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Gospel reflection for May 2, 2026, Fifth Sunday of Easter
The events of this particular evening were moving along quickly with much of what was happening being unexpected. The disciples were on edge as the mood in Jerusalem had turned against Jesus and they were fearful that something dangerous would occur. As they assembled together for the evening meal, Jesus first disrupted the event by washing their feet. Then, as the meal progressed Jesus announced that one of them was about to betray him and that before the next daylight Peter would publicly even deny knowing who Jesus was. Then, suddenly and without explanation, Judas Iscariot left the room.
Jesus spoke to them in a more veiled language than usual, was beginning to sound a bit sentimental, and told them that they were to love one another as the one commandment he was going to give them.
He sounded like he was going to leave them and go somewhere, but just where, when and how was not yet clear.
Reading through the Gospels, it is apparent that the Apostles struggled to understand Jesus and often sought deeper clarification from him. This part of the Last Supper Discourse between Jesus and the Disciples takes on the tone of students seeking clarification from the teacher.
Jesus called them to follow him, and he said to them, “Where I am going, you know the way.” Jesus clearly expected that after all of this time with him they knew his message and were prepared to follow him. But then Thomas interrupted and said, “We do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?”
Was Jesus unclear and wanted to be asked or was he frustrated by the challenge from Thomas? This is neither the first nor the last moment of unclarity we see from Thomas in John’s Gospel. He sought to understand more fully what Jesus was asking of him and the others.
Jesus responded: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” Jesus is the path — the only path — to the Father. To know Jesus is to know the Father.
Jesus drew their focus from this life and this journey that he was taking, to the walk to eternal life. This was a walk he was about to take, but in taking this walk to eternal life, he was forging a pathway for them to follow.
This is a journey that Jesus invites us all to take with him.
Our desire to know the Father is fulfilled as we come to know the Son more clearly.
Still, the disciples who had followed Jesus throughout his ministry and then at the very end of this phase of his ministry, were confused. They did not know what to make of this talk of knowing the Father through him.
Philip clearly expresses their confusion by then challenging Jesus: “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
How many of us have had that Philip moment in our own lives? We have those moments in life when we are overwhelmed by life itself, or we get drowned in our own lack of certainty and questions of faith that we just cry out asking God to show himself so that we can believe. Just show us the Father, that is enough.
Jesus responded to Philip the same way he responds to us during those moments: “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’?”
As we all struggle at times to understand what God asks of us, we take consolation in the uncertainty of the Apostles themselves.
Just days later Thomas will refuse to believe or accept the testimony of the Disciples in the upper room that Jesus had appeared to them. It will take a week before Jesus returns and directly confronts Thomas, showing him his hands and his side.
These Apostles teach us that struggling with faith, and looking for more clarity and understanding is in fact a good thing. We can be, as they were, drawn into a deeper faith, augmented and highlighted by the works we do in the name of the Lord.
Thomas and Philip both committed the rest of their lives to the proclamation of the Gospel. Thomas was speared to death in modern day India in about 72. Some 10 years later, Philip was crucified upside down on a hill in Turkey. Their witness — martyrdom — inspires us in our faith and draws us to say with Thomas “My lord and my God.”
Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.