Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Our place
“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. Jn 14,1-6
We came to the world in our birthplace, with the body that God has given to us to take us where he wants, as if we have been provided with a taxi to take us on a panoramic tour before going to the theatre. Eventually, we will get down and enter the theatre to enjoy the show of eternity with our ticket in the hand, which the Lord has given us and which assures us that a place has already been booked, all for us. I do not know where I am still being taken by this taxi, on which I have been sitting for many years, and which, in recent times, has needed maintenance more frequently. I only know that I am holding a ticket that assures me the entrance and a place in eternity, and that the taxi driver is Lord himself, who knows the “way” to go there, the “truth” about where I am going and the “life” that I will enjoy for eternity. And this is enough for me. I thank my parents who allowed me to get on this taxi, from which, looking out the window, I can see landscapes, sunrises and sunsets, the summer sun and the snow in winter. I thank them because I was educated in the faith and I am grateful to the many people who have allowed this faith to grow. I thank my children, to whom I think I have given what they needed, but from whom I have received even more. I thank my teachers at school, who opened my mind to knowledge and the way of gathering it. I thank the colleagues and collaborators who have taken over during my career as an engineer. I Thank the people I met in my short political activity. I thank the many friends and even the few enemies that I have had. I thank Anna Maria, whom I had the privilege of having as travelling companion, and with which, though not knowing how, I know I will be together in eternity, because her place will be next to mine. I Thank everybody, while the taxi is still running to the place I am expected, with the Lord at the wheel.