Jesus is the only way (Sunday homily)

 In the first reading, God says to Abram, get up and go. 

Go where? That’s a little vague. But the key word is “go.” 

In the Gospel, it is almost the opposite. 

God is saying, “Here”—this is my Son. 

In other words, Jesus is the destination, 

the “where” Abram was ultimately sent.

This season of Lent originated as the last weeks of prayer and fasting 

for people who are seeking to become Catholics at the Easter Vigil. 

They realized the day of their baptism, 

confirmation and first Communion 

would be the most important day of their lives.

The beginning of eternal life!

They also knew that being baptized 

was putting their neck on the chopping block. 

This is happening right now in Nigeria, among many other places.

Therefore, if you and I are going to risk our lives, 

we have to know: is Jesus the real deal? 

Is faith in Jesus truly necessary? 

This was the Apostles’ quandary as well.

That raises a thorny question: Is Jesus the only way to salvation? 

It’s a huge question and a brief answer isn’t enough. 

So, please realize I can’t address every nuance here.

That said—yes, Jesus is absolutely necessary for salvation. 

That’s why he is the Savior. That’s why he went to the Cross. 

None of it would make any sense if there was no real need,

if any god or path would do.

Why would God tell Abram to abandon everything familiar to him, 

if praying to the gods of Baal and Aphrodite would work as well? 

Well, then, that makes us wonder,

what about people who don’t believe in God? Don’t believe in Jesus? 

Don’t belong to the Catholic Church? Are they lost?

Again, here’s a short answer where a much fuller one is needed. 

Everyone – I mean, everyone – who ultimately is saved, 

will be in the Kingdom of Jesus, and because of Jesus. 

Jesus died for them, and his grace is what will bring them safely home.  

That doesn’t mean it is automatic, but it means:

Yes, Jesus is the one and only Savior of humanity.

Now: many of those folks may be surprised when they get there, 

to learn that it was Jesus all along. But they will make it.

We might think of this as God providing an ordinary path,

which is faith in Jesus, and the fullness of that is the Catholic Faith.

And, without trying to hit this too hard, 

that necessarily means that when we don’t have 

the fullness of the sacraments, that’s a real disadvantage.

That’s not about being arrogant but acknowledging God’s Plan.

Still, Jesus has ways of working in people’s lives 

that go beyond what we might call the “ordinary,” the primary, path. 

You and I, like Jesus, point out this primary path, 

but we don’t forget that God’s ways go beyond what you and I can see.

For example, suppose you oversleep and you don’t show up 

for a big test; if you don’t pass that test, you flunk.  

You might gain mercy, and your teacher might give you a make-up.

Or, she might not. You can’t assume that, 

but such “Plan Bs” do happen in life. 

And they happen in the spiritual life. 

The mystery of how God works in each human heart 

cannot be reduced to a formula. 

It is wrong to say that if you aren’t baptized, you have no hope.

Likewise, it is wrong to say none of this really matters—

that everyone makes it to heaven.

So, that’s my too-brief explanation.

There remains the invitation of God: do we say yes or no? 

We have many people around the world and in our parishes,

who are preparing now for baptism at Easter. 

Encourage them, pray for them, 

as they weigh the greatest question of all, a question for each of us: 

Who is Jesus? Will I seek him, and give him my all?