THEME: The Eucharist, the hope of our pilgrimage
The Eucharist is our source of strength as we make our pilgrimage to heaven. The theme of manna runs like a thread through the Old Testament lesson, the Psalm and the gospel. This can be related to the idea of the Church as the pilgrim people of God for whom the Holy Communion is indeed a viaticum as the manna was for the Israelites.
In the First reading, Moses warns the Israelites not to forget God in their moments of prosperity. He tells them “Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you will keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 8:2). It is true that when one prospers, one easily forgets the source of his prosperity. The Psalmist is right when he says, “In his riches, man lacks wisdom; he is like a beast that are destroyed”.
Gratitude they say is the least of all the virtues; however, ingratitude is the greatest of all the vices. The Israelites throughout the exodus did not remain steadfast in their worship of God. Whenever they are prospering, they easily forget God but in their moment of trials they remember God. “ He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:4).
Moses reminds them that they ponder anew what the Almighty God has done for them in the past and show gratitude to God. “ … then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Deuteronomy 8:14).
Moses’s admonition goes to all Christians. We too are on a pilgrimage. Pilgrimages are wrought with challenges. Let us learn to show gratitude to God when he blesses us and in our moments of sorrows or difficulties, let us learn to be patience and trust in His providence. “Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise” (James 5:13).
St. Paul in the Second reading brings out vividly the social dimension of the Eucharist. He reminds every Christian to be of one mind as regards the Worship of God. He realised that in the Corinthian community, there were many who partook of the Eucharist and at the same time partook of food offered to idols. He used the Lord’s Supper as an illustration. When the believer partakes of the cup and loaf at the Lord’ table, he is, in a spiritual way, having fellowship with the Body and Blood of Christ. By remembering Christ’s death, the believer enters into a communion with the Risen Lord.
The same is true for us too. “ The blessing cup that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ…because there is one bread we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). You cannot serve two masters. Christians wake up to this reality. Your dignity lies in your total submission of your will to God. Do not throw away this precious gift to dogs.
In the Gospel reading just as God provided for the Israelites by sending them manna to keep them alive, God has also sent down Jesus who becomes the bread that sustains us. While the Israelites died after eating the manna, Jesus gives us his body as food so that we can have life and have it abundantly.
This week I ask you to examine your personal and social relationship with Jesus and his body, the church. Are you aware that when we take part in the Eucharist, it is a life giving experience? This is because Jesus Says, “… whoever eats of this bread will live forever and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51).
Today, many are grumbling, like the Jews in Jesus’ time about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Just as Jesus never got tired of their grumbling but reiterated his point again and again “… Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53), the Church has never ceased to amaze the world of her belief in the real presence. Each year, we celebrate Corpus Christi in hope that we will be reminded of these great mysteries and great realities of our religious and spiritual lives. So much has been given to us.
St. Thomas Aquinas once said “No sacrament contributes more to our salvation than this; for it purges away our sins, increases our virtues, and nourishes our minds with an abundance of all the spiritual gifts.” In the face of the difficulties the Church is experiencing in recent times, it is only an appreciation of this sacrament that can renew the Church. Let us take consolation in the Words of Pope Benedict XVI that “Truth is stronger than lies; love is stronger than hatred, God is stronger than all the adverse forces.” Indeed, the Eucharist is the hope of a world of fragile peace and empty promises.
In sum, in his message for World Mission in April 2004, Blessed Pope John Paul II said without mincing words that “In order to evangelize the world, we need experts in celebration, adoration and contemplation of the Holy Eucharist.” This is the reason why l doff my heart out to Parishes who have adopted the seventy-two (72) hour adoration. May those who have eyes to see bend low in his sacramental presence. Once we come to know the Lord this way and His presence comes to be an experience, the doctrine will become a living reality and no longer an abstract reality. As Jesus is brought along the streets in our dioceses or in our parishes, let us adore him and thank him for all that he has done for us; we ask him for whatever healing we need especially that he will open the eyes of our minds and hearts so that we can see him in the Holy Eucharist. He is waiting for you.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Homily for the Trinity Sunday, Year A Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9/ Daniel 3:52-56/ 2 Corinthians 13:11-13/ John 3:16-18 THEME: GOD DELIGHTS IN YOU
Today, we celebrate one of the greatest mysteries of our faith namely the Holy Trinity. There is one creator of all, for there is one God the Father, from whom all things are. There is one only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom all things are. There is one Spirit, the gift, in all things. Love is the essence of the Trinity and the three readings all draw our attention to the love of God.
In the First reading, God revealed himself to Moses as a God who loves and forgives iniquity. At the same time he presents Himself as a God who can be loved. “ … The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousand generation forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7a). Later in the Mass, during the Preface in honour of the Holy Trinity, let us listen carefully to these words: “We joyfully proclaim our faith in the mystery of your God head. You have revealed your glory as the glory also of your Son and of the Holy Spirit: three Persons equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, yet one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your everlasting glory”
In the Second reading, we hear a wonderful greeting “ The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:13). This greeting is a true reflection of what the Trinity is all about; if you want, Trinity made simple.
The Holy Trinity bears witness to love, grace and fellowship. Paul admonished the Corinthian community in these words because there was apparent division among them. He told them “Finally brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (2 Corinthians 13:11-12). If we practiced love and seek to be of one mind, divisions will cease, and we will enjoy peace in our Parish communities. To be of one mind does not mean that we all agree on everything, but that we agree to disagree over matters that are not essential.
