Seeing the Father Through the Son

“Seeing the Father Through the Son”

Reflection on John 14:7-14

In this Gospel passage, Jesus speaks intimately with His disciples, offering them a profound revelation: “If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:7). These words are both comforting and challenging. Comforting, because they reveal the nearness of God the Father through the person of Jesus; challenging, because they invite us to deepen our understanding and trust in this divine relationship.

Philip’s request, “Lord, show us the Father,” reflects a common human desire—to see and experience God in a tangible way. Jesus responds with a loving but firm correction: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” This statement affirms the mystery of the Trinity and the unity between the Father and the Son. To see Jesus in His words, actions, and love is to truly see the Father.

Jesus also reassures His followers of the divine works being done through Him: “The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.” In a world that often doubts or seeks signs, Jesus directs us not only to His teachings but to the works—the miracles, the mercy, the sacrifice on the Cross—as testimony of His divine origin and mission.

This passage concludes with a bold promise: “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” These words call each of us to active faith. Through the Holy Spirit, which Jesus later promises, the Church would carry out even greater works—not in spectacle, but in scale and spiritual fruitfulness. We, as members of the Body of Christ, are called to continue His mission, to be visible signs of the Father's love in the world.

Key Takeaway:
To know Jesus is to know the Father. In our daily walk of faith, let us look to Christ as the living image of God and trust that through belief in Him, we are empowered to continue His mission of love, truth, and service.