There is something really beautiful in everything that Christ does, and that is that he continuously tells us, it is not for him or his sake that he asks us to do things, but for our Father in Heaven. Jesus is so willing to give completely of himself. It reminds me of when he told the Apostles that, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down his life for his friends." (Jn 1513) Jesus lets us know that his words and works are from the Father. This is how he is in the Father and the Father in him. Thus they become one.
"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."
Jesus promised to send the Advocate and with the help of this Holy Spirit send by the Father in Christ Jesus' name, we will have great power to do His will. It is an incredible amazing thing. Hard to be true, yet it is. How does it relate to our own life?
A brother who has sought God in nearly every religion throughout his life looks at my faith and asks, how can you believe? Why can't I quite turn the question around and ask, why don't you believe? In today's reading Philip asks Jesus to explicitly show everyone the Father as proof. Thomas the Apstle is with them. Philip and Thomas portray those doubts and uncertainties we all have. This is why Jesus has already challenged Thomas to put his fingers into the wound marks. Now he explains explicity how he and the Father are one, how what he does glorifies the Father, and how we are to be united with him in following him in his works to also glorify the Father: to give our whole selves to God. Christ died for our sins, that he could raise us up with himself for the honor and glory of God. Alleluia!
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