“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems”

Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. - Padre Pio

Gospel Text: (JN 14:1-12)

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.

You have faith in God; have faith also in me.

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?

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.

Where I am going you know the way.”

Thomas said to him,

“Master, we do not know where you are going;

how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you know me, then you will also know my Father.

From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him,

“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”

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’?

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.

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,

or else, believe because of the works themselves.

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.”

I really like the glimpses we get of the apostles in the gospel today because it lets us see the human side of Jesus, his patience and his love for them. These men were often confused, puzzled, ready to believe, but they are human. Jesus tells them to not let their hearts be troubled because he has a place for them. They know the way. But Thomas and Philip are not so sure. Their hearts and minds haven’t quite caught up. We, like the apostles, have to believe, and if we believe, that’s just the beginning. We have to believe and live the belief every day. Jesus and his message are the way, the truth and the life. At times, we will be like Philip: If you could just give us a clue, give us a little something.

We have been shown the way. If we believe and follow the way, we have to love our neighbor. We have to walk on the right path. That’s not always easy. We know the right way. The problem is, we are looking for a detour, “that shortcut” because it can be difficult.

There are no shortcuts.