In the Gospel reading, St. John reminds us about the love of God which is beyond human comprehension. His love is so wide that we cannot get around it; it is so high that we cannot get over it and it is so low that we cannot get under it.
Love is the essence of our creation. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus once said that “Love is the vocation of all.” For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The emphasis for me is on “His one and only Son.” This means that love demands of us sacrifice; sacrifice of something that means so much to us. It is not just our material possession but our very lives. Indeed, God who created the world could have offered something other than His Son because he has the whole world in his hands. But he chose to offer his only Son.
That is why eternal life is for those who believe in Jesus. “There is now no condemnation for the one in Christ Jesus” the fact that God offered so precious a price, He cannot afford to condemn us. We are so precious in his sight. “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). This means that God does not condemn or pass judgment on us. Anyone who does not believe in Jesus condemns himself. Your conscience is that eternal judge who will condemn you.
Many of us find it easy to think of God as quickly offended and easy to punish. Yet that is not the God revealed to us in Jesus. By word and example, He introduced us to a God of love, compassion and great joy; to a Father who takes delight in all His children. Our sins, our failures, our crosses do not limit His capacity or desire to see us grow in His love and thus find perfect happiness. For God says, “ Because you are precious in my sight and honoured and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43: 4).
May the unconditional Love of God spur us on not to give up loving. This is because, love is our identity. Do not give up loving even if people around you show hostility towards you. God desires “steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offering” (Hosea 6:6). Though we are sinners, God does not treat us the way we should be or the way we deserve or the way that is just. God treats us with loving kindness and steadfast love; in fact, He tempers justice with mercy.
In sum, a person becomes cruel because of cruelty he had to endure and now he is healed fully when he experiences unconditional love. God delights in you that is why if you were the only person in this world, Jesus would have still died for you. Oh what great loving concern God had for our salvation in that he not only shed his blood for us but prayed for us too that we may be one just as the Father and the Son are one. God’s love for you is personal. His faithfulness never comes to an end; they are new every morning, great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
In the First reading, God revealed himself to Moses as a God who loves and forgives iniquity. At the same time he presents Himself as a God who can be loved. “ … The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousand generation forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7a). Later in the Mass, during the Preface in honour of the Holy Trinity, let us listen carefully to these words: “We joyfully proclaim our faith in the mystery of your God head. You have revealed your glory as the glory also of your Son and of the Holy Spirit: three Persons equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, yet one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your everlasting glory”
In the Second reading, we hear a wonderful greeting “ The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:13). This greeting is a true reflection of what the Trinity is all about; if you want, Trinity made simple.
The Holy Trinity bears witness to love, grace and fellowship. Paul admonished the Corinthian community in these words because there was apparent division among them. He told them “Finally brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (2 Corinthians 13:11-12). If we practiced love and seek to be of one mind, divisions will cease, and we will enjoy peace in our Parish communities. To be of one mind does not mean that we all agree on everything, but that we agree to disagree over matters that are not essential.
In the Gospel reading, St. John reminds us about the love of God which is beyond human comprehension. His love is so wide that we cannot get around it; it is so high that we cannot get over it and it is so low that we cannot get under it.
Love is the essence of our creation. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus once said that “Love is the vocation of all.” For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The emphasis for me is on “His one and only Son.” This means that love demands of us sacrifice; sacrifice of something that means so much to us. It is not just our material possession but our very lives. Indeed, God who created the world could have offered something other than His Son because he has the whole world in his hands. But he chose to offer his only Son.
That is why eternal life is for those who believe in Jesus. “There is now no condemnation for the one in Christ Jesus” the fact that God offered so precious a price, He cannot afford to condemn us. We are so precious in his sight. “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). This means that God does not condemn or pass judgment on us. Anyone who does not believe in Jesus condemns himself. Your conscience is that eternal judge who will condemn you.
Many of us find it easy to think of God as quickly offended and easy to punish. Yet that is not the God revealed to us in Jesus. By word and example, He introduced us to a God of love, compassion and great joy; to a Father who takes delight in all His children. Our sins, our failures, our crosses do not limit His capacity or desire to see us grow in His love and thus find perfect happiness. For God says, “ Because you are precious in my sight and honoured and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43: 4).
May the unconditional Love of God spur us on not to give up loving. This is because, love is our identity. Do not give up loving even if people around you show hostility towards you. God desires “steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offering” (Hosea 6:6). Though we are sinners, God does not treat us the way we should be or the way we deserve or the way that is just. God treats us with loving kindness and steadfast love; in fact, He tempers justice with mercy.
In sum, a person becomes cruel because of cruelty he had to endure and now he is healed fully when he experiences unconditional love. God delights in you that is why if you were the only person in this world, Jesus would have still died for you. Oh what great loving concern God had for our salvation in that he not only shed his blood for us but prayed for us too that we may be one just as the Father and the Son are one. God’s love for you is personal. His faithfulness never comes to an end; they are new every morning, great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Homily for the Trinity Sunday, Year A Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9/ Daniel 3:52-56/ 2 Corinthians 13:11-13/ John 3:16-18 THEME: GOD DELIGHTS IN YOU
Today, we celebrate one of the greatest mysteries of our faith namely the Holy Trinity. There is one creator of all, for there is one God the Father, from whom all things are. There is one only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom all things are. There is one Spirit, the gift, in all things. Love is the essence of the Trinity and the three readings all draw our attention to the love of God.
