No Further Burdens: The Sixth Sunday of Easter 2025

No Further Burdens:

The Sixth Sunday of Easter 2025 

May 25, 2025

www.johnpredmoresj.com | predmore.blogspot.com

predmoresj@yahoo.com | 617.510.9673

Acts 15:1-29; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10-23; John 14:23-29

 

The Disciples’ words at the First Jerusalem Council echoed throughout the churches with great acclaim: It is the decision of the Holy Spirit, and of us, not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities. What relief the Gentile converts must have felt to hear these words. They were free to worship without fear and as equal partners to their conservative Jewish contemporaries. The great debate that almost tore apart the faith community has been definitively settled by the Holy Spirit after much discussion, prayer, and deliberation. The Christian community could not worship in freedom.

 

The tension between the conservative Jews and the Gentile converts was fierce. The Jews dogged Paul and Barnabas wherever they went to win back the Jews to their practice of the faith. Paul described them as his “thorn in the flesh.” They beat Paul, stoned him, ran him out of town, and left him for dead. They were dead set against changing doctrine as they knew it. John’s Gospel was written to strengthen the Jews who believed in Jesus because the conservative Jews kicked them out of their synagogues and forbid them from associating with family members who were loyal to the old customs. This conflict was much more ferocious and brutal than our contemporary conflicts in politics. The Disciples gathered to deliberate and after much prayer, the Holy Spirit answered them. The answer: doctrine can and does change. Throughout Church history, doctrine continuously evolves. In this case, Gentiles did not have to observe the Mosaic Law of the Jews. They were free to worship in their own customs and they were considered equals.

 

The Holy Spirit, through the Disciples, decided not to impose further burdens on the people’s ritual behaviors. Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and the Torah, and all laws are subservient to him. The church has always advocated for the primacy of conscience, that we must not do what is contrary to our lived experiences of faith. We cannot betray our conscience. This does not mean we have license; it means we have responsibility. We have a responsibility to form and inform our conscience and to pray for openness to the Holy Spirit. God wants our free exercise of our will to be able to choose to worship in a way that expresses our fundamental faith.

 

The Church today wrestles with this idea as we encounter other cultures and expressions of Christianity that incorporate cultural practices. The church has moved away from its European, Latin roots and can celebrate the various ways other cultures worship God, the Father, the Parent, the Creator, through Jesus in the Holy Spirit. The church today is going through the same type of openness as the First Jerusalem Council. Yes, groups of people are resistant to change and will fight hard to return to a perceived time of former glory. There always will be. Overall, the Church must deliberate the movement of the Holy Spirit and to remain open to the needs of people who want to worship alongside us. If we are a trusting people, we know that the Holy Spirit will lead us to new paths, and even though these ways might be unfamiliar, it will become a source of our peace and jubilation. Sometimes, like the conservative Jews of old, we must let go of old ideas so we can embrace a new way. With the Spirit’s guidance, we can go forward – onward and upward – without fear. 

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

Monday: (Acts 14) As Gentiles and Jews in Iconium were about to attack Paul and Barnabas, they fled to Lystra where Paul healed a lame man.  

 

Tuesday: (Acts 14) The crowds began to put their faith in Paul and Barnabas as gods, but the men protested and told the story of the Christ event. Opposition to Paul increased shortly afterwards and he was stoned. They left for Derbe to strengthen the disciples in those cities and encouraged them during their times of hardship.

 

Wednesday: (Acts 15) Some of Paul’s Jewish opposition raised the question of circumcision and adherence to the Mosaic laws. Along the way to Jerusalem to seek the advice of the Apostles, they told everyone of the conversion of the Gentiles.

 

Thursday: (Acts 15) After much debate, Peter and James decided that no further restrictions were to be made on the Gentiles.

 

Friday (Acts 15) The Apostles and presbyters chose representatives and sent them to Paul and Barnabas with word that the Gentiles were indeed welcomed into the faith with no extra hardships placed upon them. The people were delighted with the good news.

 

Saturday (Acts 13) In Derbe and Lystra, Paul heard of a man named Timothy who was well regarded by the believers. Paul had him circumcised and they travelled to Macedonia to proclaim the good news.

