5th Sunday of EasterActs 6:1-7 1 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12 The Gospel this weekend is this:
John 14:1-12 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 2 In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 * And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. 4 Where (I) am going you know the way." * 5 Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth * and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, then you will also know my Father. * From now on you do know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, * and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 12 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. The first reading is this: Acts 6:1-7 At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. * 3 Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, 4 whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith. The second reading is this: 1 Peter 2:4-9 4 Come to him, a living stone, * rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, 5 and, like living stones, let yourselves be built * into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says in scripture: "Behold, I am laying a stone inZion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame." 7 Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," 8 and "A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall." They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny. 9 But 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. MEDITATION: This Sunday Christ asks us to let Him enlighten our darkness and to build up his Church, so that the light of his love will be spread around to many. The Jews have strong faith in God (Yahweh), so it is obviously very difficult for them to accept that Jesus was God incarnate. It's great to know that Jesus has overcome death, but we're all going to need to overcome it too! The Good News (Gospel) today, is telling us that we can! But how? Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6). The path has been set out for us in Christ and we're not the first to follow. But do we? It may seem that my MS has very much diminished my life, and that’s true physically, but it’s helping me to mature in mind and heart, and that’s augmenting my spiritual life which is actually much more important! The first reading talks of how the first Christian community was like a new birth. There's a lot to be done - like 'serving at the table', but some devote themselves to 'prayer and +ministry of the Word' (Acts 6:4). That's actually the official 'carism' (job) of every Bishop - it also happens to be the carism of our community (Verbum Dei) - and in a way, it's the job of every single Christian. Some of the more 'mundane' tasks of the time were entrusted to Stephen and Philip, but it's interesting that those two actually ended up preaching the Good News also! (Stephen in Acts 7 and Philip to the Ethiopian in Acts 8). Evangelization may sound like a technical task confined to official priests, brothers and nuns, but that's not true. We're all called to participate in many different ways... from the pulpits to the coffee shops! Some may think that it sounds like a boring thing to do, but it actually ends up stimulating good ideas and prayer and conversations. Everyone loves talking about love! So Love with a capital L scores great goals! It even rises from the dead! If Ireland ever won the world cup football, and I met an Irishman that hadn't heard the news, I wouldn't be slow to tell him! But are we slow to tell the modern world about the love of Christ which is stronger than death? Maybe we haven't taken 'Easter' to heart enough yet. The world is very profuse and ingenious in describing the faults in our Church (and in our missionary priests!), but we are all called to be 'living stones' today - to help build rather than just criticise. There are fancy Churches and Cathedrals, but the nicest of all is one's own heart. That's a house where Christ longs to live. He himself will be the 'corner-stone' - and then it won't be just a house, but a home! The love we manage to engender in our short years here on earth, can be like the front garden path leading to the home that Jesus is preparing for us. We know the way. But we need to travel it together - like the first Christian community did. Come back to us again, Lord! Jesus says "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be" (Jn 14:3). God tried to build up a people of faith (the Jews) over many centuries, although those poor people ended up crucifying Jesus. However, the Trinity will keep trying to build with love. Christ is like an immovable foundation. 