Homily for April 28, 2013

Homily for 5 Easter C

My sisters and brothers, in Christ we really are called to help build a new world! 

In our first reading, we get to watch the first Christians discovering that people normally viewed as unworthy are being given the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  These outcasts, unrighteous gentiles, are accepted first by Peter and then officially accepted by the Christian community in Jerusalem. 

Leading up to this Peter has been in the coastal area northwest of Jerusalem, an area where there are already believers of Jewish origin.  Further up the coast, in Caesarea Philippi, Cornelius (an officer in the Roman army, a Gentile) has seen a vision in which a messenger from God has told him to send for Peter.  As Peter has approached the town, he too has seen a vision.  At Cornelius’ house, he has told the assembled company (both Jews and Gentiles): “You ... know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone unclean; God shows no partiality.  Peter is later challenged as we heard today but his explanation is deeply compelling to the other believers. 

In our second reading John the Divine shares his vision of a recreated universe.  All that brings pain into the world has passed away and is replaced by a perfected world in which God will rule.  He has told of the destruction of the old city, Babylon (code name for the Empire of Rome) and of the old heaven and earth.  The ungodly have been driven off to punishment.  Now, only the godly occupy the new creation.  This is a vision of a perfected end of time which all Christians seek. 

In our gospel story, John the Evangelist articulates Jesus’ most fundamental identifier for an authentic disciple: love for one another.  Judaism required a person to love their neighbor as them self.  Jesus’ commandment is “new” because his self-offering is the model for his commandment.  Mutual love will show who truly follows Christ. 

It is important that we view all this in the reality of our Christian lives today.  God lays a gift of salvation before us that requires us to participate in the work of his Kingdom.  Today we heard some specific expectations of Jesus:  1) that we follow the Holy Spirit even when “undesirables” are being blessed; 2) to recognize that the Kingdom is about changing all we know of the universe around us into a more Divine place; 3) that to love one another without qualification is a hallmark of authenticity for Christians. 

It is a very idealistic and demanding calling.  None of us will live this calling perfectly; rather we are all called to strive toward the ideal.  It means that we all must rely on God’s forgiveness and Grace and guidance.  We all must avoid the temptation to bury our heads in the sand and ignore the calling.  We all must avoid the temptation of simply picking sides and entrenching ourselves.  In short, we are called to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in God’s plan! 

The “New Heaven and New Earth” that we heard about today is another image for the “Kingdom of God.”  Yet another image for the quest we are on is Paul’s “Mystical Body of Christ.”  What is most important is that we contribute to God’s project of building up the Kingdom (or body) as we are able. 

None of us can do everything.  None of us can change the world single handedly.  All of us can do something, all can work together, all can help build a lasting statement to faith, all can contribute to the transforming of a piece of this world.  My brothers and sisters let us not shy from doing our part.