Another Advocate: Executor of the Last Will and Testament of Jesus

Homily for 6^th Sunday of Easter Year A 2014

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 • 1 Pet 3:15-18 • John 14:15-21

Introduction

Any person who has reached the age of maturity and is of sound mind is encouraged to make a last will or testament.  This document gives instructions regarding what is to be done with your property after you die.  People will usually leave the property to their spouse, children, relatives and friends.  Others even leave some money to churches or schools.  And being from the missions, let me make a pitch for the missions here; consider the missions in your will.

Although wills primarily deal with the distribution of material property, sometimes people make spiritual wills and testaments.  In these wills, they usually indicate the values that have guided their life and how they wish to be remembered.

Scripture and Theology

Since Jesus did not have any material possessions to leave behind for his followers, his last will and testament is of the spiritual kind.  His will is contained in chapters 13 to 17 of the gospel of John, which we have been reading at Mass for some time now.  In this long speech of Jesus at the Last Supper, he basically is saying farewell to his followers. And this farewell message is really also the last will and testament of Jesus.

As he tells his followers that he is leaving them, he consoles them with the message that he is leaving behind something of himself, that will make his absence easier to bear.  He does not leave them orphans; the two great signs of his continuing presence that Jesus leaves behind for his disciples are acted out in a dramatic way at the Last Supper: the Eucharist and Service of Neighbour.

·        We read that at the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying: “Do this in memory of me.”  And he did the same with the cup of wine.  And for 2000 years Catholics have done as Jesus commanded in his last will and testament; we have made him present under the form of bread and wine, for every generation.  Even more important, we have partaken of his body and blood, so as to experience the redemption which his sacrificed body and blood represent.

·        But that is not the only dramatic thing that Jesus did at the Last Supper; we also read that he rose from the meal, took off his outer clothes and began to wash the feet of his disciples.  Even when Peter protested, Jesus insisted that everybody had to have his feet washed.  And Jesus concluded this act with virtually the same command he had given for the Eucharist: “I have given you a model to follow,” he said, “so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

And so in this long speech at the Last Supper, a portion of which we read in today’s gospel, states that: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”  What better way for disciples to show love for their departed master than to observe all the things he has taught them!

·        You parents can appreciate this sentiment of Jesus; aren’t you happy when you see your children living the values you taught them, so that people can say: the apple has not fallen far from the tree.

·        My daytime job is as a teacher in the Seminary; it often gives me great joy, when I see some of the priests I have taught, doing the things I taught them.  I am sure the teachers among us can relate with this experience.

Moreover, for Jesus, he is not just seeking the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of his work; in this case, following the master’s commands has great rewards.  He says that those who love him by observing his commandments, “will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”  What a great gift to leave behind for his disciples, a bequest much dearer than any material property.

But Jesus does more than leave behind an inheritance in his last will and testament.  Like our own wills need an executor, usually a trusted friend or a lawyer to ensure that the wishes of the deceased person are carried out accordingly, Jesus also leaves behind an executor of his will and testament. 

Jesus tells his disciples that “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.”  Jesus has someone who is going to ensure that the contents of his will are carried out; this executor is the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls the “Paraclete.”  Several words are used to translate “Paraclete.”

·        The word used in the translation we heard in our gospel is “Advocate.”  Of course the Holy Spirit is an advocate, a lawyer, who speaks up for a client in a court of law, or a witness who speaks up for another person.  Jesus leaves us the Holy Spirit to defend Christians, especially when we face persecution or just temptations.

·        But the word “Paraclete” can also be correctly translated as “healer.”  This is the person, such as a physician or medicine-man, who is called in to give medical attention to a sick person.  No wonder then that when we receive the Sacraments, the medicine of Christians, we receive them in the Holy Spirit, through the work of the Holy Spirit.

·        Other words that translate “Paraclete” and try to describe the work of the Holy Spirit are:

o   Helper – such as one who gives assistance in time of need;

o   Counsellor – such as one who gives advice in time of crisis;

o   Comforter – such as one called in to give strength and courage, like a coach giving a pep talk to his team before a game or a general to his troops before battle.