'The stone rejected by the builders has become the precious cornerstone' (second reading 1 Pt2:7). Christ put the Jews to the test, and they condemned him, and in that sense He's a stone over which they stumbled and fell, but the Trinity will keep building. God tells us this through Isaiah): 'With heaven my throne and earth my footstool, it's not up to you to build a house for me!' (Is 66:1-2). Jesus says that his going back is in order to prepare a dwelling for us. Are you keen to follow him and reach that dwelling? One clear way to do so, is in helping to build a dwelling for Him here in our world... his Church on earth. That's relevant for the Pope but we should support him. The second reading asks us all to become like 'living stones' (1 Pt 2:5). Of course, the building of the Church isn't simply a matter of bricks and mortar, and the first reading today tells of the way the first Christian community managed to get different groups to do different jobs. It sounds like an ideal communist revolution! But will we give ourselves as material for the construction of Christ? Some may be big and strong for pillars (The name Peter and Kephas actually mean 'rock' in Latin and Hebrew). Some may be cute for decoration (like me! Ha! Ha!). Some may be musical (the ancient Jews didn't actually recite psalms, but rather they sang them). Some may simply be like planks of wood for seats (that's more like me!). The patroness of all missionaries (St Therése of Lisieux) is actually like a very humble little decoration on the wall, but she inspires many. She makes me think of the little church made of planks when I was in Zambia. But I think the singing within was better than in the Royal Albert Hall! The Basilica of St Peters in Romeactually has the statue outside of a humble St Francis ofAssisi leaning on the wall… as if holding the Church up! Of course, the one really holding up the Church isn't the Pope on his own, but it's Christ himself. But you could say that Christ works through his many messengers. The Verbum Dei missionary (keen on 'prayer and preaching') who first inspired my conversion as a young medic, was actually a qualified architect. So I'm glad that the spiritual building took precedence over the physical! Rather than setting ourselves up as fantastic builders of his Church, Christ longs for us to just clear out any faults and to humbly allow Him himself to do the building. He tells us this through a well-known Jew (Isaiah): 'With heaven my throne and earth my footstool, what house- +could you build for me? All of this was created by me! But my eyes are drawn to the person of humble and contrite spirit who trembles at my word.' (Is 66:1-2). In that sense, I don't want to become some amazing author, but rather to become like a simple finger pointing to Jesus. So let’s help Christ to build up his Church, like a home, so that the light of his love will be spread around to many. I like the way the first reading ends today: 'Even the 'priests' became obedient'! ..........Dara. En ESPAÑOL: 5° Domingo de Pascua: Hechos 6:1-7. 1°Pedro 2:4-9. Juan 14:1-12 Este domingo Cristo nos invita a dejarle iluminar nuestra oscuridad y a construir su Iglesia, para que la luz de su amor se extienda a muchos. Loa Judíos tienen fe fuerte en Dios (Yahvé), entonces es claramente muy difícil para ellos aceptar que Jesús era Dios encarnado. Es muy bueno saber que Jesús ha superado la muerte, pero ¡dentro de poco tendremos que superarla todos nosotros también! ¡La Buena Nueva (el Evangelio) hoy, está diciéndonos que podremos! ¿Pero cómo? Jesús dice “Yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida” (Juan 14:6). El camino se nos ha mostrado en Cristo y no somos los primeros en seguirle. ¿Pero le seguimos? Puede aparecer que mi esclerosis múltiple ha disminuido mi vida, y eso es verdad físicamente, pero me está ayudando madurar en mente y corazón y eso aumenta mi vida espiritual ¡que de hecho es mucho más importante! La primera lectura habla de cómo la primera comunidad cristiana vivió como un nuevo nacimiento. Hay mucho para hacer - como 'servir a las mesas', pero algunos se consagran a 'la oración y al ministerio de la Palabra' (Hechos 6:4). Ése es el carisma oficial (el papel) de cada Obispo - y también es el carisma de nuestra comunidad (Verbum Dei) - y en cierto modo, es papel de cada cristiano. Se confió algunas de las tareas más 'domésticas' a Esteban y a Felipe, pero es interesante que esos dos llegaron también a predicar la Buena Nueva.