IF ANYONE LOVES ME

XXI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 13:22-30

More than once, Jesus was asked about salvation. A rich man came to him and asked, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Mt 19:16). To that question, Jesus gave a straightforward answer: Keep the commandments. On this Sunday, the gospel presents a similar question: “Sir, will there be only a few saved?” Prophet Isaiah, in the first reading, announces that God will offer salvation to people of all nations: “I am coming to gather the nations of every language. They shall come to witness my glory.” “And of some of them I will make priests and Levites, says the Lord.” (Is 66:18, 21) However, salvation is not for the faint-hearted. It demands effort, and it implies hardships. That’s what Jesus states clearly in the answer that he gave to the question about salvation: “Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.” And he insists that we must be ready to welcome the Lord when he comes. We must be on the alert; otherwise, we may find the door closed. Then, we will be excluded, and we cannot blame anybody but ourselves. We must always be in a state of readiness to answer God’s call.

The second reading, taken from the letter to the Hebrews, advises us to accept God’s corrections, which take place whenever we go through hardships and suffering in life. “Suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons.” (Heb 12:7). For sure, suffering is never pleasant, and we try to avoid it at all costs. However, an easy life never yields the ripe and sweet fruits of justice, compassion, and love. Hardships are necessary to build a good character and bring forth commitment and responsibility.

The gospel acclamation puts forward the essential attitude of listening and obedience:

“If anyone loves me he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we shall come to him.” (Jn 14:23)

BRINGING FIRE TO THE EARTH

XX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 12:32-48

As this Sunday’s gospel is proclaimed, we may feel confused about the meaning of some of Jesus’s words. “‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!” What kind of fire is Jesus talking about?

In fulfilment of Jesus’ promise, the Holy Spirit will come upon the disciples as tongues of fire, filling them with strength, zeal and boldness to proclaim the Good News of salvation. The coming of the Holy Spirit made possible the beginning of the Church, which must spread to the ends of the earth.

In the Old Testament, God manifests himself in fire, as it happened to Moses on Horeb with the burning bush (Ex 3:2). During their travelling through the desert, God accompanied his people in a “pillar of fire to give them light” ( Ex 13:21). In the great theophany that took place on Sinai, “the LORD had descended on it in fire.” (Ex 19:18). And the book of Deuteronomy presents God as a “consuming fire” (Dt 4:24).

Fire can also refer to love (SS 8:6), God’s love that is poured into our hearts. However, we should not forget that fire is also associated with judgment. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire, and the prophet Malachi speaks of the day of judgment that will come “burning like a furnace” (Malachi 4:1). In the parable of the last judgment, Jesus says that those who are excluded from heaven will go to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mt 25:41). According to Paul, in his Second Letter to the Thessalonians, Jesus will be “revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Tes 1:7-8).

When the judgment comes at the end of time, Jesus will reveal Himself in all His glory, bringing to fulfilment the salvation plan. Then God will be all in all (1 Co 15:28). Jesus’ eagerness to spread the fire indicates his urgency in carrying out the Father’s plan of salvation. To achieve that, Jesus has to pass through suffering and death, which is the baptism that he speaks about, and he is deeply distressed.

Jesus warns his disciples that they will suffer opposition and rejection, even from their own family. They must be ready to go through Jesus’ baptism, that is, His passion. We must be prepared to lose our lives for Jesus Christ; otherwise, we are not worthy of being his disciples.

STAY AWAKE AND STAND READY

XIX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 12:32-48

The second reading taken from the letter to the Hebrews invites us to reflect on faith and presents Abraham and Sarah as role models of faith.

In the Scriptures, Abraham is presented as the first who lived in faith. Called, he answered God’s call, making of his life a journey of relationship with God. God took the initiative and established with Abraham ties of friendship. Abraham proceeded the journey of faith putting himself in God’s hands, full of trust in His love, protection and guidance. He went through difficult moments and his faith was put to the test. However, he never turned his back on God and never doubted his friendship. In the darkest moments of his life, he abandoned himself in God’s hands, being certain that God remains faithful to his promise.

