ADVENT MEDITATION: DECEMBER 21, 2021

23, 121; 27
Job 42:1-6 1 Pet. 1:3-9 John 14:1-7

There are no dumb questions. We reveal our fears about not-knowing as we distance ourselves from the disciple we call Doubting Thomas, whose feast day it is. No doubter, Thomas is a saint of undefended curiosity, and he draws Jesus into the heart of the Gospel right before our eyes with his simple admission and question: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

Jesus has been revealing the way all along, embodying and describing the ultimate framework of God’s gentle generosity inside of which all human life takes place: “there are many dwelling places, I’m preparing a place for you, you already know everything you need to know.” Imagine a space of silence between verses 5 and 6. Jesus is quiet after Thomas’s question. They look at each other. Jesus sees that Thomas is hung up on the idea of knowing things. He also sees in him desire and willingness to know for real. Putting his hands on Thomas’s shoulders, Jesus looks directly into his face for some time before he says, simply, I am the way. In four words, Thomas is unsnagged from the fear of not-knowing, and pulled into relationship with the One through whom all things were made. In the midst of our forward movement through Advent toward Christmas, Thomas reminds us: the Way is already finding us.

God of all knowing, give us the grace to be undefended learners, that we may recognize the Way of Christ that is ours. Amen.