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OUTSIDE CHRIST WE TALK ABOUT GOD, YOU ENTER CHRIST

Enunciating one of those absolutes that today so frighten those who confuse the principles of absoluteness of faith with absolutism, Christ responds: «I am the way, the truth and the life ". It does not simply indicate a way, it does not add a truth, nor does it communicate a life as something separable from itself, but it offers itself and declares itself as them.

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Before this page of the Fourth Gospel we often tend to dwell on the phrase "Do not let your heart be troubled", without realizing that the point is not the disturbance, but its cause.

This happens because John is not an easy read: more than on the lines, it must be read beyond the lines. His Gospel does not proceed by simple narration, but by progressive revelation, in which the words always refer to a further depth. It is no coincidence that it is the same Evangelist who closes the Revelation with the Book of Revelation, showing what remains veiled in many of his stories: like when Jesus speaks of "living water" to the Samaritan woman and she understands material water, while in reality it is a life that cannot be seen and that does not end (cf.. GV 4, 10-14). But let's listen to the text:

During that time, Jesus told his disciples: “Your heart is not troubled. Have faith in God and have faith in me too. In the house of my Father there are many homes. if not, I would have ever told you: “I'm going to prepare a place for you”? When I am gone and I will have prepared you a place, I will come again and take you with me, Because where I am you too. And the place where I go, You know the way ". Tommaso told him: "Man, We don't know where you go; How can we know the way?». Jesus told him: «I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you have met me, you will also know my Father: from now on you know him and have seen him ". Philip told him: "Man, show us the Father and that is enough for us". Jesus answered him: «I have been with you for a long time and you have not known me, Filippo? Who saw me, he saw the Father. As you can tell: “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I tell you, I don't say them myself; but the Father, that remains in me, does his works. Believe me: I am in the Father and the Father is in me. If nothing else, believe it for the works themselves. In truth, verily I tell you: who believes in me, he too will do the works that I do and will do greater ones than these, because I go to the Father" (GV 14, 1-12).

It is not fear that disturbs the disciples, but something more radical: it is the disappearance of the reference. When the point of reference disappears, man no longer knows where to go and, when he doesn't know where to go, he doesn't even know how to live. Tommaso, indeed, he's not asking a naive question, but he makes a logical observation: «We don't know where you're going; How can we know the way?». If you don't know the end of the journey, we cannot even know the road that leads to that end. Tommaso does not ask for an explanation, exposes the problem: without knowing where Christ is going, it is not possible to know how to follow it.

By stating one of those absolutes which today so frighten those who confuse the principles of absoluteness of faith with absolutism, Christ responds: «I am the way, the truth and the life ". It does not simply indicate a way, it does not add a truth, nor does it communicate a life as something separable from itself, but it offers itself and declares itself as them. Not one street among others, but the way; not one truth among the possible ones, but the truth; not a life that can be received elsewhere, but life itself. Christ is the divine living negation of religious relativism: In fact, here it is not a question of choosing a path, but to recognize that outside of Him there is no access to the Father: "I am the door: Whoever enters through me, It shall be saved " (GV 10,9).

The statement: "Nobody comes to the Father except by means of me", it means that it is not enough to talk about God, nor look for it, but it is not even enough to believe in it in some way, because without passing through Christ we cannot reach the Father. At this point Filippo asks: "Man, show us the Father and that is enough for us". He is not making a theoretical claim, asks to see God, to have before your eyes what Jesus spoke about. Jesus answers him: «I have been with you for a long time and you have not known me?». Because the problem is not that the Father did not show himself, but that Philip did not recognize where he showed himself. The phrase: "Whoever has seen me has seen the father", it is not a simple reference, but an invitation to recognize that the Son is in the Father and the Father is in Him, generated by the Father and of the same substance as the Father, not something separate, but God from God, light from light, True God from true God, as we recite in the Profession of Faith. This is why looking for the Father outside of Christ is a misunderstanding: not because Christ replaces him, but because the Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son; outside this unity there is no access to the Father: «The words that I say to you are not said by myself; but the Father, that remains in me, does his works".