And so, if the spiritual testament of Jesus is going to be effectively executed, he tells us that we shall have the help of the Paraclete, the advocate, the Holy Spirit.

But did you notice that Jesus said he was sending “another Paraclete, another Advocate”?  So, who was the first advocate, the original Paraclete?  It is Jesus himself; he is the original advocate, healer, helper, counsellor and comforter.  Now that he is returning to the Father, he does not leave his disciples as orphans.  He leaves someone to care for them.

In many African cultures, there is a custom of having an heir, especially for the father and sometimes for the mother as well.  The heir, usually the eldest son or a young brother of the dad, takes over all the responsibilities of the deceased father.  In fact in my culture we would address such heir as “dad” or “father” from them onwards, for he is practically another “Father,” another “dad.”  Similarly, the Holy Spirit is also another advocate, continuing to do, what Jesus did for us.

Christian Life and Conclusion

Although this gospel passage comes from the Last Supper farewell of Jesus to his disciples, the Church gives it to us for our reflection during this week before we celebrate the Ascension.  For although at his Ascension, Jesus left the world in a physical or material way, he continues to stay with us in the same ways he promised to the disciples.

And so when we compare ourselves to the disciples who actually heard Jesus speak with their own ears, saw him with their own eyes, perhaps even touched him with their own hands, let us realize that we are not at a disadvantage.  Jesus ensured that we would continue to have as much access to him, as they did.  May we always be aware of Jesus’ continuing presence among us, in the Eucharist which we celebrate every week, in observing the commandments especially in service to each other and in the Holy Spirit, the other advocate always standing in our corner.

Notre Dame Seminary Graduation

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The Birth of New Priests

Christian Service

Homily for 5^th Sunday of Easter Year A 2014

Acts 6:1-7 • 1 Pet 2:4-9 • John 14:1-12

Introduction

In the First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 12, Paul teaches about the unity of the Body of Christ.  To make his point, he uses the image of the human body, whose various limbs and parts all contribute to the welfare of the body.  The foot, the hand, the ear and the eye all have a role to play.  There are many parts, but one body.  And no one part can claim to be the whole body or even the only important part.  All contribute, in their own unique way to the whole body.

Scripture and Theology

This is also the lesson that we learn from today’s first reading.  It is a lesson about the various ministries in the Church.

As the Christian community expanded beyond Jerusalem, it attracted not just Hebrew-speaking people, but also Greek-speaking people.  Naturally it became increasingly hard to organize such a large number of people, especially because they spoke different languages and were from different cultures.  It seems that the new-comers, the Greek-speaking people were not being treated as well.  Their widows were not being looked after as well as the others.

This situation occurs even in our parishes today.  Unlike a century ago when the Irish, Italians, Germans and French had a church on one block, today our parishes have a great diversity.  But the difficulty, like that faced by the apostles, is, “how do you meet the needs of all these diverse people: the Caucasians, Africans, Hispanic and Asians?

As we heard in the reading the apostles turned to a tried and tested method.  They delegated those duties to others.  Is that not what God told Moses to do?  In the Book of Numbers Chapter 11, when the people are grumbling about the lack of meat - they are tired of eating the manna – we hear Moses crying out to the Lord, saying: “I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me.”  Then the LORD said to Moses:

Assemble for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be elders and authorities among the people, and bring them to the tent of meeting. When they are in place beside you, I will come down and speak with you there. I will also take some of the spirit that is on you and will confer it on them, that they may share the burden of the people with you. You will then not have to bear it by yourself (Num. 11:16-17).

And indeed the Lord did as he promised and anointed these 70 helpers of Moses and peace was restored in the camp.

