Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 17, 2009

The Easter season is concluding and we are privileged to see how the early church struggled with its own doctrinal and worship issues. It is heartening to see the growth in the disciples as the new realities of the Church confront what was once a comforting aspect of their faith. Prior to today’s selection of readings, God speaks to Peter three times to pave the way for the insights he is about to receive about the inclusion of the Gentiles into the new community and finally he is able to conclude, “I see that God shows no partiality.” For a Jew – the chosen people – this is a paradigm shift because ‘salvation comes from the Jews.’ It meant abandoning the precepts of the Law that they cherished dearly. Hastening to fulfill the Law meant hastening the redemption of Israel. To let go of this cornerstone belief could only be done through grace.

As Peter is telling Cornelius about his new insight, the people gathered around them received the Holy Spirit equally – not only the Jews, but also those who were Gentile Christians. Peter is moved to declare that no one ought to place any impediment upon baptizing these new believers to bring them wholeheartedly into the faith. The greater initiative is from Christ’s Spirit. God wants the Gentiles to be welcomed into the Church.

I find Peter’s just exercise of his authority is remarkable. He has a gut-wrenching decision to make and needs to examine all of his resistances to abandoning a precept of his faith that worked so well for Jews for centuries. God enlightens his mind and heart four times in order to convince him of God’s truth. Peter’s gradual coming to greater faith is done through sustained prayer and by allowing him to truly understand what other believers are experiencing. Rather than tightly clinging to doctrine, he realizes that he is asked to step forth into bold, uncomfortable, fearful territory. The whole weight of decision falls to him, but his heart and mind are moved to do what is right in God’s eyes. These Gentiles want a closer relationship with the Lord and Peter’s compassionate concern for them paves the way for a full inclusion into the community with no burdensome restrictions. You can almost sense Peter’s relief when he decides justly and rightly for the people. Peter’s experience of wrestling with the complex faith issues of his time can serve as a worthy model for us to examine as we wrestle with equally complex issues that confront our faith.

Love is the guarantee that the life of the Spirit is growing in us. Love is the sign of the Holy Spirit at work in the Church and in the world. – Thomas Merton

Ascension Thursday

Ascension Thursday is a holy day of obligation. It marks the event in the life of the Resurrected Christ who departed from this temporal earth to return to God. St. Ignatius was so desirous of learning about the historical Jesus that he traveled to the places in the Holy Lands where Jesus walked and lived. As he was getting kicked out of the Holy Lands, he desired to return to the place of the Ascension to see the direction of Jesus’ feet as he ascended to God.

This week’s liturgies

We anticipate the sending of the Holy Spirit this week as we follow the events of Jesus’ Ascension to his Father in heaven. In the Gospels, we hear Jesus preparing his disciples for his departure, but that he will send us an Advocate to console us and inspire us to continue the work that Jesus has begun. In the first readings for Mass, Paul encounters many believers who share his work of building the new community. Lydia, Silas, Timothy, Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos are instrumental is sustaining the new church that Paul is creating.

On Monday, we honor John I, pope and martyr, who persuaded the church in Constantinople to end the persecution of the Arians. On Wednesday, the Franciscan Bernadine of Siena is remembered for his winning over of converts in northern and central Italy by his eloquence and understanding of the needs of the people. On Friday, we revere the Augustinian Rita of Cascia for her 40 years of prayer, contemplation and service of the poor.