Journeying in faith through life, they realised that “they were only strangers and nomads on earth.” Aware of that, they lived in “in search of their real homeland.” (Hb 11:13-14).

Being strangers and nomads, we must behave in a detached way from the things that may tie us down, making our journey heavy and difficult. In the Gospel, Jesus advises his disciples on the attitudes they should have to walk towards heaven:

• We are weak, fragile, small and poor, but that is no reason to fear: “There is no need to be afraid, little flock”.
• With that confidence in God’s care, our hearts and minds may be free from greed.  “‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Our treasure is in heaven. If we possess wealth, we must use it to get purses in heaven. By sharing with others, we will find brothers and sisters who will accompany us  and speak for us in God’s presence.
• The lamps of our faith must be lit and we must be ready to welcome the Lord when he comes. When He calls out, we must be ready to answer: “Present!”
• We must be true servants - faithful and trustworthy. We are called to serve and the gifts we receive from the Holy Spirit are to be used for the benefit of others. We should never abuse our position and our ministry.
• We must be always ready to carry out our master’s will. We will be answerable for our actions: “The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes.”
• The more we received from the Lord, the more will be expected from us: “When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.”

May the words of the Psalmist echo in our hearts:

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

  The Lord is our help and our shield.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,

  as we place all our hope in you. (Psalm 33)

THERE IS ONLY CHRIST

XVIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 12:13-21

In this Sunday’s readings, the responsorial psalm gives us the mood and the attitude with which we should approach not only the liturgy but also life.

“Make us know the shortness of our life

  that we may gain wisdom of heart.” - Psalm 90

We must become aware of our fragility and weakness. We are mortal, and the span of our lives is short. While in good health, we may appear strong and feel that everything is possible. This may lead us to become reckless with our lives. According to the psalm, we are “like the grass which springs up in the morning”; “it springs up and flowers: by evening it withers and fades.” The first reading, taken from Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), summarises the reality of life, saying: “Vanity of vanities. All is vanity!”. (Ecc 1:2). This truth is illustrated by Jesus in the parable of the rich man who put his heart and soul into his wealth, forgetting that death may take him away at any time. We will take nothing to the grave. In death, all go the same way. This awareness will give us the wisdom to find meaning and purpose for our lives. We should realise that life is to be lived with others. When we prioritise wealth, we develop a sense of self-sufficiency that often overlooks and disregards others. The rich man of the parable did not think about all those who contributed to his wealth. Thus, he did not share, but kept it all to himself. In his selfishness, there was no place for anybody else. In the end, his life was empty and meaningless.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul presents the only way we can find meaning in our lives. Redeemed by Christ, we must put our minds and hearts on the values that must be found in his followers: “Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand.” (Col 3:1). This implies a daily struggle against the false values the entice and seduce us: “That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; and never tell each other lies. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its creator”. (Col 3:8-10)

LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY

XVII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 11:1-13

Luke gives the context for the teaching of Our Father. The disciples had seen John’s followers recite prayers taught by their master. And they wanted the same from Jesus. So they approached Him with a request: “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” And Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer. Luke’s version is shorter than Matthew’s. However, the requests are the same. Mathew expanded on some of the requests found in Luke to have a total of seven. We begin with a profession of faith, addressing God as Father and recognising that we are his children, not by right but by adoption. In Jesus Christ, the Son, we become sons and daughters of the merciful and loving God.

