Eternal Life Begins Now

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

There’s something striking about today’s Gospel. Jesus is about to enter His Passion. The Cross is only hours away. And what does He talk about? – Glory.

And then He says something that should stop every one of us in our tracks: “This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”

Notice what Jesus does not say. He does not say eternal life begins after death. He says eternal life is knowing God. Right now. Today. In this moment. That changes everything. Because a lot of us secretly treat faith like spiritual insurance. Be decent. Avoid major sins. Go to Mass sometimes. Try not to mess up too badly. Then hopefully Heaven later.

But Jesus never described Christianity as merely preparing for eternal life someday. Christianity is entering eternal life now through relationship with Him. And relationships are personal. You can know about someone without actually knowing them. I know facts about famous athletes, musicians, actors but they don’t know me. There’s no relationship there. Sometimes we do the same thing with God. We know prayers, doctrines, Bible stories. But deep down, we keep Jesus at a safe distance. We give Him information-level access to our lives instead of surrender-level access.

And here’s the hard truth: nothing in this world satisfies the human heart because we were made for communion with God. That ache we carry – the restlessness, the constant search for more, the feeling that even good things are never enough, that ache is not a flaw. It’s a signpost. It points us to Him. Jesus says, “I gave you glory.” Meaning: “I gave you My life. I shared My relationship with the Father with you.” That is insane if you think about it. God doesn’t merely tolerate us. He invites us into divine intimacy. But intimacy requires trust.

And trust is hardest when life gets painful. That’s why this Gospel matters so much. Jesus speaks these words on the edge of suffering. Which means eternal life is not the absence of crosses. Eternal life is communion with the Father even in the middle of crosses. Some of us are waiting for peace before we turn to God fully. But often peace comes through surrender, not before it. The saints understood this. They weren’t perfect people with easy lives. They were people who allowed Jesus access to everything – their fears, wounds, failures, desires, and future.

And that’s the invitation today. Not just to believe in Jesus from a distance. But to know Him. To let Him know you. To stop hiding. Because eternal life has already begun for the person who walks with Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, so often I settle for knowing about You instead of truly knowing You. Break through the walls I keep around my heart. Teach me to trust You, especially in the places where I am afraid. Let eternal life begin more deeply in me today. Help me walk with You, remain with You, and love You with my whole life. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko