Possibly the most painful episode of Jesus’ life was saying farewell to his beloved disciples, preparing them to face the inevitability of his crucifixion. In St John’s Gospel, the extended farewell discourse runs to four chapters. Jesus seeks to reassure his disciples that they will not be left orphans, because the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, will come to them. But equally
importantly, they will be able to join him in the Father’s House, where he is going ahead to prepare a place.
Only through him can his followers find the way to the Father’s House. The Son speaks the truth, which enlightens our minds. And the Son ultimately renews our lives, showing us how to live. Remaining faithful to Jesus’ example means that we are remaining faithful to the purpose for which we were created.
God has made all people alike. We have a shared human nature and an immortal soul. Christians do not seek or benefit from a different eternal destiny than people of other faiths. We all hope for eternal happiness, no matter how it is expressed in our religious tradition. If our aim is “to be in the Father’s House,” then we need to remain faithful to Jesus. Buddhists wanting to attain Nirvana must live according to the Eightfold
Path, which will extinguish their greed, hatred, delusion and attachments, and develop their mindfulness and compassion. Muslims enter Jannah through their faith in the merciful God and his Prophet, and through good deeds and repentance. Hindus are liberated from the cycle of rebirth to attain Moksha and union with Brahman through their four paths: meditation, devotion, knowledge, and action. Good karma eventually outweighs bad karma.
With which non-Christian friends am I hoping to share eternity?
How do I walk with them in this life, respecting their religious insights?
What actions do we take together to leave the world a better place for our being here?