In the First reading, God revealed himself to Moses as a God who loves and forgives iniquity. At the same time he presents Himself as a God who can be loved. “ … The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousand generation forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7a). Later in the Mass, during the Preface in honour of the Holy Trinity, let us listen carefully to these words: “We joyfully proclaim our faith in the mystery of your God head. You have revealed your glory as the glory also of your Son and of the Holy Spirit: three Persons equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, yet one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your everlasting glory”
In the Second reading, we hear a wonderful greeting “ The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:13). This greeting is a true reflection of what the Trinity is all about; if you want, Trinity made simple.
The Holy Trinity bears witness to love, grace and fellowship. Paul admonished the Corinthian community in these words because there was apparent division among them. He told them “Finally brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (2 Corinthians 13:11-12). If we practiced love and seek to be of one mind, divisions will cease, and we will enjoy peace in our Parish communities. To be of one mind does not mean that we all agree on everything, but that we agree to disagree over matters that are not essential.
In the Gospel reading, St. John reminds us about the love of God which is beyond human comprehension. His love is so wide that we cannot get around it; it is so high that we cannot get over it and it is so low that we cannot get under it.
Love is the essence of our creation. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus once said that “Love is the vocation of all.” For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The emphasis for me is on “His one and only Son.” This means that love demands of us sacrifice; sacrifice of something that means so much to us. It is not just our material possession but our very lives. Indeed, God who created the world could have offered something other than His Son because he has the whole world in his hands. But he chose to offer his only Son.
That is why eternal life is for those who believe in Jesus. “There is now no condemnation for the one in Christ Jesus” the fact that God offered so precious a price, He cannot afford to condemn us. We are so precious in his sight. “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). This means that God does not condemn or pass judgment on us. Anyone who does not believe in Jesus condemns himself. Your conscience is that eternal judge who will condemn you.
Many of us find it easy to think of God as quickly offended and easy to punish. Yet that is not the God revealed to us in Jesus. By word and example, He introduced us to a God of love, compassion and great joy; to a Father who takes delight in all His children. Our sins, our failures, our crosses do not limit His capacity or desire to see us grow in His love and thus find perfect happiness. For God says, “ Because you are precious in my sight and honoured and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43: 4).
May the unconditional Love of God spur us on not to give up loving. This is because, love is our identity. Do not give up loving even if people around you show hostility towards you. God desires “steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offering” (Hosea 6:6). Though we are sinners, God does not treat us the way we should be or the way we deserve or the way that is just. God treats us with loving kindness and steadfast love; in fact, He tempers justice with mercy.
In sum, a person becomes cruel because of cruelty he had to endure and now he is healed fully when he experiences unconditional love. God delights in you that is why if you were the only person in this world, Jesus would have still died for you. Oh what great loving concern God had for our salvation in that he not only shed his blood for us but prayed for us too that we may be one just as the Father and the Son are one. God’s love for you is personal. His faithfulness never comes to an end; they are new every morning, great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
In the First reading, God revealed himself to Moses as a God who loves and forgives iniquity. At the same time he presents Himself as a God who can be loved. “ … The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousand generation forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7a). Later in the Mass, during the Preface in honour of the Holy Trinity, let us listen carefully to these words: “We joyfully proclaim our faith in the mystery of your God head. You have revealed your glory as the glory also of your Son and of the Holy Spirit: three Persons equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, yet one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your everlasting glory”
In the Second reading, we hear a wonderful greeting “ The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:13). This greeting is a true reflection of what the Trinity is all about; if you want, Trinity made simple.
The Holy Trinity bears witness to love, grace and fellowship. Paul admonished the Corinthian community in these words because there was apparent division among them. He told them “Finally brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss…” (2 Corinthians 13:11-12). If we practiced love and seek to be of one mind, divisions will cease, and we will enjoy peace in our Parish communities. To be of one mind does not mean that we all agree on everything, but that we agree to disagree over matters that are not essential.
In the Gospel reading, St. John reminds us about the love of God which is beyond human comprehension. His love is so wide that we cannot get around it; it is so high that we cannot get over it and it is so low that we cannot get under it.
Love is the essence of our creation. St. Teresa of the Child Jesus once said that “Love is the vocation of all.” For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The emphasis for me is on “His one and only Son.” This means that love demands of us sacrifice; sacrifice of something that means so much to us. It is not just our material possession but our very lives. Indeed, God who created the world could have offered something other than His Son because he has the whole world in his hands. But he chose to offer his only Son.
That is why eternal life is for those who believe in Jesus. “There is now no condemnation for the one in Christ Jesus” the fact that God offered so precious a price, He cannot afford to condemn us. We are so precious in his sight. “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). This means that God does not condemn or pass judgment on us. Anyone who does not believe in Jesus condemns himself. Your conscience is that eternal judge who will condemn you.
Many of us find it easy to think of God as quickly offended and easy to punish. Yet that is not the God revealed to us in Jesus. By word and example, He introduced us to a God of love, compassion and great joy; to a Father who takes delight in all His children. Our sins, our failures, our crosses do not limit His capacity or desire to see us grow in His love and thus find perfect happiness. For God says, “ Because you are precious in my sight and honoured and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43: 4).
