Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

The hermitage at Mt St Francis
with its dock in the water.

If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The gospel of Saint John often invites us to live in the love of Jesus. We first hear the invitation when two of the Baptist’s disciples start trailing after Jesus. He turns and looks at them and asks, “What are you looking for?” They reply, “Rabbi, where do you live?” and he tells them, “Come and see.”

Often our religion seems like a book of questions and answers, a catechism. There’s an answer for every question and a question for every answer. It’s presented as if our faith is very clear, reasonable, and understandable.  And then the critics come along with unanswerable questions and the book suddenly seems rather useless.

Jesus used no book when he instructed his disciples. The Word made Flesh, he invited them to live in his love, in the house that is his heart.

In that first chapter of John’s gospel I imagine the new disciples going to Nazareth to stay with Jesus and Mary. It’s not implausible because she is there with them when they attend a wedding in Cana.

What a wonderful place that must have been to visit! And even better to live there! Was there enough food? They shared what they had. Was there enough space? They made space. Like the birds of the air, they couldn’t be worried about where to sleep or what to eat.

Sometimes I like to go in my imagination with Jesus to their home and listen to their conversation. I can see Jesus washing the dishes as Mary dries them. I can see them insisting I just sit and rest a while as they manage the chores. I’d be willing to help, of course, but as their guest they won’t permit it. It’s better just to enjoy their chatter and the pleasure of their hospitality.

Throughout the Gospel of John we hear those questions, “Where does he come from?” and “Where is he going?” Jesus never answers when the questioners are skeptical or hostile. This is not a geographical quiz. Knowing the right answer does no good at all.

To find Jesus we actually have to leave everything and follow him into his house. Even as he and the Father make their home in us:

Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.

We have been living in the season of Lent for the past five weeks, and preparing to enter Holy Week. By Easter we still won’t be able to tell anyone where Jesus lives but we should be able to say, “Come and see.”