 

Gospel: 

Monday: (John 14) In the Farewell Discourse, Jesus reassures his disciples that he will remain with them if they keep his commandments to love one another. 

 

Tuesday: (John 14) To punctuate his message of consolation, he tells them he will send an advocate to teach and remind them of all he told them.

 

Wednesday (John 15) Jesus leaves them with his lasting peace that will help them endure many difficult times. This peace will allow us people to remain close to him – organically as he is the vine and we are the branches. 

 

Thursday (John 15) Remaining close to Jesus will allow us to share complete joy with one another. 

 

Friday (John 15) Jesus once again proves his love to his friends by saying that the true friend, the Good Shepherd, will lay down his life for his friends.  

 

Saturday (John 14) However, even with the love of Jesus, his followers will experience hatred in this world, but as his friends and as God’s elect, their harm can never really harm the souls of a believer.

 

Saints of the Week

 

May 25: Bede the Venerable, priest and doctor, (673-735), is the only English doctor of the church. As a child, he was sent to a Benedictine monastery where he studied theology and was ordained. He wrote thorough commentaries on scripture and history as well as poetry and biographies. His famous work is the "Ecclesiastical History of the English People," the source for much of Anglo-Saxon history. 

 

May 25: Gregory VII, pope (1020-1085), was a Tuscan who was sent to a monastery to study under John Gratian, who became Gregory VI. He served the next few popes as chaplain, treasurer, chancellor and counselor before he became Gregory VII. He introduced strong reforms over civil authorities that caused much consternation. Eventually, the Romans turned against him when the Normans sacked Rome.

 

May 25: Mary Magdalene de'Pazzi (1566-1607), a Florentine, chose to become a Carmelite nun instead of getting married. Her biography, written by her confessor, gives accounts of intense bouts of desolation and joy. She is reputed to have gifts of prophecy and healing.

 

May 26: Philip Neri, priest (1515-1595), is known as the "Apostle of Rome." A Florentine who was educated by the Dominicans, he re-evangelized Roe by establishing confraternities of laymen to minister to pilgrims and the sick in hospitals. He founded the Oratorians when he gathered a sufficient following because of his spiritual wisdom. 

 

May 27: Augustine of Canterbury, bishop (d. 604) was sent to England with 40 monks from St. Andrew's monastery to evangelize the pagans. They were well-received. Augustine was made bishop, established a hierarchy, and changed many pagans feasts to religious ones. Wales did not accept the mission; Scotland took St. Andrew's cross as their national symbol. Augustine began a Benedictine monastery at Canterbury and was Canterbury's first archbishop.

 

May 31: Visitation of the Virgin Mary commemorates the visit of Mary in her early pregnancy to Mary, who is reported to be her elder cousin. Luke writes about the shared rejoicing of the two women - Mary's conception by the Holy Spirit and Elizabeth's surprising pregnancy in her advanced years. Elizabeth calls Mary blessed and Mary sings her song of praise to God, the Magnificat.

This Week in Jesuit History

 

• May 25, 1569. At Rome Pope St Pius V installed the Society in the College of Penitentiaries. Priests of various nationalities who were resident in Rome were required to act as confessors in St Peter's. 
• May 26, 1673. Ching Wei‑San (Emmanuel de Sigueira) dies, the first Chinese Jesuit priest. 
• May 27, 1555. The Viceroy of India sent an embassy to Claudius, Emperor of Ethiopia, hoping to win him and his subjects over to Catholic unity. Nothing came of this venture, but Fr. Goncalvo de Silveira, who would become the Society's first martyr on the Africa soil, remained in the country. 
• May 28, 1962. The death of Bernard Hubbard famous Alaskan missionary. He was the author of the book Mush, You Malemutes! and wrote a number of articles on the Alaska mission. 
• May 29,1991. Pope John Paul II announces that Paulo Dezza, SJ is to become a Cardinal, as well as Jan Korec, in Slovakia. 
• May 30, 1849. Vincent Gioberti's book Il Gesuita Moderno was put on the Index. Gioberti had applied to be admitted into the Society, and on being refused became its bitter enemy and calumniator. 

May 31, 1900. The new novitiate of the Buffalo Mission, St Stanislaus, in South Brooklyn, Ohio, near Cleveland, is blessed.