Here we are not just faced with a teaching to understand, but to a reality that is fulfilled: the relationship between the Son and the Father in which man is made a participant. This does not mean that Christianity is not thought: on the contrary, it arises from the Logos and is structurally linked to reason, according to that unity between faith and reason that tradition has always preserved, from Sant'Anselmo d'Aosta to the teaching of John Paul II. Faith is not a set of feelings - to which it is increasingly often reduced today -, but a vision of reality, of man, of God. And precisely because it is Logos, Christianity does not remain an abstract thought: the Logos became flesh. And here's the point: what is true does not remain theory, but it becomes life. Faith is not born from an idea, but from the encounter with Christ; an encounter that involves intelligence and life together. Because of this, in Christianity, thought and life, that is, faith and reason, they don't oppose it: thought without life would become ideology, life without thought would be reduced to blind experience. In Christ, instead, the truth is given as life and life manifests itself in truth.

It is in this sense that Jesus is not simply teaching something, but he is doing what he says: in Him the Father works, because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. And faith is not just adherence to a teaching, but participation in this action of God which takes place in history: “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and will do even greater ones”. This expression does not indicate a superiority of man over Christ, but the fact that, walking to the Father, He makes it possible for his work to continue beyond the time of his visible presence, involving those who believe in Him. Christ does not disappear, but it operates differently. It's not just about imitating gestures, but to enter into the sequela Christi, that comes from being involved in his work, and it is from here that true imitation also arises.

This is where the Church is born: where the work of Christ continues in history. This is why the disturbance of the heart does not disappear because everything becomes clear, but because we are no longer outside of what He does. Without Christ we can speak of God, but only for Christ, with Christ and in Christ we enter the work of God.

From the island of Patmos, 3 May 2026

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OUTSIDE CHRIST THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THE FATHER

By enunciating one of those absolutes that today so frighten those who confuse the principles of the absoluteness of faith with absolutism, Christ responds: «I am the way, the truth, and the life». He does not simply indicate a way, nor add a truth, nor communicate a life as something separable from Himself, but He offers Himself and declares Himself as them.

.

.

Before this passage of the Fourth Gospel, one often tends to dwell on the phrase «Let not your heart be troubled», without grasping that the point is not the trouble, but its cause. This happens because John is not easy to read: more than on the lines, he must be read beyond the lines. His Gospel does not proceed by simple narration, but by progressive revelation, in which words always refer to a deeper reality. It is no coincidence that the same Evangelist, with the Book of Revelation, closes Revelation, unveiling what in many of his narratives remains veiled: as when Jesus speaks of «living water» to the Samaritan woman and she understands material water, while in reality it is a life that cannot be seen and does not run out (cf. Jn 4:10–14). Let us listen to the text:

«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. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.» Philip said to him, «Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.» Jesus said to him, «Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 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.» (John 14:1–12).

It is not fear that troubles the disciples, but something more radical: it is the loss of the point of reference. When the point of reference is lost, man no longer knows where to go and, when he does not know where to go, he no longer knows how to live. Thomas, in fact, does not ask a naïve question, but formulates a logical observation: «We do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?». If the destination of the journey is not known, the road that leads to it cannot be known either. Thomas does not ask for an explanation; he lays bare the problem: without knowing where Christ is going, it is not possible to know how to follow Him.

By enunciating one of those absolutes that today so frighten those who confuse the principles of the absoluteness of faith with absolutism, Christ responds: «I am the way, the truth, and the life». He does not simply indicate a way, nor add a truth, nor communicate a life as something separable from Himself, but He offers Himself and declares Himself as them. Not one way among others, but the way; not one truth among many, but the truth; not a life that can be received elsewhere, but life itself. Christ is the living divine negation of religious relativism: here it is not a matter of choosing a path, but of recognizing that outside Him there is no access to the Father: «I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved» (Jn 10:9).