Then, we make our petitions to God. On a first impression, the first two are concerned with God: “Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” However, in reality, they speak of us, praying that God’s name may be hallowed in us. May we be holy, as He is holy. May the glory of God be manifest in us. And then we ask for God’s kingdom to come, so that we may have peace, justice and freedom, that is happiness. For that to happen, we must be ready to do God’s will. The fulfilment of the following requests makes life in the community - that is, in God’s family - possible. We need our daily sustenance, getting the bread that keeps us alive and the bread of life that, uniting us to Jesus, is a guarantee of life eternal in God’s Kingdom. Recognising our sinfulness, we ask for forgiveness and show readiness to forgive. Finally, aware of our shortcomings and weaknesses, we ask that God strengthen us in temptation, so that we stand firm against the evil one.

With trust and confidence, we may approach the Father and ask for what is truly important. We may not be selfish in our petitions. However, God never refuses to give us his greatest gift, the Holy Spirit.

With Abraham, we learn the prayer of intercession, pleading with God to be merciful. May the Lord not punish us according to our sins, but, on account of His mercy and love, forgive us and strengthen us with His Spirit.

SERVANT OF THE CHURCH

XVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Colossians 1:24-28

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul speaks of the mystery: God’s mystery, or the mystery of salvation, which is God’s secret plan of salvation revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the mystery: “The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory”. And Paul was chosen to proclaim this message: “God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you”. That’s why he “became the servant of the Church”. His life has no other purpose but to proclaim Jesus Christ and to “train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ.” To achieve his mission, he is ready to suffer for the Church. He accepts his suffering as sharing in Christ’s suffering, adding up to it. Certainly, Christ suffered all he had to suffer. His cup was filled to the brim. However, in Christ’s mystery, there is the mystery of the Church, which is his body. And Christ goes on suffering in the members of his body until we reach in him the perfection. Then, Christ’s command will be fulfilled: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:48).

In this Sunday’s gospel (Lk 10:38-42), we are presented with two attitudes before the mystery of Christ, one of service and the other of contemplation. Martha loved Jesus and put herself at his service with readiness and commitment. She wanted her sister to do the same. We must be servants of Jesus Christ. That’s why Paul presents himself as a servant of the Church, that is, of Christ. However, we must aim higher. We should strive to become perfect in Christ, and this goes beyond service. Mary forgot about everything else to be with Christ. Paul was granted the extraordinary grace of being one with Christ, sharing in his suffering. He is certain that Christ is our “hope of glory”.

GO AND DO THE SAME YOURSELF

XV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 10:25-37

In the gospel of Luke, we can find some of the most beautiful parables. This Sunday, we are told the parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable was told as part of an answer to a lawyer who tried to catch him with a clever question. The man inquired about what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus returned the question, telling him: “What is written in the Law? What do you read there?” He was an expert in the Scriptures. He should know the answer. By doing this, Jesus unmasked his intentions. And he answered the way everyone knows: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself”.

To receive eternal life - that is, to be saved - one must keep the commandments, and the most fundamental commandments include and summarise all other commandments. Our life must be oriented towards God. He is the supreme value in our lives. Without Him, our lives run to self-destruction, sinking into darkness and despair. And we must realise that love of God demands and implies love of our neighbour. What does that mean? Trying to justify himself, the lawyer asked Jesus: “And who is my neighbour?” Maybe our friends or the ones who live nearby! However, Jesus does not speak about those. According to the parable, we must become the neighbour of those we cross paths with and are faced with their suffering.

In the parable, Jesus makes it clear that our love of God is tested in our attitude towards the suffering ones we meet along the way. The priest and the Levite were men of God coming from fulfilling their duties in the Temple. Certainly, they were in good standing before the community, but they ignored the man in need who robbers had attacked. Their love of God was found wanting. Failing their neighbour, they failed God.

Jesus is the Good Samaritan, who carries our sins and heals our wounds. At the same time, he identifies with the injured man. Ignoring the dying man, they ignored Christ. Our entrance into the Kingdom of God will depend on our compassion and mercy for the suffering ones.