May the unconditional Love of God spur us on not to give up loving. This is because, love is our identity. Do not give up loving even if people around you show hostility towards you. God desires “steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offering” (Hosea 6:6). Though we are sinners, God does not treat us the way we should be or the way we deserve or the way that is just. God treats us with loving kindness and steadfast love; in fact, He tempers justice with mercy.
In sum, a person becomes cruel because of cruelty he had to endure and now he is healed fully when he experiences unconditional love. God delights in you that is why if you were the only person in this world, Jesus would have still died for you. Oh what great loving concern God had for our salvation in that he not only shed his blood for us but prayed for us too that we may be one just as the Father and the Son are one. God’s love for you is personal. His faithfulness never comes to an end; they are new every morning, great is His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Friday, June 10, 2011
Homily for the Pentecost Sunday, Year A Acts 2:1-11/ Psalm 104/ 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13/ John 20:19-23 THEME: United we stand, div
The disciples who gathered in the upper room on Pentecost Sunday had gone through the apparent collapse of their dreams about the Messiah. The events of Good Friday had been a terrible blow to their hopes but Easter Sunday was a turning point. The Risen Christ gave them a new dream and a better hope. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Blessed Trinity. As a person, he presupposes a relationship. No Christian can live apart from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is, therefore, a unifying force in the Body of Christ, the Church.
Vance Havner once said “We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God” The early Church had none of the things that we think are so essential for success today- buildings, money, political influence, social status and yet the Church won multitudes to Christ and saw many Churches established throughout the Roman world. Why? Because, the Church had the power of the Holy Spirit igniting her ministry. That same Holy Spirit is available to us today to make us effective witnesses for Christ. The ministry of the Spirit is to glorify Christ in the life and witness of the believer (John 16:14).
In the First Reading, St. Luke reiterates the fact that the conditio sine qua non for the Pentecost event was unity. “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place” (Acts 2:1). However, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were distributed among the disciples, “Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them and a tongue rested on each of them” (Acts 2:3). Thus, there was unity in diversity as far as gifts were concerned.
Furthermore, it also reminds us that it is the same Spirit that distributes the gifts and so no gift is more important than the other. As the Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the Church puts it, “Whether these charisms be very remarkable or more simple and widely diffused, they are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation since they are fitting and useful for the needs of the Church."
Again, I must emphasise that the Holy Spirit is not violent as some people think. Instead, it is a gentle Spirit. We are told that “And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). The simile “like” as used is just for comparison; the Spirit was compared to a violent wind perhaps to emphasise the fact that when we receive the Holy Spirit, it must necessarily stir our timid hearts and cause us to witness. Paul, therefore, admonishes Timothy in these words “ For I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self- discipline” (2Timothy 1:6-7).
Anyone who truly experiences the Holy Spirit cannot but bear witness to Jesus. Such was the experience of the disciples. Their behavior amazed the crowed and in their astonishment, they remarked “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in our own native language” (Acts 2:7b-8).
It is this unity in diversity as regards the gifts of the Holy Spirit that the second reading brings out explicitly. One of the marks of an individual’s maturity is a growing understanding of and appreciation for his own body. There is a parallel in the spiritual life: as we mature in Christ, we gain a better understanding of the Church, which is Christ’s body. When as Christians, we allow division to take root among us, and then it is obvious that we are not maturing in our faith.
There was growing tension or division in the Corinthian community and this urged Paul to write this piece to them to remind that they form one body and it is the same spirit that is at work in them all. In this section of the text, Paul stresses on unity in the body of Christ in four main areas.
The first bond of spiritual unity for Christians is that we confess the same Lord (vv. 1-3). If indeed we claim to confess the same Lord, then there cannot be division among us. Division and dissension among God’s people only weakens their united testimony to a lost world (John 17:20-21).
Secondly, by virtue of this Spiritual bond, we depend on the same God (vv. 4-6). There is a Trinitarian emphasis here: “the same Spirit … the same Lord … the same God.” We individually may have different gifts, ministries and ways of working but it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Why then do we compete among ourselves?
Thirdly, we minister to the same body because of this spiritual bond (vv. 7-11). The gifts are given for the good of the whole Church. They are not for individual enjoyment, but for corporate employment. When we accept our gifts with humility, then we use them to promote harmony in the Church. No Christian should complain about his or her gifts, nor should any believer boast about his or her gifts. We are many members in one body, ministering to each other.
Finally, as a result of this spiritual bond, we have experienced the same baptism (vv. 12-13). The baptism of the Spirit occurs at conversion when the Spirit enters the believing sinner, gives him new life and makes his body the temple of God. All believers have experienced this once- for-all baptism; it need not be repeated. Therefore, because of the Spirit, which we received at conversion, we are all members of the body of Christ. Race, social status, wealth, or even sex do not matter anymore as we fellowship and serve the Lord.
The Gospel reading sums up everything about the Pentecost events. As a Christian community, we are to be an instrument of God’s peace to world of fragile peace and broken promises. Jesus did not condemn the disciples for their unfaithfulness; he gave them peace in place of their betrayal.
Again, he commissioned them as a body and not as individuals. “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me so do I send you” (John 20:21). It is important to note that Jesus did not single out the Apostles, remember that on the day of Pentecost about 120 people were gathered in the upper room including some women (Acts 1:15). Therefore, the universal call of every baptised Christian to a life of evangelisation is affirmed here.
