An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

Lake Willoughby, VT "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (From John 17:1-11 ) Lake Willoughby is the most scenic lake in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont The Lake is surrounded by mountains on either side and fed by cold springs, giving it God's natural beauty. God's gifts in this lake include camping, fishing, sailing, swimming, and ice skating. For me, though, it is more than a scenic lake. As I look across the clear water, through the mountains, and up to the sky above, I am reminded of eternal life. Jesus, however, is speaking of a different kind of eternal life. He is not referring only to something in the future. He is describing eternal life as something we share even now. Eternal life is central John’s Gospel, but modern ideas confuse a richer meaning. Jesus shows God’s love for the world desiring to draw all into God’s own eternity life, which is participation in the very ...

  "The Mooch" “I will not leave you orphaned;  I am coming to you" (from John 14:15-21 ) Have you ever experienced feelings of being lost or abandoned? This is “The Mooch” He earned that name after he appeared at the sliding door of our deck with a forlorn look. Like many feral cats, we have no clue where he came from and how he happened to choose our deck. So, being kind to cats, Elaine fed him. From then on, we could count on his appearance. Sometimes he would stay for an hour, sometimes he would stretch out and enjoy the sun most of the day. His one rule was: don’t try to catch me. One day he didn’t show up. Then he didn’t show up for three days in a row and we concluded something happened to him or he simply decided to move on in search of another deck with a sliding door. Once again, “The “Mooch” was on his own. Jesus, though, made a promise to his disciples: he would not abandon them. It’s hard to get through life without experiencing feeling lost...

 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going,  so how can we know the way?” (from John 14:1-14   )    As I write, it’s the celebration of Route 66’s 100th anniversary. Founded on November 11, 1926, US 66 stretched 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica. During the 1930s Dust Bowl, it served as a key migration route and boosted local businesses. Signs and advertising from 1927 made travel easy. Thomas's question to Jesus, “How can we know the way?” reflected his desire to better grasp Jesus’ teachings and understand how to follow them. Just as travelers once relied on Route 66 to guide them west, we rely on spiritual guidance to navigate our own journeys—sometimes finding the path less clear as traditions change or challenges arise. Upon reflection of my personal faith journey with Jesus, I have considered this question throughout my spiritual development and transitions between churches. “How can we know the way?” Initially, the solutions appe...