John 14:8

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied.”

There is an old Steve Martin routine in which Martin casually tells us that he would like to be the all-knowing master of time, space, and eternity.  Most people don’t realize it, but Philip is casually asking for something much like the same thing in today’s verse.  It’s like the story of when Jesus spoke to St. Thomas Aquinas in a moment of mystical ecstasy and asked him what in the wide world he wanted.  Thomas replied, “I will have thyself.”  It’s a tall order, asking Jesus to produce God the Father front and center for our inspection and — more incredible still in St. Thomas’ case — for our possession.  What is even more amazing is that Jesus does not rebuke the request (as you or I would) by saying something like, “What?  You think I have him in my back pocket?”  Instead, his breathtaking reply is, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.”  Spend a few moments today and really think about the enormity of that reply.