It must have given the disciples great joy to realise that in spite of their many failures, the Lord was still entrusting them with so heavy and important a task. Jesus not only reassured them of his continuous presence, he also enabled them through the power of the Holy Spirit by breathing on them.
In sum, like our Lord’s death at Calvary, Pentecost was a once-for-all event that will not be repeated. The Church may experience new filling of the Spirit and certainly patient prayer is an essential element to spiritual power. No matter how we have fared in the past year in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, He makes everything new. Today is no exception. May he renew and animate our Spirit so that we can mature in our Christian life and not to continue to drink milk.
Vance Havner once said “We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God” The early Church had none of the things that we think are so essential for success today- buildings, money, political influence, social status and yet the Church won multitudes to Christ and saw many Churches established throughout the Roman world. Why? Because, the Church had the power of the Holy Spirit igniting her ministry. That same Holy Spirit is available to us today to make us effective witnesses for Christ. The ministry of the Spirit is to glorify Christ in the life and witness of the believer (John 16:14).
In the First Reading, St. Luke reiterates the fact that the conditio sine qua non for the Pentecost event was unity. “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place” (Acts 2:1). However, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were distributed among the disciples, “Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them and a tongue rested on each of them” (Acts 2:3). Thus, there was unity in diversity as far as gifts were concerned.
Furthermore, it also reminds us that it is the same Spirit that distributes the gifts and so no gift is more important than the other. As the Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the Church puts it, “Whether these charisms be very remarkable or more simple and widely diffused, they are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation since they are fitting and useful for the needs of the Church."
Again, I must emphasise that the Holy Spirit is not violent as some people think. Instead, it is a gentle Spirit. We are told that “And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). The simile “like” as used is just for comparison; the Spirit was compared to a violent wind perhaps to emphasise the fact that when we receive the Holy Spirit, it must necessarily stir our timid hearts and cause us to witness. Paul, therefore, admonishes Timothy in these words “ For I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self- discipline” (2Timothy 1:6-7).
Anyone who truly experiences the Holy Spirit cannot but bear witness to Jesus. Such was the experience of the disciples. Their behavior amazed the crowed and in their astonishment, they remarked “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in our own native language” (Acts 2:7b-8).
It is this unity in diversity as regards the gifts of the Holy Spirit that the second reading brings out explicitly. One of the marks of an individual’s maturity is a growing understanding of and appreciation for his own body. There is a parallel in the spiritual life: as we mature in Christ, we gain a better understanding of the Church, which is Christ’s body. When as Christians, we allow division to take root among us, and then it is obvious that we are not maturing in our faith.
There was growing tension or division in the Corinthian community and this urged Paul to write this piece to them to remind that they form one body and it is the same spirit that is at work in them all. In this section of the text, Paul stresses on unity in the body of Christ in four main areas.
The first bond of spiritual unity for Christians is that we confess the same Lord (vv. 1-3). If indeed we claim to confess the same Lord, then there cannot be division among us. Division and dissension among God’s people only weakens their united testimony to a lost world (John 17:20-21).
Secondly, by virtue of this Spiritual bond, we depend on the same God (vv. 4-6). There is a Trinitarian emphasis here: “the same Spirit … the same Lord … the same God.” We individually may have different gifts, ministries and ways of working but it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Why then do we compete among ourselves?
Thirdly, we minister to the same body because of this spiritual bond (vv. 7-11). The gifts are given for the good of the whole Church. They are not for individual enjoyment, but for corporate employment. When we accept our gifts with humility, then we use them to promote harmony in the Church. No Christian should complain about his or her gifts, nor should any believer boast about his or her gifts. We are many members in one body, ministering to each other.
Finally, as a result of this spiritual bond, we have experienced the same baptism (vv. 12-13). The baptism of the Spirit occurs at conversion when the Spirit enters the believing sinner, gives him new life and makes his body the temple of God. All believers have experienced this once- for-all baptism; it need not be repeated. Therefore, because of the Spirit, which we received at conversion, we are all members of the body of Christ. Race, social status, wealth, or even sex do not matter anymore as we fellowship and serve the Lord.
The Gospel reading sums up everything about the Pentecost events. As a Christian community, we are to be an instrument of God’s peace to world of fragile peace and broken promises. Jesus did not condemn the disciples for their unfaithfulness; he gave them peace in place of their betrayal.
Again, he commissioned them as a body and not as individuals. “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me so do I send you” (John 20:21). It is important to note that Jesus did not single out the Apostles, remember that on the day of Pentecost about 120 people were gathered in the upper room including some women (Acts 1:15). Therefore, the universal call of every baptised Christian to a life of evangelisation is affirmed here.
It must have given the disciples great joy to realise that in spite of their many failures, the Lord was still entrusting them with so heavy and important a task. Jesus not only reassured them of his continuous presence, he also enabled them through the power of the Holy Spirit by breathing on them.
In sum, like our Lord’s death at Calvary, Pentecost was a once-for-all event that will not be repeated. The Church may experience new filling of the Spirit and certainly patient prayer is an essential element to spiritual power. No matter how we have fared in the past year in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, He makes everything new. Today is no exception. May he renew and animate our Spirit so that we can mature in our Christian life and not to continue to drink milk.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Homily for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 1:12-14/ Psalm 27/ 1 Peter 4:13-16/ John 17:1-11 THEME: The Hol
In a week’ time, we will be celebrating Pentecost and mother Church presents us with three beautiful readings for our reflection and edification. It would seem most appropriate on this Sunday before Pentecost to take the picture of the disciples waiting in the upper room for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which is the result of Jesus’ departure to the Father and his ensuing glorification.
