Reflection on the Sixth Sunday of Easter

In addition to this being the Sixth Sunday of Easter, it is also Mother’s Day and my father’s birthday. As I read these readings, I was aware that I was hearing about the newly formed Christian church and looking at the Apostles as founding parents nurturing this new life and faith. 

And I thought that what each one was doing was very similar to what a good parent would do with a new, young child that they loved. Jesus promises that no one will be made to feel like an orphan and that there will always be a presence to accompany anyone who believes, who loves God and is trying to follow God’s call. We hear that promise of an ever-present love and an Advocate who will guide us. We, like the early Christians, are moving toward Pentecost and a renewed presence in our lives.

The first reading talks about Philip and the others preaching and healing, attending to the needs of those who were wounded and in need of care. Philip’s work brought joy to the city in Samaria. Philip’s efforts are supported by the other Apostles, and prayers are said for the Spirit to be with each of the people now following in Jesus’ path. Everyone is attentive to the needs of the others in nurturing this new faith, this new church so that it can grow and continue the work that Jesus began.

The second reading reminds us that this new faith will give each one an ongoing reason for hope, no matter what difficulties are encountered, and it asks each one to respond to others who question our beliefs and hope in a gentle and respectful way. And we can find ourselves in need of this hope today.

For me, this is a very timely reminder. We may not be part of the birth of a new faith or a new church, but we are most certainly a part of a rebirth. There are now widely divergent views of what a Christian is called to be and to do, and some of the voices are anything but gentle and respectful. In the face of it all, we are called to hold fast to our beliefs in Jesus and his way of relating to all those he met. 

We must be willing to suffer for doing good rather than giving in to any current trends that run counter to the message and life of Jesus. We know that the early followers and disciples faced persecution, threats and discrimination as they worked to establish this new church. The establishment – whether it is political, religious, or economic –  is almost always threatened by the new and different. And I imagine many who were attracted to this new message also were fearful of the consequences of embracing this new faith.

But over time many Jews and Christians have gone from condemnation of the other to respectful coexistence where we value what each one’s faith in God brings to the world and to our own understanding of God. We can now stand together in many instances as witnesses to our shared sense of God’s call to humanity. We can all attest to the need for support – both divine and human – in our efforts to create the world God envisioned for all humanity.

This history can nurture our hope and be a road map for the current situation where Christianity is evolving into new and different forms – more conservative and more progressive, where God can be either a harsh, demanding judge or a compassionate, merciful parent. Like people of different religions throughout the ages we each have to discern if there is one right religion, one right answer to many of life’s difficult situations or if each religion and each person is part of God’s presence and wisdom in the world.

I was reminded recently that our next daily experience of God can come through our next experience of the other. How can I find God present in those who are so different from me? Sometimes I can see it, especially if I have known the person for a long time and have a collection of experiences that provide perspective. Sometimes I have to wait for the Spirit of truth for enlightenment, to see what is not readily visible to me. Sometimes, in retrospect, I think my experience of the other person, that I find so problematic, is a powerful reminder. A reminder of the strength of community and the presence of God that builds up my immunity to the messages of fear, distrust and an either/or view of the world.

We need to pray constantly for the gift of the Spirit for everyone and pray that we might be united in our efforts to live as Jesus lived and share the love he showed to all that he encountered. We cannot respond with harsh judgment to those who have a very different answer to what Jesus would do in today’s world. If we don’t like harsh judgment of the other, we must make sure that we do not engage in it ourselves. We are called to persevere in our resistance to evil with gentleness and reverence. We know we are called to stand with those who are persecuted and be a witness to our values. We also are called to love our enemy and treat them with gentleness and respect even when they seem to have a very different interpretation of the Gospel. Not an easy task for the early Christians or for us.