Commentary on the Gospel of
The opening words of the lyrics of one of the greatest rock music pieces are ‘Is this a real life, is this just fantasy (...)’; The lyrical subject sings about his life, where he is trying to escape from illusions and begin a real, although hard, life. The Twelve are in the face of their Master’s passion; no, it was not quite obvious for them where everything was going to. Jesus had told them about his death and resurrection – would you believe if you were one of them? The time has arrived to face the truth. This is nothing they have known so far, now things are going to change.
What are the rooms Jesus is talking about? What is his Father’s house? And, why Jesus is telling them ‘I shall return to take you with me’. The figures Jesus showed them – rooms in his Father’s house – are not rhetorical figures, but reality of an eschatological nature. Is seems, they will be parted from Jesus but at some time in the future they will be again with Jesus. From their perspective these answers are covered by a mystery, but they were given a substantial promise.
Although the meaning of this promise is unknown they were obliged to follow Him. ‘you know the way’ – Jesus said. As they may expect it is not the way from Jerusalem to ‘somewhere’; it is not a path through a desert. They know the way because Jesus is the way, all he had said and done and all he would do in the nearest future. The way goes to the Father to the ultimate unity in heaven. A part of this mystery will be revealed when they have got the Holy Spirit, his presence is crucial for Christian understanding of all paschal events.
This is a real life, what is coming is real as well, but the reality will change. What Jesus has to do is a key. They will see it and with the help of the Holy Spirit they will become witnesses and participants of it.