In the First reading, we are told that the disciples obeyed the Lord’s instruction by returning to Jerusalem. One significant point worthy of note is the fact that all who run away because of the persecution returned to Jerusalem, “ Peter, and John, and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James” (Acts 1:13). St. Luke mentioned the names of all the disciples (except Judas Iscariot) to underscore the fact that even though they all abandoned the Lord during his passion, the grace of God brought them together again for the greatest event in history namely Pentecost.
It is significant to note that they were together. What were they doing? “All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers” (Acts 1:14). It is obvious it was in the environment of prayer that the disciples experienced the Holy Spirit and not an atmosphere of hatred, division and all the things that has characterized our Christian communities today. Perhaps, the presence of the mother of Jesus may have been the catalyst to that unity.
How easy it would have been for someone to bring division into this beautiful assembly of humble people. How easy to criticize Peter for his cowardly denial of the saviour. Or perhaps Peter might have blamed John, because it was John who brought him into the high priest’s house (John 18:15-16). John might have as well reminded the others that he had faithfully stood by the Lord and had even been chosen by the lord to take care of his mother. But there was none of this. In fact, nobody was even arguing over who among them was the greatest.
It is not enough for Christians to have faith in the Lord; they must also have faith in one another. To these 12o people (Acts 1:15), the Lord had given the solemn responsibility of bearing witness to a lost world and none of them could do the job alone. They would experience severe persecution in the days ahead. The disciples, therefore, recognize that the task ahead of them was a herculean one and playing the blame gain was absolutely unnecessary. Rather, they recognized that it was time for praying together and standing together in the Lord.
The world was overwhelmed at the unity that now existed among a community that was once scattered as a result of the Paschal Mystery. They started persecuting them. The Second reading, therefore, is a reminder to all Christians that persecution awaits all who do the work of God. “ Beloved, do not be surprise at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’ sufferings, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed” (1Peter 4:12-13).
St. Peter’ idea of rejoicing over suffering deserves reflection on our part. To begin with, there was a time when Peter had just the opposite view. When Jesus said one day that he had to go to Jerusalem to suffer greatly and be put to death, Peter judged suffering and death to be undesirable that he blurted out: “May you be spared, Master! God forbid that any such thing ever happen to you!” Later when a servant girl questioned him about him being an associate of Jesus, he blatantly denied it. On Good Friday, Peter was nowhere to be found when Jesus was arrested.
Something happened to Peter after the death and resurrection of Jesus that changed his outlook on life completely. The Holy Spirit with his gift of wisdom penetrated the mind of Peter and his brothers that they could clearly see the truth that Jesus had been telling them all along. “For the sake of the joy which lay before him, he endured the cross, heedless of its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was happy to suffer because he knew what the result of his loving obedience to his Father would be his glorification.
The disciples were given to understand that like Jesus, every Christian is called to an obedient acceptance of suffering because it will lead us to the fullness of life as we share eventually in the resurrection of Christ.
Jesus in the Gospel reading popularly called “Jesus’ Priestly prayer” recognized that persecution awaits all his followers and so he consecrated them to his Father when he says, “And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). . This prayer is also for all those who have set themselves to genuinely do the work of God. Be assured of God's constant protection.
It is only when we are united that we can triumph even in the face of persecution. The Early Church knows nothing of isolated believers; wherever you find Christians, you find them in fellowship which stems from their union with Christ. This is because God’s people need each other. That is why Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and taught them to minister to one another. Later, the disciples would discover how weak they were and how much they needed each other’s encouragement.
In conclusion, let us ask the Holy Spirit to grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference. Let me emphasise again that the Easter experience is not an individual affair; it is a community experience. Nobody owns the Holy Spirit; it is a gift to the community. Therefore, whatever gift you have is meant for the common good. May the various Novenas that will be organised in all our Parishes throughout the world renew our families, our Parish communities and the entire world at large.
In the First reading, we are told that the disciples obeyed the Lord’s instruction by returning to Jerusalem. One significant point worthy of note is the fact that all who run away because of the persecution returned to Jerusalem, “ Peter, and John, and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James” (Acts 1:13). St. Luke mentioned the names of all the disciples (except Judas Iscariot) to underscore the fact that even though they all abandoned the Lord during his passion, the grace of God brought them together again for the greatest event in history namely Pentecost.
It is significant to note that they were together. What were they doing? “All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers” (Acts 1:14). It is obvious it was in the environment of prayer that the disciples experienced the Holy Spirit and not an atmosphere of hatred, division and all the things that has characterized our Christian communities today. Perhaps, the presence of the mother of Jesus may have been the catalyst to that unity.
How easy it would have been for someone to bring division into this beautiful assembly of humble people. How easy to criticize Peter for his cowardly denial of the saviour. Or perhaps Peter might have blamed John, because it was John who brought him into the high priest’s house (John 18:15-16). John might have as well reminded the others that he had faithfully stood by the Lord and had even been chosen by the lord to take care of his mother. But there was none of this. In fact, nobody was even arguing over who among them was the greatest.