THE MISSION IS ENTRUSTED TO THE DISCIPLES

XIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Luke 10:1-9

This Sunday’s gospel speaks of Jesus sending seventy-two disciples to the “places he himself was to visit”. This was a training mission for his disciples. They should prepare the terrain for Him. And he sent them in pairs. The mission received from Jesus Christ is never individual, but it always implies cooperation with others. As he sent them, Jesus put forward a few pieces of advice.

We should be aware that the task is huge. Indeed, the harvest is big, and the labourers are few. Alone, we will not finish the job. However, the field is not ours; it belongs to the Lord. Thus, we should remind him that he must find more workers for his mission.

The mission entrusted to the Church is full of danger. Jesus doesn’t hide it: “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” We may be attacked and killed. Indeed, through the centuries, many have paid with their lives for daring to announce the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are warned that we must be prepared for rejection. That will be full of evil consequences for those who reject the Gospel. They will be worse off than the people of Sodom.

The missionaries sent by Jesus must be single-minded in the task entrusted to them. They should not waste time on secondary things, like greeting people along the way. In their travels, they should accept people’s hospitality. And they cannot forget that they have a mission of peace. They are sent to proclaim the same Good News that Jesus preached: “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” As a sign of God’s Kingdom, they must care for the sick with love and compassion.

In the second reading, Paul reminds us that the proclamation of the Gospel demands sharing in the cross of Jesus Christ. In communion with Jesus Christ, we become “an altogether new creature.”.

ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH

SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES - Matthew 16:13-19

Being considered pillars of the Church, Peter and Paul are celebrated together on this day. Both of them finished their mission in Rome, where they suffered martyrdom during Nero’s persecution. Chosen by Jesus to be the first leader of the Church, Peter is revered for his faith and his role in the early Church. Guided by the Spirit, he opened the Church to the Gentiles. Paul is celebrated for his extraordinary missionary work, the depth of his theological reflection, and the pastoral care of the churches with which he kept in touch.

In the second reading, taken from 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, Paul reviews his life, giving thanks and praise to God. He is reaching the end of his life, and he has kept the faith. Despite going through many hardships, he fought the good fight and is finishing the race. He knows that he did not put his trust in God in vain. God will fulfil his promise and grant him the “crown of righteousness”.

Even though we celebrate both Apostles Peter and Paul, on this feast day, most people of God concentrate on Peter, having for him greater affection. The New Testament was written to lead us to the faith proclaimed by Peter. When Jesus asks the question that he addresses to us as well, we must give the same answer. The question is simple: Who do you say I am? It is a very personal question that demands a personal answer, but in consonance with the community of faith. With the Church, we must proclaim that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. This faith is the foundation of the Church, and Peter is the bedrock of this foundation. The care of the flock was entrusted to him, and he must confirm his brothers in faith.

We give thanks to God for these two bastions of the Church. May we follow in their footsteps and walk behind Christ as they did.

WHAT I RECEIVED FROM THE LORD

THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST - Luke 9:11-17

In the countries where last Thursday is not a holiday, the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is celebrated today. In the gospel, we are presented with Jesus feeding a huge crowd. Christ behaves like the host who sets the table for his guests (the people of God). His actions are similar to those he will perform during the Last Supper; he took the bread, blessed it (gave thanks for it), broke it and gave it to his disciples “to distribute among the crowd”. The food was so abundant that “they all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected, they filled twelve baskets.” The feeding of the five thousand is an announcement of the great banquet in God’s kingdom, hinting as well to the Eucharist in which we are given the bread of heaven, that is the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The celebration of the Eucharist is an anticipation of the banquet God will prepare, as he promised in Isaiah 25:6. We always celebrate the Eucharist looking forward to the eschatological times.

In the second reading (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), Paul gives us the narrative of the Last Supper with Jesus’ clear command: “do this as a memorial of me”. Paul is utterly certain that the eucharistic celebration comes from the Lord: “what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you”. The tradition of the Eucharist was not established in the early Church, but rather is a fruit of obedience to the Lord’s command.

