Seeds of peaceful possibility

A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour, Penticton, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Sunday, May 3rd, 2026, by the Very Rev. Ken Gray

JOHN 14:1-14

A few weeks ago, on the 5^th Sunday in Lent, I preached on the text from John’s Gospel: “I am the resurrection and the life.” At the time I noted that it is one of the opening texts at funeral services. Today we return to another equally important funeral text:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.”

Both texts offer reassurance that we, Christians, are people with a future, people surrounded by God’s abiding and eternal love in the present moment, and through to that time and space which is beyond all time and space. The common theme found in both texts is love, love offered and received.

Fast forward in today’s Gospel text to Jesus’ response to Thomas — Thomas is that annoying disciple who asks the most awkward questions, time after time; in this case: Where are you, and where are we, going? Jesus answers: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

A lot of interpretive ink has been spilled over the years on these few words. Many take the liberty of inserting a word into the text: I am the (only) way, and the (only) truth, and the (only) life, an exclusive understanding of salvation — Christian, yes; any other religion or belief system, no. Such an understanding seems reinforced by the second part of the phrase: “No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Many scholars understand  such an exclusive position as part of a widespread anti-Jewish bias found throughout John’s Gospel — Remember that in many cases, Christians were expelled from Synagogues. Rivalry and animosity were widespread in the first century of Christian church history.

Such discord between Christians and Jews continues today; in one sense the walls between the two have never been higher. World religions, and for Christians,  our own denominations, still return to our various silos for comfort and reinforcement. We benefit from, and prefer, our own specific identity, and will guard it, sometimes forcibly.

The above notwithstanding, the 20^th and 21^st centuries have seen significant inter-faith sharing between religions. Some years ago I was surprised to hear Archbishop Desmond Tutu say that if he had been born into a non-Christian family and community, he might have been raised a Muslim, or a Buddhist. Throughout his lengthy ministry, and through his involvement with the World Council of Churches and the South African Council of Churches he was increasingly comfortable with an “ecumenical Christianity.” An article from the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation describes The Arch’s evolving ecumenism:

“In his later years, following his retirement as Archbishop, Desmond Tutu became more and more involved with interfaith engagement. Tutu’s relationship with the Dalai Lama became a worldwide symbol of the kind of spirit between faiths that could make a difference in dozens of troublespots in the world.”

For “The Arch,” believing is one thing; acting on one’s belief is equally important:

“Every single religion has played at some time or another a part in making [our] world more divided while claiming to be a messenger of peace. On the other hand, the world’s major religions do carry within them seeds of peaceful possibility. It’s just that too often, there are practitioners that get in the way.”

So, friends, let us also not get in the way of sharing insights and experiences with people of faith everywhere. Where might we encourage “peaceful possibility?” During my missionary years in northeastern  BC I met Father Poulet, a devout Roman Catholic missionary priest, who at age 80 enjoyed a fine reputation as an ecumenist. He said many times that we can’t do everything together; so let’s just do what we can. And we did.

Some final words, again, from Jesus to us:

“Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Creator, from the depth and breadth of creation, we thank you.

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