Reflection on the Sixth Sunday of Easter

In the first reading we see the vestiges of the Jewish religion and culture on which Christianity was founded. Jesus was Jewish as were many of his disciples and Apostles, and so they brought many of their traditions and customs with them. We come from a long tradition of “if you don’t do this, you are not that.” In this case, if men were not circumcised, they were not saved. 

We know from our own history that some in the Church still have many “if” statements that they would like to lay on people. Despite the fact that the early Apostles said they did not want to place any burdens on people beyond what was essential, we have evolved with a long litany of requirements and burdens for Christians, and specifically Catholics. The Doctrine of Discovery stated that any land, anywhere, not under the flag of a sovereign Christian nation, could be taken by whoever ‘discovered’ it, and whatever indigenous people found there must be converted to Christianity. Again, if you were not baptized, you had no rights to life, land, self-determination, etc. More recently, some in the Church tried to tell us that if you are a Catholic, you cannot vote for one or more candidates. If you believe in women’s ordination, you may not be a Catholic in good standing. As the Church grew to be a global church, first welcoming Jews and Gentiles, and then cultures from Asia, Africa, South America and elsewhere, it became more difficult to uphold some of the cultural mandates. 

For me, one of the most startling “if” statements spoken to me was at my father’s funeral. Standing in the back of the church before the funeral Mass, I was crying. And the priest turned to me and said, “If you were a good Catholic, you would be happy that your father is in heaven with God and you would not be crying.” It probably took me a second or two to conclude that I was not a good Catholic and that was OK at that moment. Later, I was able to work through the priest’s statements and decide that particular “if” statement was simply not a teaching of the Catholic faith. And then, in today’s Gospel Jesus is with his Apostles after he has risen from the dead and he is sharing very good news with them. Jesus is sharing a message of ongoing love, God indwelling in each person, the presence of the Spirit and a peace that only God can give. 

And then at the end of the Gospel Jesus says, “If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.” I try to imagine what feelings were evoked in that pronouncement to the Apostles. Jesus had died, had miraculously risen from the dead and was with them again. The Apostles had gone from hiding in fear to celebrating Jesus’ presence among them and being told of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and a peace that will remain with them from now on. I believe that they understood the message of God’s greatness for all times – a message Jesus preached constantly – but I wonder if they were ready to rejoice in the fact that Jesus was going away, going to the Father. Perhaps they wanted him to remain longer to provide strength, wisdom and guidance for them. They were not yet familiar with the Holy Spirit and what the Spirit could do to sustain and encourage them.

Like the Apostles, we are often not ready to face the loss of a loved one or the cruelty directed at people in our world, but, over time, there is healing and strength. Those changes are certainly part of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the peace Jesus gives so our hearts do not need to be troubled or afraid. And what wonderful gifts those are that come to us from Jesus or the Holy Spirit. And as those gifts continue to come to us when we are in need, we develop a sense of God’s ongoing care and presence with us. That helps us to live without fear and with a peace which surpasses all. We may not know what the future holds, but we know Jesus will be there with us to guide us and keep us at peace. 

In these past few weeks when we have had to say goodbye to several Community members in a short time, it is that peace that helps us to grieve and yet remain hopeful. In these disturbing times in our country and the world, it would be easy to let one or more of these tragic current events lead to sadness and discouragement, but, instead, we find ourselves committed to hope and action from a place of strength and peace. It is our work to spread hope and continue to act each day to overcome evil and bring healing to Earth and all of its inhabitants. 

American author and speaker Brian McLaren says, “I think what we are all really seeking is a living and healthy tradition, something that isn’t just about words or arguments, but that is about life in all its fullness and about deep, deep love — a love for this earth, a love for each other and a love for God who we experience both within us and all around us.