(Esteban en Hechos 7 y Felipe al etíope en Hechos 8). La evangelización puede parecer una tarea técnica reservada a los sacerdotes oficiales y monjas, pero eso no es verdad. Estamos todos llamados a participar de muchas maneras diferentes... ¡desde los púlpitos hasta las cafeterías! Algunos pueden pensar que parece una cosa aburrida, pero termina estimulando ideas buenas y oración y conversaciones buenas. ¡A todos nos gusta hablar del amor y aquel que es el Amor con A mayúscula marca goles muy buenos. ¡Incluso resucita de la muerte! Si Irlanda alguna vez ganara la copa mundial de de fútbol, y yo me encontrara con un irlandés que no hubiera oído las noticias, no tardaría en decírselo! ¿Pero somos lentos al hablar al mundo moderno del amor de Cristo que es más fuerte que la muerte? Quizá no hemos dejado todavía que la Pascua nos convierta el corazón. El mundo está muy dispuesto a describir cualquier falta en nuestra Iglesia (¡y en nuestros sacerdotes misioneros!), pero estamos todos llamados a ser piedras vivas hoy - a ayudar a construir en lugar de simplemente criticar. Hay Iglesias y Catedrales elegantes, pero la más importante de todas para cada uno es el propio corazón de uno. Ésa es dónde Cristo anhela vivir. ¡Él será 'la piedra angular' - y entonces no será simplemente una casa, sino un hogar! El amor que +logramos engendrar en nuestros años cortos aquí en la tierra, puede ser como el camino del jardín delantero que lleva a la casa que Jesús nos está preparando. Sabemos cual es el camino. Pero necesitamos recorrerlo juntos - como hizo la primera comunidad cristiana. ¡Regresa de nuevo a nosotros, Señor! Dice Jesús “voy y preparo un lugar para todos y regresaré de nuevo y os tomaré conmigo, para que donde esté yo, podáis estar todos.” (Jn 14:3). Dios intentó formar un pueblo de fe (los judíos) durante muchos siglos, aunque aquellos pobres llegaron a crucificar a Jesús. Sin embargo, la Trinidad seguirá edificando con amor. Cristo es como una fundación inmóvil. 'La piedra rechazada por los arquitectos ahora es la piedra angular preciosa (segunda lectura 1ºPd 2:7). Cristo puso a los judíos a prueba, y en ese sentido Él es una piedra donde tropezaron y se cayeron, pero la Trinidad seguirá edificando. Dios nos dice esto a través de Isaías: '¡Ya que el cielo es mi trono y la tierra es el estrado de mis pies, no os toca a vosotros construir una casa para mí!' (Is 66:1-2). Una manera clara de vivir ahora con Cristo, e++s ayudando a construir una morada para Él aquí en nuestro mundo... su Iglesia en la tierra. Eso es ahora pertinente con el Papa, pero ¡Apoyemosle! La segunda lectura nos pide a todos ser 'piedras vivas' (1ºPt 2:5). Claro, construirla Iglesia no es simplemente una cuestión de ladrillos y cemento, y la primera lectura de hoy dice que la primera comunidad cristiana llegó a conseguir coordinar los grupos diferentes para hacer los trabajos diferentes. ¡Parece una revolución comunista mucho mejor que la de 1917 en Rusia! ¿Pero nos ofrecemos como material para la construcción de Cristo? ¡Algunos pueden ser grandes y fuertes +para los pilares (El nombre Pedro y Cephas significa 'la piedra' en latín y hebreo). Algunos pueden ser bonitos para la decoración (como yo! ¡Ha! Ha!). Algunos pueden ser musicales (de hecho los judíos antiguos no recitaron los salmos, sino los cantaron). Algunos simplemente pueden estar como los tablones de madera para los asientos (¡ése es más como yo!). La patrona de todos los misioneros (Santa Teresa de Lisieux) es como una decoración pequeña muy humilde en la pared, pero ella inspira a muchos. Me hace pensar en la iglesia pequeña hecha de ramas cuando yo estaba en Zambia. ¡Pero creo que la música por dentro era mejor que en cualquier palacio real! ¡La Basílica de San Pedro en Roma de hecho tiene una estatua por fuera del San Francisco de Asís humilde que se apoya en la pared como si estuviera sosteniendo la Iglesia! Claro, él que está realmente sosteniendo la Iglesiano es el Papa solo, sino es el propio Cristo. Pero podrías decir que Cristo trabaja a través de sus muchos mensajeros. El misionero Verbum Dei consagrado a 'la oración y al ministerio de la Palabra' que inspiró mi conversión como un joven estudiante de medicina, de hecho era arquitecto. ¡Agradezco que la construcción espiritual tomó anterioridad a la física! ¿Pero dejarás a Cristo trabajar a través de ti? En lugar de vernos preparándonos como constructores fantásticos de su Iglesia, Él anhela vernos simplemente limpiándonos de todo pecado y dejándole a Él construir nuestras vidas sin impedimento. Nos dice esto a través de un judío muy conocido (Isaías): “Dado que el cielo es mi trono y la tierra mi escabel, ¿qué casa podrías construir para mí? ¡El mundo entero fue creado por mí! Pero lo que me encanta ver es la persona de espíritu humilde y contrito que tiembla ante mi palabra.”. (Is 66:1-2). En ese sentido, no quiero llegar a ser algún autor asombroso, sino a ser como un dedo simple que apunta a Jesús. Entonces ayudemos a Cristo a construir a su Iglesia, como un hogar, para que la luz de su amor se extienda a muchos. Me gusta como acaba la primera lectura hoy: ¡'Empezaron a ser obedientes aún los sacerdotes'! Comments are closed.
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