In today’s gospel, we heard Philip say, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." In reading and praying over this gospel, what struck me was Philip’s request to see the Father, to prove that Jesus is who He claims to be - and that will be enough…he even uses the word "us" to show he’s speaking for the group.
It made me wonder, do we ever make similar requests of Jesus? And, if we do, what is it that we need to believe? What is our "enough?"
Philip says this right after Jesus declares that "…if you know me, then you will also know my Father."
Is it any wonder that Jesus responds by questioning how Philip, who had been with Jesus for so long, could and yet doesn’t know Him?
Jesus reminds Philip, the others, and all of us, that "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." The question we might ask is, how can that be?
Jesus teaches us by stating that "I am in the Father and the Father is in me…and the Father who dwells in me is doing his works."
When you think about it, Jesus’ entire life is a revelation of the Father.
What Philip wants to see is first revealed through the Incarnation. However, seeing the Father’s good works doesn’t guarantee that a person will believe, for God doesn’t compel us to believe or love Him.
As a result, faith calls us to go beyond a limited understanding attained with human reason. Jesus is not merely a map, opinion, or self-help program.
Rather, Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life… which means that every thought and part of our existence begins and ends in Jesus.
Quite simply, apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. It also means that if we are willing to let go of our fears, selfishness, or anything that separates us from Jesus and believe in Him, we will know the Father and do the works of Jesus.
My brothers and sisters, Jesus is calling each of us to a deeper faith, one that transcends our feelings or past life, a faith that calls us to commit our entire self to God…one that reveals Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, everyday.