It is not enough for Christians to have faith in the Lord; they must also have faith in one another. To these 12o people (Acts 1:15), the Lord had given the solemn responsibility of bearing witness to a lost world and none of them could do the job alone. They would experience severe persecution in the days ahead. The disciples, therefore, recognize that the task ahead of them was a herculean one and playing the blame gain was absolutely unnecessary. Rather, they recognized that it was time for praying together and standing together in the Lord.
The world was overwhelmed at the unity that now existed among a community that was once scattered as a result of the Paschal Mystery. They started persecuting them. The Second reading, therefore, is a reminder to all Christians that persecution awaits all who do the work of God. “ Beloved, do not be surprise at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’ sufferings, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed” (1Peter 4:12-13).
St. Peter’ idea of rejoicing over suffering deserves reflection on our part. To begin with, there was a time when Peter had just the opposite view. When Jesus said one day that he had to go to Jerusalem to suffer greatly and be put to death, Peter judged suffering and death to be undesirable that he blurted out: “May you be spared, Master! God forbid that any such thing ever happen to you!” Later when a servant girl questioned him about him being an associate of Jesus, he blatantly denied it. On Good Friday, Peter was nowhere to be found when Jesus was arrested.
Something happened to Peter after the death and resurrection of Jesus that changed his outlook on life completely. The Holy Spirit with his gift of wisdom penetrated the mind of Peter and his brothers that they could clearly see the truth that Jesus had been telling them all along. “For the sake of the joy which lay before him, he endured the cross, heedless of its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was happy to suffer because he knew what the result of his loving obedience to his Father would be his glorification.
The disciples were given to understand that like Jesus, every Christian is called to an obedient acceptance of suffering because it will lead us to the fullness of life as we share eventually in the resurrection of Christ.
Jesus in the Gospel reading popularly called “Jesus’ Priestly prayer” recognized that persecution awaits all his followers and so he consecrated them to his Father when he says, “And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). . This prayer is also for all those who have set themselves to genuinely do the work of God. Be assured of God's constant protection.
It is only when we are united that we can triumph even in the face of persecution. The Early Church knows nothing of isolated believers; wherever you find Christians, you find them in fellowship which stems from their union with Christ. This is because God’s people need each other. That is why Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and taught them to minister to one another. Later, the disciples would discover how weak they were and how much they needed each other’s encouragement.
In conclusion, let us ask the Holy Spirit to grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference. Let me emphasise again that the Easter experience is not an individual affair; it is a community experience. Nobody owns the Holy Spirit; it is a gift to the community. Therefore, whatever gift you have is meant for the common good. May the various Novenas that will be organised in all our Parishes throughout the world renew our families, our Parish communities and the entire world at large.
Homily for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 1:12-14/ Psalm 27/ 1 Peter 4:13-16/ John 17:1-11 THEME: The Hol
In a week’ time, we will be celebrating Pentecost and mother Church presents us with three beautiful readings for our reflection and edification. It would seem most appropriate on this Sunday before Pentecost to take the picture of the disciples waiting in the upper room for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which is the result of Jesus’ departure to the Father and his ensuing glorification.
In the First reading, we are told that the disciples obeyed the Lord’s instruction by returning to Jerusalem. One significant point worthy of note is the fact that all who run away because of the persecution returned to Jerusalem, “ Peter, and John, and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James” (Acts 1:13). St. Luke mentioned the names of all the disciples (except Judas Iscariot) to underscore the fact that even though they all abandoned the Lord during his passion, the grace of God brought them together again for the greatest event in history namely Pentecost.
It is significant to note that they were together. What were they doing? “All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers” (Acts 1:14). It is obvious it was in the environment of prayer that the disciples experienced the Holy Spirit and not an atmosphere of hatred, division and all the things that has characterized our Christian communities today. Perhaps, the presence of the mother of Jesus may have been the catalyst to that unity.
How easy it would have been for someone to bring division into this beautiful assembly of humble people. How easy to criticize Peter for his cowardly denial of the saviour. Or perhaps Peter might have blamed John, because it was John who brought him into the high priest’s house (John 18:15-16). John might have as well reminded the others that he had faithfully stood by the Lord and had even been chosen by the lord to take care of his mother. But there was none of this. In fact, nobody was even arguing over who among them was the greatest.
It is not enough for Christians to have faith in the Lord; they must also have faith in one another. To these 12o people (Acts 1:15), the Lord had given the solemn responsibility of bearing witness to a lost world and none of them could do the job alone. They would experience severe persecution in the days ahead. The disciples, therefore, recognize that the task ahead of them was a herculean one and playing the blame gain was absolutely unnecessary. Rather, they recognized that it was time for praying together and standing together in the Lord.
The world was overwhelmed at the unity that now existed among a community that was once scattered as a result of the Paschal Mystery. They started persecuting them. The Second reading, therefore, is a reminder to all Christians that persecution awaits all who do the work of God. “ Beloved, do not be surprise at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’ sufferings, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed” (1Peter 4:12-13).
St. Peter’ idea of rejoicing over suffering deserves reflection on our part. To begin with, there was a time when Peter had just the opposite view. When Jesus said one day that he had to go to Jerusalem to suffer greatly and be put to death, Peter judged suffering and death to be undesirable that he blurted out: “May you be spared, Master! God forbid that any such thing ever happen to you!” Later when a servant girl questioned him about him being an associate of Jesus, he blatantly denied it. On Good Friday, Peter was nowhere to be found when Jesus was arrested.
