Since the thoughts of the disciples had fallen, the Lord raised them up, saying: "Today the Son of Man is glorified," and urged them not to lament, but rather to rejoice. For suffering and bringing honor to men through dishonor are His glory. And in other words: He was glorified through the miracles that took place on the Cross, namely: when the sun was darkened, the stones were torn asunder, the veil was torn asunder, and all other signs were performed. What does it mean that "God will glorify" the Son "in Himself"? That which glorifies through Himself, not through another, not through angels and archangels, not through another power, but through Himself, for He did all things for the glory of the Son. "Soon He will glorify Him," that is, He will not delay, but will glorify Him on the Cross itself, then after three days He will raise Him up, and after forty days He will send down the grace of the Spirit to His disciples. Let us also look at the purpose of these words. "Today the Son of Man is glorified," that is, I, who teach, who work miracles; and the glory did not stop at me, but ascended to God and the Father. And as My glory becomes the glory of the Father, do not complain. For the Father will glorify Me again, that He also may be glorified. For I do not appropriate glory to myself, and does it not ascend to Him? Yes, We have common glory. For this reason He will glorify Me again, and He will not delay, but quickly: when I endure dishonorable sufferings, when, apparently, I am taken from among the living through death, then He will honor Me more, then through the resurrection He will glorify Me.

Children! I will not be long with you. Ye shall seek me, and as I said unto the Jews, whithersoever I am going, ye cannot come, so I say unto you now. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Since they will soon be subjected to disasters, the Lord foretells them about this, so that they remember the disasters and prepare for them. This also serves for His glory. For the announcement to the disciples in advance of what would happen to them was no small glory to Him, when the disciples afterwards remembered that the Lord had foretold them about it. And showing that not only now, for the first time, He would know, but also knew long ago that in temptations they would seek Him, He says that He, as one who foresaw Him long ago, said the same thing to the Jews.

With the words: "Where am I going," the Lord shows that His death is a transition and repose to a better place, where perishable bodies are not accepted. He said to the Jews: "Ye shall seek Me, and whithersoever I go, there ye cannot come" (John 7:36), in order to instill fear in them, and to His disciples He said in order to kindle love in them. For when we see one of our friends withdrawing, we are usually inflamed with ardent love for him, especially if he goes to a place where it is impossible for us to go. Therefore, He says this to them, in order to kindle love in them. Wherefore he added, "children," lest they should think that he had said this to them out of the same disposition as the Jews, but out of love. The Jews sought the Lord when their city was taken, and the wrath of God came upon them from every side, as Joseph testifies that it followed with them because of the death of Jesus. The disciples searched when they ran or experienced other sorrow. For this reason He says in another place: "The bridegroom shall be taken away, and then the friends of the bridegroom shall fast" (Matt. 9:15). Thus, the Lord foretells the future to both of them, but to some because of unbelief, to others because of love, so that they are not exposed to unexpected calamities. Since, having heard this, they could naturally be perplexed, like people who will be left without help, He comforts them, saying: Do not grieve: I give you a mighty guardian – love; if you have it, then, strengthened by one another, you will be invincible. Then, someone could ask: Lord! why do you pass off love as a new commandment, when we know that love is commanded in the Old Testament as well? He adds: "As I have loved you, that you also love one another." Just as, he says, I loved you freely, without prior merit, even when human nature was in enmity with God and separation, yet I took it upon Myself and sanctified it: so you also love one another freely; and if your brother insults you, do not remember it. You see, the new commandment is to love your neighbor freely, even if you owe him nothing. And the Law said: "Thou shalt love thy friend," commanding by love, as it were, to pay the debt to one's neighbor who began to love first. And showing that after His departure they will not be despised, but will become glorious, he says: "By this all will know." You see, he declares that they will become known to all, and by this he consoles them not a little. Keeping silent about the miracles that they will perform, love sets them as their distinguishing sign. For many of those who have worked miracles will hear: "I know you not" (Matt. 7:23). If the whole universe was brought to faith by miracles, what is surprising? That is why they had the power to work miracles, because they had love. And if they had fallen behind and separated from one another, then all of them would have perished, and no one would have believed when they had raged against one another, whereas what made them worthy of faith was that believers had one heart and one soul (Acts 4:32).

Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord! where are you going? Jesus answered him, "Where I am going, you cannot now follow Me, but afterwards you will follow Me." Peter said to Him, "Lord! why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for Thee. Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for me?" Verily, verily, I say to you, the will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Peter, having become bold out of great fervor, when he heard the Lord say: "Where I go, there you cannot go," asks: "Where are you going?" He asks about this, not so much wanting to know where He is going, as secretly expressing the thought that even if You have walked the most difficult path of all, I will follow You even then. So he loved to always be together with Christ! For this reason Christ also answers Peter's thought: "You cannot follow Me now, but afterwards you will follow Me." But Peter is so irrepressible in his striving that he contradicts Christ. He is dissatisfied with the fact that he received a good hope of following Christ later, but he insists on his own and confidently says: "Why can't I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You." Look, what a power of desire! Peter heard the Lord say that "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13); therefore he himself strives for this degree and desires to attain the highest love, which is why he promises to lay down his life for the Lord. The Saviour, showing him that He alone, and not any man, can confidently promise this, says: "The will not crow until you deny Me three times," that is, now; for there is not much time left. The Lord spoke this late at night, and the first and second watches of the night had already passed. Since Peter contradicted out of great love, the Lord accepts love, and cuts off contradiction. For this reason He deprives him of help from above and brings him to the knowledge of his own weakness. For if you love, you must submit to Him Whom you love. I said that you can't, and you contradict. From renunciation, you will clearly know that what I say cannot but come to pass. Therefore, sparing him, He allowed him to fall, so that he would not be subjected to this later, when he would accept the economy of the universe, but would know himself. And watch how he fell: not once, but three times. Thus forsaking from God exposes our powerlessness, and whoever is attentive finds in it the greatest blessing.

Chapter Fourteen

Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, and believe in me.

When the apostles heard about the supreme Peter that he would renounce, they were naturally embarrassed. For this reason the Lord comforts them and calms the confusion of their hearts. For if the supreme and fiery Peter abdicates three times before the crows, evidently they must wait for some great circumstance. Then, as it were, the disciples said; How can we not be troubled when such difficulties come to us? He answers: "Believe in God, and believe in Me," and all your difficulties will be resolved, and confusion will be calmed through faith in God and in Me. For this reason He said to them: "Let not your heart be troubled," so that by the very fact that He sees the state of their hearts and knows the hidden confusion, they would be convinced that He is God.

In My Father's house there are many mansions; and if it were not so, I would say to you, "I am going to prepare a place for you." And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, that you also may be where I am.

The Lord said to Peter, "Afterwards you will follow me." Lest others think that this promise was given to Peter alone, and not to them, the Lord says that the same country that will receive Peter will receive you. Therefore, there is no need to be embarrassed about the place. For there are many mansions "in My Father's house," that is, under the authority of the Father. By "house" you mean power and authority. But if there were no mansions, I would go and prepare for you, so that you should not be troubled in either case whether the mansions are ready or not. For if they were not ready, I would have prepared them for you with all diligence. If I had departed to prepare a place for you, I would not have left you, but would have taken you with me, so that you also might be where I am. It is therefore unwise for you to be troubled when you are with me.

And whither I am going, you know, and you know the way. Thomas said to Him, "Lord! we do not know where you are going; and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.

The Lord sees what is on their minds – to ask and find out where He is going. Therefore, He gives them a reason to ask about it. You, he says, know where I am going, and you know the way, and thereby leads them to the question. That is why Thomas says: "Lord! we do not know where you are going; and how can we know the way?" Thomas says this out of great fear, and not out of a desire to follow the Lord, as Peter did. Therefore, Christ, wishing to show that it is convenient and pleasant for them to follow Him, declares where He is going and what path He takes. He goes to the Father, and the "way" is He Himself – Christ. If I am the way, then through Me you will undoubtedly ascend to the Father. I am not only the way, but "and the truth"; therefore you need to be cheerful, because by me you will not be deceived. I am still "and life"; therefore, even if you die, death will not prevent you from coming to the Father. Watch therefore, for everyone comes to the Father through Me. And as it is in My power to bring to the Father, you will surely come to Him. For it is impossible to come there in any other way than by Me. And you, perhaps, understand from this that the Son is equal to Him who begat Him. For in another place He says that the Father brings to Him: "No man can come to Me except the Father draws him" (John 6:44). And here He says that He leads to the Father. Therefore the Father and the Son have equal power, for the action is one. Thus, when you go by activity, then Christ is the way for you, and when you exercise yourself in contemplation, He is the truth for you. But just as many, marching on activity and contemplation, nevertheless did not receive life, either because they received a reward here by performing virtue out of vanity, or because in dogmatic opinions they deviated from the right path; then life is added to the way and truth, that is, to activity and contemplation. For this reason we too must go and theologize, striving for the glory that lives forever, and not for the glory that perishes, from men.

If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.