Where's That Homework?

"I am the way, the truth and the life," Jesus told His disciples. "No one comes to God the Father except through me." "Show us God the Father," the Apostle Philip said. Jesus answered, "If you've seen me, you've seen my Father. I am in Him and He is in me."

You're in class, but you know your homework is sitting at home. You don't remember leaving it there, but you've torn your desk and backpack apart and haven't found it, so where else could it be? 

Some kids will swear to their teachers that their homework must have been stolen or fallen out of their backpacks - or even that the dog ate it! But most kids own up to the fact that, even if they have no proof it's at home, they probably left it there.

This week's Gospel (John 10:11-18) is about the biggest thing we can't prove: that there is a God. The Apostles want to know exactly what God the Father looks like, but Jesus says they're going to have to trust Him: God exists.

When you know you finished your homework but can't find it, you can assume it was left at home. You picture it sitting on your bed or dresser, waiting to be put in your backpack but forgotten in the morning rush to get to school.

In a way, Jesus was asking the Apostles to do something like that. If they believed in Him, He said, they should just believe in God the Father too, because Jesus and His Father were the same person. 

The Apostles had never seen God the Father, but they saw Jesus and the miracles He did. Who else could Jesus be except God - and, if that was true, who could Jesus' father be except God the Father?

If you can picture your homework and believe you know where it is without proof - and even swear that to your teacher - maybe believing in other things you can't see isn't such a big leap.

(04/30/09)