Thursday of the
Fifth Week of Easter
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
(Acts 15:1-6; John 15:1-8)
A Catholic church had a summer program for its school children. To keep them coming to mass during the break
a priest organized a “Friends of Christ” club.
Children would attend the 8:30 morning mass every Thursday morning. Afterwards, they circled the date on their
membership card. The priest didn’t give
rewards for children who came every week.
He didn’t need to. The children
were satisfied with doing something for Jesus.
They also stayed connected to their classmates.
In today’s gospel Jesus emphasizes the need to stay
connected to him. His followers must
become vine-ripened, not just vine-engendered.
Accomplishing this, they will become loving people worthy of eternal
life. Those whom their love touches are
also likely to perform deeds that result in eternal joy and peace.
Often children have little responsibility. They take minimal care of themselves and
contribute little to family needs, much less the good of others. If they continue to grow up in these ways, they
may be cut off from Christ and the eternal life he promises. More than telephones and soccer leagues,
children need a familiarity with the love that is Christ.
Tuesday, May17, 2022
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
(Acts 14:19-28; John 14:27-31a)
Paul rises from the ground where he was left half-dead. It was not the first time that he had been abused
for preaching the gospel. But he
refuses to be discouraged. He will
proclaim the Lord in other places.
Today’s gospel supplies his motive.
Jesus tells his disciples that he gives them peace. His presence is assurance. The disciples can draw from his strength, his
equanimity, and his concern. But the peace that he has in mind is reserved for
the night of his resurrection. There his
return from a violent death validates all that he has said about eternal
life. The disciples and eventually Paul
do not have to cower before anyone when they stand with him. They too will rise from the dead.
We may wonder if we stand with Jesus. We may go to church and never lie or steal. Yet we are not sure if our good conduct is
not just show. Other creepy thoughts
like the reality of eternal life may enter our minds. At these moments we must rise from the dust
like Paul. We should dismiss our doubts
and give thanks for all the love and goodness we have known. Then we too can tell others about the Lord.
Monday, May 16, 2022
Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter
(Acts 14:5-18;
John 14:21-26)
The reading
from Acts today is rather comic. The people
take Paul and Barnabas to be gods. The
apostles have to tear their garments as a sign that they are mortal. The
miracle story that provokes their identification as gods deserves our attention
as well.
Luke, the
author of Acts, writes that Paul saw that the crippled man “had the faith to be
healed.” What kind of faith is
this? How does it differ from other
kinds of faith? One is reminded of the
men who lowered a paralytic through the roof so that Jesus might heal him. The Lucan version of the story also notes how
Jesus observes the men’s faith. Faith in
these cases is trust in Jesus. It does
not worry about the future or doubt Jesus’ care. It knows that Jesus will resolve their
problems because he loves them.
For many,
faith is adherence to a tradition of beliefs and customs. It continually questions and is reluctant to
accept all that Jesus teaches. It does
not allow fervent personal prayer. We should endeavor to transcend this rational
faith in order to nurture trusting faith.
We must put aside anti-religious arguments as well as lesser gratification
of desires. We should also ask Jesus
directly and sincerely for assistance. When
we do, we will find our situation improving.
Sunday, May 15, 2022
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, May 15, 2022
(Acts 14:21-27; Revelation 21:1-5; John 13:31-33.34-35)
There is a striking proverb that Martin Luther King used. To
encourage his companions in the struggle against racism, he told them:
"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."
Is it true? Do we see justice permeating society more and more throughout
history? Or is it just optimistic thinking that things are getting better?
Today some historians question the inevitability of justice.
They see in the invasion of the Ukraine the same evil that moved Hitler to take
possession of half of Europe. They note that in China tyranny is suffocating
democracy as in autocratic kingdoms. They are aware of the refusal to
acknowledge the humanity of the unborn on the part of many people everywhere.
In a time like this, when reality seemed dark and the future looked hopeless,
the Apocalypse or the Revelation was written. Today we heard a passage from the end of this
book in the second reading.
The word “apocalypse” comes from a Greek word meaning revelation.
The writer of the work removes the veil that covers the future to reveal the end
of history. The Book of Revelation was written towards the end of the first
century. Christians at the time were experiencing the threat of the heavy hand
of the Roman government. They had experienced bitter persecution under the
emperor Nero some years earlier. During that bloodshed Saints Peter and Paul
had been martyred. Now they were preparing for another wave of persecution,
perhaps worse. The author named John, but not the evangelist, had a vision from
the Lord. He foresaw that the coming
persecution would not result in the end of Christianity but in its glory. This
type of vision is called the apocalyptic.
Both the prophetic and the apocalyptic visions reveal
something of the future. But there are distinctions between the two. First of
all, the prophetic vision calls the unfaithful to conversion so that the
community may overcome with God’s help the evil it faces. Also, in the
prophetic vision God acts by common ways such as armed forces and storms. In
contrast, the apocalyptic view has God entering history without human
assistance. He usually acts in exotic ways like an angel with a sharp sickle.
The apocalyptic does not call the unfaithful to reform because it thinks of
them as lost. Rather, it calls on the faithful to maintain faith. In this way
they will receive the rewards of God, their Savior.
The passage today describes the scene after the victory of
the Lamb over the beast. The Lamb is Christ and the beast the forces of the
devil. All of God's people, both the dead and the living, know peace. There is
no worry about anything anymore because the sea, from which all evil
originates, no longer exists. It is a time of pure joy as in a wedding where
the music is lively, the food is delicious, and the wine is copious.
In the gospel Jesus teaches his disciples how to maintain faith
in him. They have to love each other.
This love is proven by deeds, not just words. We see this love in the
catechists who teach our children. They work week after week without
compensation. They are motivated by love not only for the children but also for
Christ.
The Apocalypse is the last book in the Bible. It has one
thing in common with Genesis, the first book. Many people confuse the accounts
in the two books with historical events. Revelation no more describes exactly
how the world will end than Genesis describes exactly how it began. However,
both books correctly assure us of one truth. God is in control of history. We
want to maintain faith in Him. For he is in control of everything.