The way, the truth and the life

Trinity 5 2026

The way, the truth and the life

Jesus said to his disciples: Do not let your hearts be troubled.

We are at the Last Supper, according to the Gospel of St. John. Jesus has washed his disciples’ feet. He has watched Judas go out to betray Him. He has declared his own imminent departure, given his new commandment, and predicted that St Peter will deny Him three times before the cock cows. Now he says goodbye to His disciples. And the words that He speaks now are full of the Holy Spirit; to strengthen and console us. The passage we read today, so serene, so sublime, is often read at funerals. But now we hear it in Eastertide, because we find here our Easter faith.

We are Christians. By definition, we are those who believe in Jesus, the Son of God, our Saviour, our Lord; Jesus who is our way to God; Jesus who is Himself our Salvation. In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus identifying Himself with God. Believe in God, He says, believe in me. If you know me, you know my Father too. Whoever sees me, sees the Father. I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

We are Christians. By definition, then, we are those who believe, who know, as St Paul says, that our hope is not for this life only. Our whole life on this earth is orientated, directed, hastening towards an infinitely better life that is to come; towards our true homeland, and only resting place; towards the house of our Father in heaven. This is not myth, or fantasy, or mere wishful thinking. On the contrary: this is revealed truth, ultimate reality, and the key to understanding everything in this life. We know it because Jesus has promised it. We know that Jesus speaks the truth, and with authority: because of who He is, and because He died for us, and rose again, and sent the Holy Spirit as His witness. If we follow the way He has gone, we will receive the life He offers: so that where I am, you may be too.

We are Christians. By definition, then, we are those who sing the new song of the Lord. Our song in Eastertide is Alleluia! It’s a cry of victory; of praise and thanksgiving; of confident faith; of rejoicing that will have no end. In Eastertide we keep that song of Alleluia going in the Church.

In Eastertide let us abide in the presence of the Risen One; then we can put aside our worries, and fears, and doubts; we can look up, and look forward. Heaven lies ahead of us; but also for those who belong to Jesus, heaven is already a present reality. Of course heaven is more beautiful than we can imagine. In that respect, with the Apostle Thomas, we can rightly say: we do not know where you are going. Yet already we touch heaven, we know it, we simply find ourselves in it, in our prayer. We are in heaven when we are with God, and He with us. We touch heaven too when we come to Holy Communion, and know that Jesus is with us, and in us; when we rejoice in that, and resolve never to be parted from him.

Jesus said to his disciples: Do not let your hearts be troubled. When Jesus said this He Himself was very deeply troubled. In Chapter twelve of St. John’s Gospel he says: And now my soul is troubled. Before the tomb of Lazarus he was distressed. He wept openly. Jesus knows the anguish and grief of this life. And in the context of the Last Supper, Jesus is preparing his disciples for His forthcoming passion and crucifixion and death, and for their own failure and flight. And yet He says: Do not let your hearts be troubled. That is: God will seem to be absent in what is to come, but He will not be absent. He will be working out his purposes, in a most wonderful way, for our good, and His own glory. And this will remain true in every situation in life, however apparently meaningless or terrible. Whatever we are going through if we belong to Jesus, we have good reason not to be troubled. Abide with Jesus in the love of His Father. Be conformed to Him in self -giving love. Be modelled after his pattern of humility and obedience, and a life of ceaseless intercession. Then you will also be able to endure with Him your cross, and so share in His resurrection.

Do not let your hearts be troubled, said Jesus. Stay close to Jesus. Listen to Him. Look at Him. Imitate Him. Abide with Him. Love Him. Pray a lot. Be very certain that to have faith in Jesus, to know Him and to love Him is incomparably the greatest blessing that life can give us. The only real calamity is to be separated from Him. Everything else is relative, and passing. This will last forever.

As the priest and poet George Herbert says in his poem “The Call”:

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life;
Such a Way as gives us breath,
Such a Truth as ends all strife,
Such a Life as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength;
Such a Light as shows a Feast,
Such a Feast as mends in length,
Such a Strength as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart;
Such a Joy as none can move,
Such a Love as none can part,
Such a Heart as joys in love.

Amen.

The Rev’d Dr James Lawson
St Mary Magdalene, Enfield, 03/05/2026