The statement «No one comes to the Father except through me» means that it is not enough to speak about God, nor to seek Him, nor even to believe in Him in some way, because without passing through Christ one does not reach the Father. At this point Philip says: «Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us». He is not making a theoretical request: he asks to see God, to have before his eyes what Jesus has spoken about. Jesus answers him: «Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip?». The problem is not that the Father has not been shown, but that Philip has not recognized where He has been shown. The phrase «Whoever has seen me has seen the Father» is not a mere reference, but an invitation to recognize that the Son is in the Father and the Father is in Him, begotten of the Father and of the same substance as the Father, not something separate, but God from God, light from light, true God from true God, as we profess in the Creed. Therefore, seeking the Father outside Christ is a misunderstanding: not because Christ replaces Him, but because the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son; outside this unity there is no access to the Father: «The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works».

Here we are not faced only with a teaching to be understood, but with a reality that takes place: the relationship between the Son and the Father in which man is made a participant. This does not mean that Christianity is not thought: on the contrary, it is born from the Logos and is structurally linked to reason, according to that unity between faith and reason which the tradition has always preserved, from Saint Anselm to the magisterium of John Paul II. Faith is not a set of feelings — to which it is increasingly reduced today —, but a vision of reality, of man, of God. And precisely because it is Logos, Christianity does not remain an abstract thought: the Logos became flesh. And here is the point: what is true does not remain theory, but becomes life. Faith is not born from an idea, but from the encounter with Christ; an encounter that involves both intelligence and life. For this reason, in Christianity, thought and life, that is, faith and reason, do not oppose each other: thought without life becomes ideology, life without thought becomes blind experience. In Christ, instead, truth is given as life and life is manifested in truth.

It is in this sense that Jesus is not simply teaching something, but accomplishing what He says: in Him the Father acts, because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. And faith is not only adherence to a teaching, but participation in this action of God that takes place in history: «Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and will do greater works than these». By this expression no superiority of man over Christ is meant, but the fact that, by going to the Father, He makes it possible for His work to continue beyond the time of His visible presence, involving those who believe in Him. Christ does not disappear, but acts in a different way. It is not only a matter of imitating gestures, but of entering into the Christi sequel, which is born from being involved in His work, and from which true imitation also springs.

From here the Church is born: where the work of Christ continues in history. For this reason the trouble of the heart does not disappear because everything becomes clear, but because one is no longer outside what He accomplishes. Without Christ one can speak about God, but only through Christ, with Christ and in Christ does one enter into the work of God.

From the Island of Patmos, May 3, 2026

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OUTSIDE OF CHRIST THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THE FATHER

Stating one of those absolutes that today so frighten those who confuse the principles of the absolute nature of faith with absolutism., Christ answers: «I am the way, "truth and life". It does not simply indicate a path, it does not add a truth nor communicate a life as something separable from itself, but it is offered and declared like them.

.

.

Before this page of the Fourth Gospel, We often tend to stop at the phrase "Let not your heart be troubled.", without understanding that the point is not the confusion, but its cause. This happens because Juan is not easy to read.: more than in the lines, you have to read it beyond the lines. His Gospel does not proceed by simple narration, but by progressive revelation, in which words always refer to a further depth. It is no coincidence that the Evangelist himself, with the Book of Revelation, close the Revelation, showing what remains hidden in many of his stories: like when Jesus speaks of "living water" to the Samaritan woman and she understands material water, while in reality it is a life that is not seen and that does not end (cf. Jn 4, 10-14). Let's listen to the text:

«Your heart is not turned. You believe in God: believe in me too. In my Father's house there are many mansions; but, I would have told you; because I am going to prepare a place for you. And when I have gone and prepared a place for you, I will return and take you with me, so that where I am you may also be. and where I go, "you know the way". Thomas tells him: «Señor, We do not know where you go, how can we know the way?». Jesus tells him: «I am the way, truth and life. No one goes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father; From now on you know him and you have seen him". Felipe tells her: «Señor, show us the Father and it is enough for us". Jesus tells him: "Have I been with you for so long and you don't know me?", Felipe? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say: “Show us the Father”? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I don't say them on my own; the Father who abides in me does his works. believe me: I am in the Father and the Father in me; and if not, believe by the works themselves. Actually, truly I tell you: the one who believes in me, He will also do the works that I do, and will become even greater, because I go to the Father". (Juan 14, 1–12).