And so, the Apostles also anoint these seven men chosen by the community with the Holy Spirit, so that they can lift some of the burden from them.  The apostles do two things that have remained constant throughout the history of the Church, in ordaining its ministers.  They lay hands on the men and pray for them.  And then from then on, these seven men go out and take care of the widows.  Actually they do even more than that; Stephen and Philip go out to preach the Good News and baptizing, all because of the Spirit that has been passed to them by the laying on of hands.  In the Catholic tradition these seven men are known as the first deacons of the Church.  Although the passage never refers to them as deacons, the kind of work they do is service, the ministry of deacons. 

Christian Life

Deacons are the third group in that trio of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, priests and bishops.  In harmony these three ministries serve the Church in different ways and build it up.  The bishop is the shepherd of a diocese which consists of several parishes.  He is assisted by priests who act as the bishop’s advisers and take his place in the parishes.  The deacons, without taking over the work of the bishop or the priest, assist both of them especially in the ministry of service: service at the altar and service of the Christian community especially in administration and charity.

In this week’s Clarion Herald there are several stories about deacons.  There is particularly one about three young men who are going to be ordained deacons on Saturday at St. Louis Cathedral.  Now these are called transitional deacons, because a year from now, they will be ordained priests.  For them, the diaconate is stepping stone to another ministry, the priesthood.  Perhaps the reason for passing through this stage is that before they take on the responsibility of being pastors of souls as priests, they should learn what true service means.

But in the same Clarion Herald is a story about another kind of deacon; the permanent deacon.  There is one deacon who has been a deacon for 40 years.  Our own Deacon Dean has been a deacon for 15 years.  Those who are older perhaps do not remember having deacons before the 60s.  The reason the Church restored this important ministry is because diaconal service from the very beginning has been an essential aspect of the Church’s ministry.

Like the seven men we read about in the first reading today’s deacons serve the needy in the ministry of charity.  Like the deacons Stephen and Philip, today’s deacons also preach the Word of God.  Deacons assist the priest and bishop at Mass, they visit the sick and conduct communion services.  Deacons help in the administration of parishes and even the Diocese.  They do all these things, like the first deacons to build up the Body of Christ, and they do this usually as married men, living their lives out there in the world, but serving God with the grace of ordination.

Let me suggest two things to take from this reading for our personal lives.

The first message concerns permanent deacons.  Have you personally thought about serving God and the Church as a deacon like those seven men we just read about?  Or do you know someone who has the qualities of a deacon, but perhaps needs a little nudge?

The second message concerns our own life of service.  Yes, we have permanent deacons, priests and bishops – these are professional servants if you like.  But they do not let us off the hook.  Did you hear what St. Peter wrote in today’s second reading?  He said to you:

You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Yes we are all a kind of priest and deacon because of our baptism.  Especially as live our lives in the family, at work and in the public square, we have to serve others and God.  Our diaconal service is out there, as we live our every day lives.  Of course we also serve at Church, especially at the liturgy.  In fact, all the ministries at Mass, readers, servers, ushers, musicians were at one time carried out by deacons.  As we carry them out today, let us remember that we are carrying out a diaconal duty; we are servants of the Lord.

Conclusion

And so, my brothers and sisters, service is the hallmark of what it means to be Christian.  In fact in the Early Church one of the reasons that Christianity caught on was because Christians served everybody, not just their members, but others as well.  Other religions, especially the Roman religions did not do this.

We continue this honourable tradition of service, not just in our bishops, priests and permanent deacons; not just in our ministry at Mass or the Parish Council or teaching religion, but especially in our every day lives – doing for everybody what those seven men did for the widows of their time and Christians throughout history have done for the world.  Let the ministry of our deacons set the standards by which our own service is carried out.

Listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd

Homily for 4^th Sunday of Easter Year A 2014

Acts 2:14, 36-41 • 1 Pet 2:20-25 • John 10:1-10

Introduction

What does Jesus’ claim to be the Good Shepherd mean for us, city people of today?  After all, our experience of shepherds is probably only in the movies and our experience of sheep is at the dinner table, when have lamb chops.

