then: I AM THE TRUTH, I who promise life; I AM LIFE that I give. For “this is eternal life that they know you, the true God and the One whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).

Or perhaps you might say it in this way: I consider the way and that is humility. I desire its fruit and that is the truth. But what if the labor to obtain life is so much that I would be unable to reach the goal I seek? And he responds: I AM LIFE, meaning your nourishment for the road which can keep you alive while you travel.

Thus he cries out to those who are in error and do not know the way: I AM THE WAY; to those in doubt and lacking faith: I AM THE TRUTH; to those who began their ascent but have grown tired on the road: I AM LIFE.

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