It is not fear that disturbs the disciples, but something more radical: is the loss of the reference point. When the reference point disappears, The man no longer knows where to go and, when you don't know where to go, he no longer knows how to live. Tomás, in fact, does not ask a naive question, but presents a logical verification: "We don't know where you're going; how can we know the way?». If the end of the road is not known, nor can you know the path that leads to it. Tomás does not ask for an explanation, reveals the problem: without knowing where Christ is going, it is not possible to know how to follow it.

Stating one of those absolutes that today so frighten those who confuse the principles of the absolute nature of faith with absolutism, Christ answers: «I am the way, "truth and life". It does not simply indicate a path, it does not add a truth nor communicate a life as something separable from itself, but it is offered and declared like them. Not one path among others, but the path; not one truth among many, but the truth; not a life that can be received elsewhere, but life itself. Christ is the living divine negation of religious relativism: This is not about choosing a route, but to recognize that outside of Him there is no access to the Father: «I am the door; "Whoever enters through me will be saved." (Jn 10,9).

The statement "No one goes to the Father except through me" It means that it is not enough to talk about God, nor look for it, not even believe in Him somehow, because without passing through Christ one does not reach the Father. At this point Felipe says: «Señor, show us the Father and it is enough for us". It does not make a theoretical request: asks to see God, have before your eyes what Jesus has spoken about. Jesus answers him: «I have been with you for so long, and you don't know me, Felipe?». The problem is not that the Father has not shown himself, But Felipe has not recognized where he has shown himself. The phrase "He who has seen me has seen the Father" is not a simple reference, but an invitation to recognize that the Son is in the Father and the Father in Him, begotten of the Father and of the same substance as the Father, not something separate, but God of God, light light, true god of true god, as we profess in the Creed. That is why seeking the Father outside of Christ is a mistake.: not because Christ replaces him, but because the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son; outside this unit there is no access to the Father: «The words that I say to you I do not say on my own; "The Father who abides in me performs his works.".

Here we are not only faced with a teaching that must be understood, but before a reality that is realized: the relationship between the Son and the Father in which man is made a participant. This does not mean that Christianity is not thought: on the contrary, It is born from the Logos and is structurally linked to reason, according to that unity between faith and reason that tradition has always guarded, from Saint Anselm to the teaching of Saint John Paul II. Faith is not a set of feelings — to which today it is increasingly reduced —, but a vision of reality, of man and God. And precisely because it is Logos, Christianity does not remain an abstract thought: the Logos became flesh. And here's the point: the truth does not remain a theory, but it becomes life. Faith is not born from an idea, but of the encounter with Christ; an encounter that involves both intelligence and life. That's why, in Christianity, thought and life, that is to say, Faith and reason, they do not oppose: Thought without life becomes ideology, life without thought is reduced to blind experience. in Christ, instead, the truth is given as life and life is manifested in the truth.

It is in this sense that Jesus is not simply teaching something, but doing what it says: in Him the Father works, because He is in the Father and the Father in Him. And faith is not only adherence to a teaching, but participation in this action of God that is carried out in history: «Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and he will make others greater than these.". This expression does not indicate a superiority of man over Christ., but the fact that, when going to the Father, He makes it possible for his work to continue beyond the time of his visible presence, involving those who believe in Him. Christ does not disappear, but it acts in a different way. It's not just about imitating gestures, but to enter the sequela Christi, that comes from being involved in their work, and from which true imitation also springs.

From here the Church is born: where the work of Christ continues in history. That is why the confusion of the heart does not disappear because everything becomes clear., but because one is no longer outside of what He does. Without Christ we can talk about God, but only for Christ, with Christ and in Christ one enters into the work of God.

From the Island of Patmos, 3 May 2026

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