Thankfully for us, Jesus adds to the image of a shepherd, two other images with which we are more familiar, namely, the voice and the gate.  He says:

·        The sheep follow the shepherd because they recognize his voice.

·        “I am the gate for the sheep.... Whoever enters through me will be saved.”

It seems that sheep need both things: a voice to lead them towards the pastures and a gate to protect them from predators.  The Good Shepherd provides both.

You have probably seen the TV show called “The Voice.”  In the first stage of this competition, participants compete in a blind audition in front of four coaches.  During the actual audition, the chairs of the coaches face away from the performers towards the audience.  The coach interested in a particular artist must make a decision to consider coaching them, based only on the voice of the prospective artist.  And when a coach has heard enough to impress him or her, they press their button and turn their chair towards the artist.  In the Italian version of this show, the coaches were surprised to see that the beautiful voice they had just heard was an nun, by the name of Sr. Christina.

The voice is a powerful instrument.  We use it to say things; but it can also be used to identify us.  We can tell a lot just by listening to a voice.  How often will we remark to someone on the phone, “are you okay,” because we hear something in their voice that tells us that all is not well.  Apparently, sheep also have a knack for identifying their shepherd by his voice.  And because they are used to him and know him, they will follow him when he calls them; they will not follow the voice of a stranger or thief.  All the shepherd needs to keep his sheep in line is his voice, unlike the cowboy who needs a whip to keep the cattle in line.

Scripture and Theology

In the same way Jesus explains that his is the voice of the shepherd who cares for people by proclaiming God’s message to them.  They hear in his voice that he cares for them and that is why they follow him.  Whether he is teaching the Sermon on the Mount, or talking to Nicodemus at night, or teaching the small band of apostles around him, they hear the Word of God that he shares.

The sheep follow the shepherd’s voice because they know that he cares for them, encouraging the shy one, carrying the slow one and reining in the naughty one.  In the same way Jesus knows his followers and tailors his message to their needs.  To the sick he brings a message of healing and endurance; to the prostitutes and tax-collectors, a message of repentance and forgiveness; and to the Pharisees and scribes a message of God’s boundless love.

We heard that unfortunately the Pharisees failed to understand this image of the voice; and that is why Jesus tried another image, the gate.  Jesus describes himself saying, “I am the gate for the sheep.”  In the absence of the kind of security that we have today, the shepherd was the only defence for the sheep.  And so, when he was out in the pastures and could not return home, he kept the sheep in a cave for the night; and to protect them, he slept by the mouth of the cave, ensuring that no thief entered to steal the sheep and in turn, no mischievous sheep wandered off into the night to be eaten by wild animals.

And so Jesus declares himself to be the gate for Christians; the gate that stops them from wandering off in wrong directions and the gate the stops others from misdirecting them.  As the gate to heaven, Jesus shows us how we are to get there; he tells us how to trust in God, how we are to worship God in spirit and truth, how we are to behave towards one another, in love and compassion.

Christian Life

Jesus is still our Good Shepherd today; his is still the voice we should follow and gate through which we should enter.  Unfortunately for us, there is a cacophony of voices, all calling for the attention of our ears.

·        There are the ideological voices of the network and Cable News channels, as well as the sitcoms and dramas which are saturated with promiscuity.

·        There are the voices on the internet, newspapers, blogs, youtube, many of them peddling all kinds of philosophies and ways of life.

·        You also have the voices of our family, co-workers and friends, sometimes the source of gossip, slander and even hate.

How can we hear and listen to the voice of Jesus in such a crowded marketplace of voices and ideas?  I know a couple who fear to take their young children even to the supermarket, because while they are in the check-out line, one side is full of sweets and the other is full of quite sleazy magazines.

My friends, the voice of Jesus is still to be found, especially in the teaching of the Catholic Church.  The two-thousand year tradition of reading the Bible and reflecting on it under the guidance of the Holy Spirit continues today, in the words of our Pope and Bishops. This teaching provides lasting solutions to those fundamental problems of our lives.  There is no problem or situation in the world today to which Jesus has not spoken or given some guiding principle.  It is all there in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is a comprehensive synthesis of what Jesus teaches in the Bible and is nicely divided into four sections: Belief, Worship, Moral Life and Prayer.  The Catechism, in its complete form, or its youth formats, can be good gifts for Confirmation, birthdays etc.  If we want the truth, we have to turn to the horse’s mouth, as the saying goes.

·        Catholics can learn much about life, suffering and death from the teaching of the Church than from Oprah, soap operas and the movies.

·        Catholics can learn much about treating their enemy or perceived enemy, be it Muslims or criminals, from the teaching of Jesus in the Church, that upholds both justice and mercy, than from Cable TV or Talk Radio.

·        Catholics can learn much about business and labour from the teaching of the Church that upholds the rights of both the employer and the worker, than from either the Democratic or Republican Party.

As Catholics, the voice of Jesus should be the primary influence in our lives.  Yes, some of us struggle with Church teaching on one issue or another.  Sometimes we think that the Church’s interpretation of Jesus’ teaching is wrong; or we simply don’t think that the Church has any right to tell us what to do.

For me, one of the reasons I like being Catholic and not Protestant is that I don’t have to do all the heavy lifting by myself.  Yes, I have to personally accept the Lord Jesus as my Saviour; I have to read the Scriptures and meditate on them; I have to pray; I have to love my neighbour.  But I don’t have to work out every single detail of Jesus’ teaching from scratch.  I rely on the testimony and witness of all those Catholics who have gone before me in the past 2000 years.  I believe that the Spirit, which the Lord promised to send, has continued to inspire the Church of every generation until today, so that that message he left us, has been handed on faithfully and applied to each generation including ours today.

Conclusion

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we Christians today need, not only the voice of Jesus that tells us where to do, but also the gate that his teaching provides for us, showing us where to come in and where to go out.  May we see the voice of Jesus not as a burden, but as an opportunity, showing us the boundaries within which we are free to exercise our freedom and love God and our neighbour to the fullest extent possible.  Let us follow his voice and it will lead us through the gate that leads to eternal life.

“Stay with us Lord”

Homily for 3^rd Sunday of Easter Year A 2014

Acts 2:14, 22-28  • 1 Pet 1:17-21 • Luke 24:13-35

Introduction

An ancient proverb says, “guests are like fish; they begin to smell after three days.”  While this proverb teaches guests not to overstay their welcome, an African proverb puts a different spin on guests.  It says: “A guest is a guest for two days: on the third day he gets a hoe and goes to the fields with the family.”

Scripture and Theology

In today’s gospel, Jesus is a guest.  His two travelling companions invite him: “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”  But Jesus is the kind of guest who neither overstays his welcome, nor one who fails to earn his keep.  In just a few hours, he gives his hosts more than they expected.

We remember that when he comes upon them on the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, he finds them discussing the recent events in Jerusalem: the arrest, suffering, death of Jesus, and now the astounding news that he is risen.  They are downcast! They are confused!  They do not know what to believe!  This strange travelling companion then helps them to understand these events in the light of Scripture.  He goes back to the very beginning of the Old Testament, that is, to the writings of Moses and to the writings of the Prophets, and shows them using those passages that all these events, the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus were foreseen.  But more importantly when seen through the light of Scripture, these events make sense.  He shows them that the Messiah was not to come in power, but in suffering and sacrifice, just as the Scriptures had promised.  And so, even before they get home, Jesus helps them see God’s plan of salvation in its true light and meaning.

But there is more that he has to offer when the disciples invite him into their home.  What these two disciples do is nothing out of the ordinary; with the lack of quick transportation, highways and highway Motels, it was no uncommon to put up for the night total stranger and stranded travellers.  I suppose they did not have many of the dangers we have today.  Moreover, as a guest, here was someone who had just explained the Scriptures to them so well.  They probably figured that he would not turn around at night and slit their throats.  In fact it turns out that their invitation for him to stay with them brings them a great surprise.

