In the early days of his public ministry, Jesus traveled many roads with his disciples, healing and teaching and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. There came a time when all these roads narrowed to one road, the road to Jerusalem and to his death. Jesus embraces his destiny and walks boldly towards it, finding in it the true meaning and purpose of his life. “When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem…” (Lk 9,51f) Jesus has a clear understanding that his time on earth is limited. Jesus does not run away from this meeting with death but he is “resolutely determined” to continue on the path that lies ahead of him. “Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.” (Lk 13,33) Jesus teaches us that now is the time for faith not fear.
As we pass through life, our paths will narrow until we are on the road to Jerusalem, on the path to Calvary, struggling through the Way of the Cross and ultimately nailed to the Cross of final suffering. As our exterior freedom becomes limited, it is important that we discover an interior freedom that empowers us in the face of death to determine that our life will not be taken away from us but that we will freely lay it down, so that we may take it up again in the house of the Father. This interior freedom comes from deep prayer. We need to come to a place where we will offer our life freely to God the Father as an oblation of love. Jesus expressed it this way, “This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.” (Jn 10,17f) Maintaining our interior freedom keeps us from falling into anger, depression, helplessness and resentment. It allows us to finish our journey well and be at peace.
Knowing that we are on the last road of our life, it is important that we make a decision to love those around us and to finish our journey in a place of love. “Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13,1f) Love allows us to see that our life has been a gift and that we have been gifted with many beautiful relationships in family and friends. The road to peace lies in gratitude for the special gifts that we have received, “Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (Jn 17,24)
Interior freedom allows us to abandon our small hopes and dreams in this life for a greater hope, for the hope of eternal life in the Father’s house. We can embrace a momentary suffering when we have the hope of an eternity of joy. Jesus, “for the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross.” (Heb 12,2) Jesus consented to his suffering and death, “he advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will but as you will.”” (Mt 26,39) Acceptance of the suffering that we must endure on the final road of our life, as a means to eternal joy in the eternal life of heaven, allows us to finish the work that God has appointed to us.
Our final work on this last road of life is to bless those who have walked with us and shared in our journey. Before departing, Jesus blesses his disciples, “Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.” (Lk 24,50f) As we come to the end of this last road of our life, we look beyond the horizon and see that a new day is already dawning and new life awaits us. The final word of the Father for us lifts us up, “The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”” (Rev 21,5) Our final peace is to rest in the Father’s love, to trust in his Divine Mercy and allow Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to walk us through the dark valley and to lead us home.