Since the apostolic time, the Church has always understood Jesus’ words in a literal way. When we approach the altar during Mass, we receive Jesus Himself, His body and His blood, as the bread from heaven. The kernel of the eucharistic celebration comes from Jesus. With Him, we break the bread and give thanks, repeating the same words He pronounced in the Last Supper. The Eucharist is always linked to Jesus’ passion and death, being also the celebration of His resurrection. Paul has no doubts about it: “Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.” And Jesus Himself interprets his death as the sacrifice of the New Covenant, a sacrifice offered for the remission of sins. In the Mass, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross becomes present to us so that we may be reconciled with God.

The first reading, taken from Genesis 14:18-20, speaks of Melchizedek, who was priest and king, and is a figure of the Messiah. Jesus is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, who offered a sacrifice of bread and wine transformed for us into His body and His blood.

Let us approach the table of the Lord with faith and a thankful heart.

 THE LOVE OF GOD HAS BEEN POURED INTO OUR HEARTS

SOLEMNITY OF HOLY TRINITY - 

The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity pervades the entire Christian life and is always present in everything we say and do. Before this great mystery, we must sit in silence with an open mind and loving heart to be touched by the unfathomable reality of God. On our own, we cannot grapple with such a big mystery. We should not be surprised since mysteries are all around us and even within us. We are a mystery to ourselves. There is a Bemba proverb that says munda ya mubiyo tamwigilwa, that is, there is no way to enter your friend’s guts, meaning that we cannot know his thoughts and feelings unless he reveals himself. The same happens with God. Throughout the history of salvation, during a long process, God revealed himself as the One who is always looking for relationships. And that is so because God is relationship. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is Yahweh, the God who is always present and ready to hear our cry and lift us. God is relationship and communion, and that is what we profess and proclaim as we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity. We speak of God as Father, from whom the Son proceeds. That’s why everything the Father has belongs to the Son as well. The Son is the perfect image of the Father. “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” (Jn 1:18). “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col 1:19). Affirming the Trinity is affirming that God is love (1 Jn 4:8). In his letter to the Romans, Paul says that the “love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.” (Ro 5:5). The Spirit proceeds from the Father and is sent to us by the Son (Jn 15:26). He is the Spirit of truth who guides us to the truth and opens our hearts to welcome Jesus and recognise him as the Christ, the Son of God.

We do not believe in three Gods. There is only one God. Christians are monotheists, but whenever we speak of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we are testifying that God is love. Being created in God’s image, we must live in love to reach our fulfilment and be fully human.

We relate to God in a very different way from the way Muslims do. Yahweh and Allah are not the same God. Before Allah, a Muslim is a slave who must submit unconditionally. Before Yahweh, we are children who may call Him: Abba! Father! Allah is a lonely and very distant God. He never addresses his people, but through a messenger. He does not enter into a personal relationship with human beings. He decides and imposes his will as he wishes. We, the disciples of Jesus Christ, live in hope because “by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory.” (Rm 5:2)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

the God who is, who was, and who is to come. (cf.Rv 1:8)

COME, HOLY SPIRIT

SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST

The Jewish Feast of Weeks was also known as Pentecost, as it was celebrated fifty days after Passover. It was a harvest festival during which the first fruits were offered to God. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, the festival became an occasion to celebrate the giving of the Torah (Law) at Mount Sinai.

On this festive day, the group of Jesus’ disciples gathered together had a deep experience that changed their lives forever. Shaken by a powerful wind, they saw something “that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them”. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they overcame their fears and started proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus, on the day of Pentecost, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Church was born. This community of believers is built upon Jesus as the cornerstone of the new people of God, ruled by a new Law. Jesus entrusted his disciples with the mission he had received from the Father. They were sent forth to announce the Good News of the Kingdom of God, and the Holy Spirit empowered them to carry out that mission.

