This is indeed a thought-provoking question! When we use words such as this (even though the same intention in the Prayer of the Faithful might also be worded in other ways), we express our own deeply held belief about who Jesus Christ is and what he means for us. Yet we also rejoice to see people of other faiths willing to join us in the effort to foster peace and harmony in the world; we would never want to characterize their desires and efforts in this regard as inauthentic or fruitless.

Actually, we can reconcile our faith — and, I think, even this precise expression of it — with the greatest respect for sincere believers of other faiths. Indeed, the questions that arise from such a formulation offer a wonderful opportunity to share with others our understanding of Jesus in a way that implies and involves the utmost respect for them as well.

Jesus Christ is sometimes regarded by non-Christians, and perhaps even some Christians, as a rival of other founders of world religions. But if Jesus is understood in the manner that unfolds in the Bible and taught by the Church from the early Councils in the first millennium, the picture that emerges is quite different from this. This concept is unique among world religions.

All great religious founders expound a body of truths and a way of living, leading people in the pursuit of ultimate religious values. But Jesus says of himself, “I am the way and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). In a similar vein, St. Paul writes that Jesus “…is our peace” (Eph 2:14). Christians hold him to be all these things because of our belief that in him, God has taken on human flesh and has come among us. We see in him the same God who called Abraham into a relationship that both Jews and Muslims consider foundational to their religious identity, the same God who created and loves all human beings, wishing them to live in harmony and offering to all people of good will the power to live in peace.

Of course, people of other faiths do not see Jesus in this way. But if they can see that we do understand him in this way, perhaps they may also understand that our adherence to Jesus as Lord is entirely consistent with the deepest respect for all who seek the truth with sincerity, who wish to follow a way of life that is good, and who work for peace. We do not repudiate their quest for these good things; we join them in that quest. But we also hold the simple but profound belief that the very truth, the life, the way, and the peace they seek along with us are not merely some good thing but someone — a person who has the name Jesus.

As Christians, we cannot reduce Jesus to a mere symbol of universal values, pretending that there are no real differences between our beliefs and those of others, or that these differences are insignificant. True love seeks not to hide religious differences but to reach across them out of love for the other.

The Jesus whom we believe to be the singular incarnation of the God of the whole universe is a tangible and visible historical figure, born in Bethlehem from the Virgin Mary at a specific moment in time, crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem, buried in a tomb that can still be visited today, and risen from the dead two days later. These beliefs are indispensable for us even when they are not shared by others.

But we also remember and cherish his words: “I will not reject anyone who comes to me” (Jn 6:37). He did not say, “Anyone who comes to me knowing my name and all of my vital statistics and using these specific words.” Thus, it is possible to apply Jesus’ actual words to someone of another confession or even of none, who is, however, making a sincere and selfless effort to discover and live out the ultimate truths of life and to foster peace.

In light of all that we believe Jesus to be, saying that true peace “comes only from Jesus” should not be considered to imply that believers of other faiths cannot work for it fruitfully. The attainment of true and lasting peace is a goal beyond the reach of any human power. It comes ultimately from God, whom some others seek under various names and descriptions but whom Christians herald as coming among us in the form of a baby — Jesus — whose birth was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah who called him the “Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6).

 Msgr. Michael Magee (Living City, USA)