Something happened to Peter after the death and resurrection of Jesus that changed his outlook on life completely. The Holy Spirit with his gift of wisdom penetrated the mind of Peter and his brothers that they could clearly see the truth that Jesus had been telling them all along. “For the sake of the joy which lay before him, he endured the cross, heedless of its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was happy to suffer because he knew what the result of his loving obedience to his Father would be his glorification.
The disciples were given to understand that like Jesus, every Christian is called to an obedient acceptance of suffering because it will lead us to the fullness of life as we share eventually in the resurrection of Christ.
Jesus in the Gospel reading popularly called “Jesus’ Priestly prayer” recognized that persecution awaits all his followers and so he consecrated them to his Father when he says, “And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). . This prayer is also for all those who have set themselves to genuinely do the work of God. Be assured of God's constant protection.
It is only when we are united that we can triumph even in the face of persecution. The Early Church knows nothing of isolated believers; wherever you find Christians, you find them in fellowship which stems from their union with Christ. This is because God’s people need each other. That is why Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and taught them to minister to one another. Later, the disciples would discover how weak they were and how much they needed each other’s encouragement.
In conclusion, let us ask the Holy Spirit to grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference. Let me emphasise again that the Easter experience is not an individual affair; it is a community experience. Nobody owns the Holy Spirit; it is a gift to the community. Therefore, whatever gift you have is meant for the common good. May the various Novenas that will be organised in all our Parishes throughout the world renew our families, our Parish communities and the entire world at large.
In the First reading, we are told that the disciples obeyed the Lord’s instruction by returning to Jerusalem. One significant point worthy of note is the fact that all who run away because of the persecution returned to Jerusalem, “ Peter, and John, and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James” (Acts 1:13). St. Luke mentioned the names of all the disciples (except Judas Iscariot) to underscore the fact that even though they all abandoned the Lord during his passion, the grace of God brought them together again for the greatest event in history namely Pentecost.
It is significant to note that they were together. What were they doing? “All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers” (Acts 1:14). It is obvious it was in the environment of prayer that the disciples experienced the Holy Spirit and not an atmosphere of hatred, division and all the things that has characterized our Christian communities today. Perhaps, the presence of the mother of Jesus may have been the catalyst to that unity.
How easy it would have been for someone to bring division into this beautiful assembly of humble people. How easy to criticize Peter for his cowardly denial of the saviour. Or perhaps Peter might have blamed John, because it was John who brought him into the high priest’s house (John 18:15-16). John might have as well reminded the others that he had faithfully stood by the Lord and had even been chosen by the lord to take care of his mother. But there was none of this. In fact, nobody was even arguing over who among them was the greatest.
It is not enough for Christians to have faith in the Lord; they must also have faith in one another. To these 12o people (Acts 1:15), the Lord had given the solemn responsibility of bearing witness to a lost world and none of them could do the job alone. They would experience severe persecution in the days ahead. The disciples, therefore, recognize that the task ahead of them was a herculean one and playing the blame gain was absolutely unnecessary. Rather, they recognized that it was time for praying together and standing together in the Lord.
The world was overwhelmed at the unity that now existed among a community that was once scattered as a result of the Paschal Mystery. They started persecuting them. The Second reading, therefore, is a reminder to all Christians that persecution awaits all who do the work of God. “ Beloved, do not be surprise at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’ sufferings, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed” (1Peter 4:12-13).
St. Peter’ idea of rejoicing over suffering deserves reflection on our part. To begin with, there was a time when Peter had just the opposite view. When Jesus said one day that he had to go to Jerusalem to suffer greatly and be put to death, Peter judged suffering and death to be undesirable that he blurted out: “May you be spared, Master! God forbid that any such thing ever happen to you!” Later when a servant girl questioned him about him being an associate of Jesus, he blatantly denied it. On Good Friday, Peter was nowhere to be found when Jesus was arrested.
Something happened to Peter after the death and resurrection of Jesus that changed his outlook on life completely. The Holy Spirit with his gift of wisdom penetrated the mind of Peter and his brothers that they could clearly see the truth that Jesus had been telling them all along. “For the sake of the joy which lay before him, he endured the cross, heedless of its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was happy to suffer because he knew what the result of his loving obedience to his Father would be his glorification.
The disciples were given to understand that like Jesus, every Christian is called to an obedient acceptance of suffering because it will lead us to the fullness of life as we share eventually in the resurrection of Christ.
Jesus in the Gospel reading popularly called “Jesus’ Priestly prayer” recognized that persecution awaits all his followers and so he consecrated them to his Father when he says, “And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). . This prayer is also for all those who have set themselves to genuinely do the work of God. Be assured of God's constant protection.
It is only when we are united that we can triumph even in the face of persecution. The Early Church knows nothing of isolated believers; wherever you find Christians, you find them in fellowship which stems from their union with Christ. This is because God’s people need each other. That is why Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and taught them to minister to one another. Later, the disciples would discover how weak they were and how much they needed each other’s encouragement.
In conclusion, let us ask the Holy Spirit to grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference. Let me emphasise again that the Easter experience is not an individual affair; it is a community experience. Nobody owns the Holy Spirit; it is a gift to the community. Therefore, whatever gift you have is meant for the common good. May the various Novenas that will be organised in all our Parishes throughout the world renew our families, our Parish communities and the entire world at large.
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