Today’s readings speak of the manifestations of the Spirit and his fruits in the Church. He is the Spirit of truth that guides and strengthens the Church. Being the Spirit of wisdom, he leads us to faith in Jesus, whom we recognise as the Son of God, accepting him as the Christ and the Saviour of the world. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit revealed himself through the symbols of wind and fire. God breathed new life into Jesus’ disciples, thus creating the church that will become a new humanity. The Holy Spirit came as a fire, the fire of love that will warm our lives, making it possible to live in brotherly affection with others. He is the Light of Jesus Christ, showing forth the way to the building of the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit is the living water that quenches our thirst for truth, justice, love and happiness. As living water, the Holy Spirit is profoundly linked with Baptism. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote: “In the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.” (1 Co 12:13). In baptism, through the Holy Spirit, we are born again, becoming children of God:  To the Romans, Paul wrote: “Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. “ (Ro 8;14-17).

With the Holy Spirit, Jesus granted his disciples the authority to forgive sins, making reconciliation possible (Jn 20:19-23). Indeed, He is the spirit of peace who leads us to become builders of peace.

With the Church, let us pray:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in them the fire of your love.

ASCENSION - A CELEBRATION OF HOPE

SOLEMNITY OF ASCENSION - VII EASTER SUNDAY - Ephesians 1:17-23

In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul prays to God, asking that he may give us “a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him.” Indeed, we need wisdom and perception. There is so much that we don’t understand! We should pray as Paul did: May the Lord give us wisdom and understanding. Enlightened by Him, we may find the reasons for our hope, which arises from his call. Jesus’ glorification is a promise and guarantee of our glorification. In Jesus´ Ascension, our humanity has been raised and taken the glory of divinity. The day will come when the glory of God will be fully manifested in us. Then, we will be taken up to inherit the rich glories promised to the saints, and we will recognise the greatness of his power. We can see that power at work in Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, which reveals to us his glorification. God raised Jesus from the dead and made him “sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.”

In the ascension, we celebrate Jesus’ headship not only of the Church but also of the universe. He is the fullness of God that fills the whole creation. Time will come when that fullness will be manifest totally in us; then, we will be taken up with Christ to sing with all the angels and saints the glory of God. Meanwhile, we are called to remain here on earth, wherein we must play the role of yeast, salt and light to bring ever closer the Kingdom of God.

THE FIRST COUNCIL OF THE CHURCH

VI SUNDAY OF EASTER - Acts 15:1-2, 22-29

The early Church faced a huge problem that threatened her unity and risked her existence. The question was fundamental: Can the Gentiles be saved and be welcomed as members of the people of God, the Church? What are the essential conditions for their acceptance? Should they be obliged to follow the Law of Moses, or was it enough to believe in Jesus Christ? Paul was adamant that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ without needing to accept and follow the Mosaic law. Many Jews, mainly those coming from the mother Church in Jerusalem, considered the acceptance of the law to be an essential condition for salvation. Thus, to enter the Church, they should be circumcised. 

Faced with a difficult decision, the new communities of Gentiles sent a delegation to Jerusalem, which presented their case to the Apostles, who called for a meeting with the elders of the Church. Peter was the first to address the assembly, reminding them that the Holy Spirit had led him to welcome the first Gentiles, accepting them into the Church. Then, Paul and Barnabas reported on the evangelisation work that they had done among the Gentiles. In the end, James addressed the assembly and proposed a compromise, thus avoiding a complete break between Jews and Gentiles. Having reached a solution, they wrote a letter to the communities and entrusted its presentation to a delegation composed of Judas Barsabbas and Silas. In the letter to the communities, they affirm that the decision was made by the Holy Spirit, who guided them to settle the problem: “It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves”.

