May 22, 2022; Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C)

 

Readings: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Rv. 21:10-14, 22-23; Jn. 14:23-29

 

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

1. We are often afraid of the unknown. We fear for our life when faced with strange pains. How do I deal with conflicts in my life? Have I saved enough for rainy days? How do I pay my mortgage? Will I keep up with the payments on my house, car, children’s education, or utilities? These fears often deprive us of inner peace and create confusion in our life. Therefore, Christ wants us to stop asking questions like, ‘What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink?’ He urged us instead “To seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Mt. 6:31-34). Today, the readings tell us that we are not alone in our quest for peace. As his Ascension was approaching, Christ promised his apostles peace and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

2.     We note that life was not always without problems even among early Christians. During the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, they welcomed the gentiles to the faith. These came with their peculiar problems that made many uncomfortable. Some brothers demanded that the Gentiles observe and obey the Jewish laws and practices, especially be circumcised. This stand created a rift among the Apostles, and the converts which necessitated the first Council of Jerusalem, convened by the Mother Church. The Apostles trusted themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and listened to each other. “Then the whole meeting quieted down and listened while Barnabas and Paul told of the great signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.” (Acts 15:12). 

 

3.     When we take a stand or fail to pursue the unity of the Church or refuse to concede our positions, though we know we are wrong, we tear the body of Christ apart. We are often torn apart by anxieties, indifference, apathy, philosophies, ideologies, ideas, and our particular sense of Church that make us pitch a tent only on one side of the divide and refuse to listen to others? When we feel that we are the standard of judgment and fail to consider the good of our brothers and sisters, are we not sinning against charity and the very God we sought to serve? Listen to St. Paul: “But if you bite and devour one another, take heed, or you will be consumed by one another.” (Gal. 5:15).

 

4.     There will always be something that will disappoint us about the Church, parish, families, and our communities. A tension-free church and society are not possible in this world. In the world of the second reading, there will be a new heaven and new earth. There, we will experience a perfect church, society, and world. But before then, how do we solve the problems of this world and heal the divides in our lives? The Church always solved problems by calling people together for dialogue while listening to all and at the same time, giving the Holy Spirit room to function and facilitate healing and proffer solutions. Such was the case in the first reading with the Council of Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit working among the Apostles in the Council brought about the solution to their problems. 

 

5.     In today’s gospel, Jesus promised the Apostles the gift of the Holy Spirit. He tells them not to be afraid. The Holy Spirit is a counselor, a friend, and an advocate who will plead on our behalf. “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” Christ says, “but put your trust in God.” In the midst of our disappointments, pains, fear, and trepidation, Christ promises us his presence. “It is I, do not be afraid.” (Mt. 14:27). The Holy Spirit will always steer the ship to the shore of peace and tranquility. When we sin, the Spirit will get us back up again. In our prayer, the Holy Spirit will be there to support us. “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself pleads for us with unutterable groaning.” (Rom. 8:26). 

 

6.     With the Holy Spirit comes peace. Peace is not the absence of war but, according to Baruch Spinoza, “a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition of benevolence, confidence, justice.” It is the presence of Christ working in his people; it is a life lived in God. The peace promised by Christ is indicative of an indwelling of the Trinity in the life of a Christian. A life lived in absolute surrender to the will of God. And so, Christ said that the peace he gives is different from the peace given us by the world. 

 

7.     Let us at this Mass for the gifts of Peace and the Holy Spirit. May the Eucharist that we celebrate help us to discover the Lord of peace. May the Spirit help us settle our differences and know that our strength is not in our failures but in our ability to get back up each time we fail. Amen

 

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP