Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year A)
Acts 6.1-7;
I Pet 2.4-9;
Jn 14.1-12
The love of Jesus is always upon us. He cares for us in this world and this life on earth. He is with us always because He has promised to be with us till the end of time and much more than this, He had gone to prepare a place for each and every one of us. The Lord is faithful forever.
In today’s first reading, we see the rapid growth of Christianity after the Pentecost experience. Judeo-Christian culture begins to spread all over the place and to the Hellenist group and while awaiting the anticipated return of Christ in the glory of His Kingdom, the early church adopted a communal living style where all resources were shared. No sooner than later, the distribution of goods items became a problem.
In order to end the dispute, the apostles prayed and they chose seven ministers called deacons and where allotted the task of distribution while the apostles continue with their primary objective of the Breaking of the Bread and the Word. How do we resolve problems in our Churches today? Do we ask the Holy Spirit to direct us and show us way to go? Do we know the access point and pass through it by making a wise choice?
Jesus says in today’s gospel, To have seen me is to have seen the Father”. When we think of God the Father, we tend to think of God as pure and simple. The Supreme Being. The First Cause. It means, to have seen Jesus then, is to have seen the Father. They indwell each other. Together, and never apart, they hurl their Spirit into creation with the brilliance of fire and the strength of a whirlwind. It is that Spirit that sets our own hearts aflame with the shining confidence that love alone conquers all, and love alone gives all life its real meaning.
Jesus is to believers, therefore, the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. He is the answer to man’s hunger and thirst. The way through, the truth in Himself, and the gift of Eternal life. He has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for him; to His glory, we would live, and in defense of his gospel we would die; He is the pattern of our life upon whom, we share in His Munera as a chosen race, a royal priesthood and a nation set apart and the model after which we would sculpture our character.
Fr Joseph Osho