Since then, the first council of the Church has remained a model for many others that would take place throughout the centuries. In times of crisis, the elders of the Church assemble to discuss the big issues that endanger the life of the Church. In those assemblies, called councils (and synods), through the Holy Spirit, they come to solutions that strengthen and guide the whole Church to remain faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Jerusalem, only the Apostles and the elders gathered together. It was a meeting of the shepherds, which helped them to discern the ways of the Spirit for the Church. This has been the tradition of the Church kept through the centuries. Indeed, the shepherds have to look after the flock, and will be called to account if they fail to fulfil their duty. In the Church, we walk together, guided and protected by our shepherds who must take us to the springs of living water. The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, is the role model of all shepherds. He bestows his peace on us and grants us the Holy Spirit, as an advocate and a teacher, who will teach us everything.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

V SUNDAY OF EASTER - Acts 14:21-27/ John 13:31-33, 34-35 Apocalypse 21:1-5

In the first reading, Paul and Barnabas returned to the communities they had evangelised, and they appointed elders in each one of them. We see in action the process of establishing and building up the Church, thus guaranteeing continuity.

Paul and Barnabas were sent on a mission of evangelisation by the Church of Antioch, and they kept their ties with the community which sent them. “On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans.”

The building of the Church implies perseverance in the faith, which is not an easy task, since we go through many hardships. That’s why Paul and Barnabas “commended them (the elders) to the Lord”. They will need God’s grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This first great mission establishes a pattern for future missions. In the name of the Church, preachers will be sent to announce the Good News in foreign lands, where the Church will deepen her roots and become a local Church with her leaders. After being evangelised, she will become an evangeliser. In this evangelisation work, the missionaries are guided by faith and strengthened by hope. The risen Christ will bring about a new world, where God will be all in all (Ep 1:23). In one of his visions, John “saw a new heaven and a new earth”. 

In this new world, “God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.” In the new world, we will be filled with God’s love, a love that we must live and experience while in this world. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must love one another, putting into practice the new commandment:

“I give you a new commandment:

love one another;

just as I have loved you,

you also must love one another.”

THE LAMB WILL BE THEIR SHEPHERD

IV SUNDAY OF EASTER - John 10:27-30

Pope Leo XIV has just been elected to be the shepherd of the Church to promote the unity and strengthen the communion within the Church. His first Sunday mass as Pope will be the Good Shepherd Sunday. We are invited to pray for our shepherds and reflect upon their stewardship. 

By the will of the Lord, in the Church, there are shepherds to whom he entrusted the responsibility of guiding, protecting, and defending the sheep. They must have Jesus Christ as their role model. He is the Good Shepherd who gives life to his sheep. With Jesus, “they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.” Entrusting Simon Peter with the stewardship of his Church, Jesus insisted: “Feed my lambs”, “tend my sheep”, and “feed my sheep” (Jn 21:15-17). The Pope was given a role that was not entrusted to others.

Jesus has endowed the Church with gifts and equipped “the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12).  In the Church, there is a great variety of gifts, and all those who receive them must cooperate and work in harmony for the Good of the Church. The apostles and the shepherds are called to be at the forefront, leading the way to the Kingdom of God.

Even though all Christians are called to give witness to Jesus Christ, the shepherds must be qualified witnesses, keeping the whole Church faithful to Jesus Christ. In his letter to the Romans, Paul recommends an attitude of service in the ministers and advises “the one who leads” to do it “with zeal” (Rm 12:8). It is a duty of the shepherds to lead the sheep to Jesus Christ, and all must listen to His voice and follow Him,

The second reading, taken from Revelation (Apocalypse), speaks of the Lamb as the true shepherd who “will lead them (the sheep) to springs of living water”. In Him, we will find life and salvation. All those who washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb and will “stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his sanctuary; and the One who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.” (Rev 7:9,14-17). May we be counted among them and with them sing the praises of the Lord.

In this Good Shepherd Sunday, we are invited to pray earnestly for the Pope, the Bishops and the priests, mainly those who have people entrusted to their care. Let us pray for many vocations as well. May the Lord grant his Church good shepherds.