We read in the gospel that “while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.”  These are the very four actions he did on two previous occasions:

·        When he fed the five thousand people, he also took the bread and fishes, said the blessing, broke them and then gave them to the crowds.

·        At the Last Supper, he also takes the bread and gives thanks, breaks and gives it to his disciples, saying: “Take and eat.  This is my body.”

And so when this guest does the same things for them, the two disciples immediately recognize Jesus, their Saviour and Messiah.  It is at the breaking of bread that they recognize the Lord.  And after he had disappeared, they said: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Christian Life

My friends, as Catholics we continue to invite the Lord to stay with us, for the same two reasons that he was a travelling companion of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and a guest at their dinner table. We too recognize Jesus Christ both in the Word and in the Sacrament.  These are the two pillars, the two planks that sustain our Catholic Faith.  We hear the Word of God read to us in Church or even at home, and we are moved to faith, to believe in the saving work of the Lord Jesus.  And then when we are aroused by that faith we come to his Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of the Eucharist, to receive the Lord in his very Body and Blood and to receive what is called grace, or simply, spiritual help.

Perhaps like those two disciples on the road to Emmaus, our hearts should burn within us, when we hear the wonderful works of God in the Scriptures.  Perhaps like those two disciples, we should recognize him in the Breaking of Bread, in the communion that we receive when we come to Mass.  Perhaps every time we come to Mass we are in effect saying, “Stay with us Lord.”  As a Church, as an institution, as the community of Christ, we have kept up the invitation to Jesus to stay with us in his Word and in his Sacrament.  But actually Jesus had promised that he would stay with us until the end of the world.  And so it might be more accurate to say that by our regular reading of his Word and in celebrating the Eucharist, we are simply taking him up on his promise, a promise which he delivers on without fail.

Whenever I visit people’s homes, one of the plaques they have on the wall says:

Christ is the Head of this house

The Unseen Guest at every meal

The Silent Listener to every conversation.

How true it is; that Christ should be a guest in our home.  We come to his house every Sunday; should we not return the favour and ask him to come and stay with us?  That is what good friends do; they invite each other to their homes.

Let me suggest some ways by which Christ might be our honoured guest.

·        If we don’t already do so, we might revive that traditional practice of saying grace at meals.  In this prayer, we thank God for his benevolence to us, and make him the unseen guest at every meal.

·        If we don’t already do so, perhaps we should revive the practice of family prayers, when we turn off the television and whatever other gadget feeds our technological needs.  In the few “Our Fathers,” “Hail Marys” or even the full Rosary that we pray, aren’t we in our small, daily ways, inviting the Lord to stay with us?  These prayers are especially poignant when we are about to go to bed and say to the Lord: ““Stay with us Lord. . . the day is almost over.”

·        A third and perhaps the most important way to invite the Lord to stay with us is to do literally what they two disciples did to Jesus.  Can we be travelling companions for people that might need a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen to them, a hand to hold them along, as we all travel along this journey called life?  Can we invite into our lives, people who might need some of their physical needs like shelter, food, medicine, without worrying about whether or not they are going to use or abuse our donation?  Of course we live in different times and cannot always be hauling strangers into the guest-room without grave risk.  But can our way of saying to the Lord “stay with us” be to buy a bus-ticket for a stranded person, a meal for a hungry person, a motel room for a traveller without a bed, or just supporting organizations that provide these things day in day out?

Conclusion

Catholics don’t have to worry about Jesus beginning to smell after three days; rather he rises after three days and continues to stay among us, carrying his own weight and supporting us through life.

Let us recognize the Lord’s presence among us, not just in his Word and Sacraments, but also in our brothers and sisters whom we serve.  For he promised that where two or three of his brothers and sisters would be gathered in prayer, he would be amongst us.  But he also promised, that whenever we see a stranger and welcome him, or a naked person and clothe him, an ill person or prisoner and visited him, we would be doing these things for Jesus himself.