Seventh Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 59

Reading 1

Acts 1:12-14

After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles
returned to Jerusalem
from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,
a sabbath day’s journey away.

When they entered the city
they went to the upper room where they were staying,
Peter and John and James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8

R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 Peter 4:13-16

Beloved:
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
But let no one among you be made to suffer
as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer.
But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed
but glorify God because of the name.

Alleluia

John 14:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord.
I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 17:1-11a

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.

“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

Today we celebrate the Seventh Sunday of Easter. It is a great time to reflect on these past weeks of joy and exultation. Being Children of the Resurrection, we can take these moments of understanding and use them to commit to a future closer to Jesus Christ. When we live our faith and experience our faith daily through our thoughts and actions, we naturally become closer to God. Things take on a different perspective. Committing to Christ means committing to His creation; an understanding develops that we are living in His creation. Jesus’ words, “Remain in me and I will remain in you,” take on a deeper meaning. God is at work inside of us and we, just by being present and aware, are working for God. We can then find ourselves walking with God, fully aware that He is with us, guiding us, and showing us a better way. This presents a better way of living. Just understanding how we are conduits of God’s love, places us in a better position regardless of our present circumstances.

 

When we pray to Jesus Christ and enter into relationship with Him, then we are glorified as a result. We glorify Jesus and He glorifies us by His presence. Contemplate this: When we welcome Jesus into our hearts, we are immediately transformed as a result. The Holy Spirit moves inside of us and we become receivers of Jesus’s Divine Mercy and God’s grace. We become part of the river flowing towards God, no longer fighting the current but becoming one with it. In the Acts of the Apostles, after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, they gathered once again in the upper room and prayed. This is a model for us to follow. As Saint Mother Theresea said,

 

“Just pray.” Simple and to the point. In a right relationship with God, prayer is always the answer. The more we pray, the closer we will become with God. As when talking with a friend, the more we talk the better we understand and get to know the person. The same can be said with our God. There is nothing stopping us from praying throughout the day. When we do this, it ensures that God is in charge and we have made our will second to His.

 

The Apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the Thessalonians,

 

“Always be joyful. Pray without ceasing. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

 

 

 

Prayer leads to an opening of the heart, which leads to God’s love pouring in, which leads to joy. For that, we can be thankful.

 

In the Gospel Reading today, Jesus basically summarized His relationship to His disciples and what He has done for them through the Father. What He had done for them, He has done for us and continues to do so. He did this through prayer as the disciples listened. This brought emphasis to the importance of what was being said: Jesus was saying it to the Father, who the Son continues to be sub-servant to. Jesus prays to the Father. The children listen and  know the Son,  and the Son welcomes the children to come forward and see the Father. Jesus is glorified through the Father and the Father is known through the Son. The Holy Spirit is at work within us to feel the presence of God’s love and propel us forward into this awesome relationship and state of being. It all starts with a willingness to do so. 

 

Deacon Tom 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 55

Reading 1

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent them Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 Peter 3:15-18

Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
but do it with gentleness and reverence,
keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned,
those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.
For it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.

Alleluia

John 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 55

Reading 1

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent them Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
“Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!”
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 Peter 3:15-18

Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
but do it with gentleness and reverence,
keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned,
those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.
For it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.

Alleluia

John 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

 

 

Gospel

John 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

 

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

Have you ever had what is called a “Discovery Moment,” in a relationship that you have or had? This is a description of an interaction with a person that brings about a sudden awareness or understanding through conversation and action. The feeling is so powerful, so intense that there can be a moment that we just pause, trying to process what just happened or what we just discovered. Many times, the feeling of awe is present, rendering us speechless. These can happen at the most unexpected times and, when the moment passes, the relationship can be fundamentally changed as a result. What remains is a deeper understanding between the people involved and a bond that can be remembered for a real long time. Masks are then removed and honestly can prevail in the relationship, since you both have been moved emotionally and spiritually and now both of you remain.

 

 

 

In the Gospel of Luke, when Jesus was resurrected, two of His disciples experienced this when they realized who Jesus was through the breaking of the bread. The Apostles and disciples experienced one when Jesus revealed to them that He was going to be arrested and crucified. Paul had one of many while on road to Damascus, falling off his horse and becoming blind. 

 

These do not have to be rare occurrences; ones that do not happen very often. To have them and to have the closeness that comes with it, takes a process of truth and honesty. Jesus already knows our thoughts and mind. He knows what we are feeling, but He wants us to live the interactions that come with them anyway. Those moments then become a part of us and are capable of developing us mentally and spiritually. They can also reveal to us who we are and who we are in relation to other people we are interacting with.  Sometimes actions are not enough. It takes tremendous effort to be open and honest with someone. Trust and love are necessary to do so: trust and love for that person and for ourselves. This is the way to clean up our mess, sweep our side of the street, all the while keeping ourselves accountable.  

 

When we are in a proper relationship with God, we will have many of these with Him and those around us. The Holy Spirit, the Love of God, will move us in the direction of these experiences and will then participate with us when we are having them. Honest human interaction and an honest relationship with our God are necessary for a healthy life and a joyous experience that brings us closer to God. When Jesus said to His disciples,

 

“ For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them,"

 

He is indicating that He is with us in these circumstances and is actively influencing and participating in the interactions we are having. This is why our conduct is so important. On a daily basis, we can communicate with hundreds of people. The challenge for us is to value each of these conversations and invite God in to participate. With His presence, it is impossible for things within the relationship to go badly, as long as we are aware of Him and invite Him in.

 

When I was younger, I always questioned why Jesus said “two or three.” I felt bad, first thinking that Jesus would not be there if I was alone and needed help. Then I realized the beauty of the Trinity at work within our lives and God’s creation: Jesus the Son would be with us when two or three gathered. The Holy Spirit and the Father can be counted in the gathering. One person alone starts with himself, the Holy Spirit Advocate, God the Father, and then enters into that relationship and its influences: Jesus Christ is revealed through this process. The Holy Spirit moves us towards God the Father where we are welcomed tenderly and lovingly by Jesus. We gather together to make our contributions to the Christian Way and, through that, we become a part of the God Experience.   

 

In the Gospel Reading today, Jesus tells His disciples that He will always be with them, along with the Holy Spirit and God the Father. He describes the inner workings of the Trinity and how we all will be invited into that relationship. When something is inside of you, it means that it is a part of you. The Holy Spirit, as willed by God the Father, and guided by Jesus Christ the Son become participators in our lives. IF WE ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN. Explicitly Jesus says,

 

“But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you.”

 

This came after He said,

 

“Remain in me and I will remain in you.”

 

He further promises that He will not leave us and that He will always be with us, not leaving us orphans.

 

These are all things that we can look forward to in a relationship with Jesus Christ, as long as we put Him first, follow His commandments, and be guided by His will instead of ours.

 

“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

The Apostle Peter writes in his letter,

 

“Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.”

 

This requires putting Him first. From there, these other things will fall into place as we begin to be guided by the Holy Spirit, who is waiting to burst through the barriers of resistance that we have erected over long periods of time, running on self-will. This is what happened to the Samarians who accepted Jesus Christ: they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They sanctified their hearts and became ready.

 

There is nothing stopping us from becoming ready. We only have to be ready and willing, opening our hearts, minds, and soul to the Living Word of Jesus Christ. What happens next is nothing short of a transformative experience.

 

Deacon Tom