Jesus is an immortal diamond. There are so many sides to him, so many ways of seeing him and of understanding the meaning of his life and mission. But no matter how we chose to understand Jesus we can never separate him from his Father. The life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth only make sense when seen in relation to God the Father, the one Jesus called Abba. The Father is not just the best prism for gazing at Jesus. He is the only prism.
There are many reasons why Jesus was sent into the world by the Father. Here are three:
Firstly, Jesus is the one who reveals the Father. St John the Evangelist writes: “No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son who is nearest to the Father’s heart who has made him known” (John 1:18). Jesus, the Father’s Beloved Son, has first-hand experience of the Father. He knows the Father personally and intimately. He knows who the Father is. He knows the contours of the Father’s heart and he knows the love that the Father has for humanity. There is no one better ‘qualified’ to reveal the Father than Jesus.
Secondly, Jesus is the one who leads us to the Father’s house; he shows us how to find our way back home. This is what he means when he says, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). In the Letter to the Hebrews Jesus is described as the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (see 12:2). He is the one who leads us in our faith and brings it to completion. If we did not have the guidance of Jesus we would find ourselves wandering around in a wilderness, lost and confused. Jesus is our compass. It is he who keeps us focused on our destination. And our destination is the house of the Father, the place where we will know that we are accepted, cherished and safe.
Finally, Jesus is our companion. Not only does he show us the way to the Father’s house, he also accompanies us on our journey there. Jesus is not a detached authority figure who tells us what to do from a distance. He is our brother who walks alongside us. In the Incarnation Jesus made himself one with us. He entered into solidarity with us, sharing our joys and our sorrows, our successes and our failures, our hopes and our fears. And because of his resurrection Jesus continues to be present to us and in us as our invisible companion. On our journey home to the Father’s house we have the faithful friendship of Jesus.