5th Sunday of Easter - Fr. Bob's Homily - Adaptability

I was a very picky eater as a child. I only would eat certain things, usually quite plain things. For example, I only ate pepperoni pizza; nothing else better not be on that pizza.  I don’t think it wasn’t until college that I experimented; mushrooms, peppers, thick crust, thin crust. Now, except for the evil of pineapple, I like a lot of different varieties of pizza.

Variety is the spice of life, so they say.  Variety comes through imagination and adaptability; because there is a need to adapt to new situations and to new experiences.  Adaptability helps us to respond and grow.

Remaining in the same way, same place, same attitude brings stagnation. It limits us. It is adaptability that fueled our evolution.  And Imagine if pizza was only just a tomato paste and pepperoni?

Most of us have grown and changed since we were young. Even our young people change and adapt now.  This also applies to our religious lives, our faith lives too.  We have to adapt to keep alive, to grow and to address new situations.

When we read about the early Christians, especially in Acts, there was a lot of adapting going on. They were trying to figure it all out.  Now Jesus, before his ascension did not leave a detailed plan that described in detail what to do in every situation.  Jesus gave core principles: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Therefore be compassionate, humble, merciful, kind, open. This confounded the disciples. In the gospel for today they seem to want more clarity, but Jesus knowing the human condition wants them to think, to use these brains that God gave them and us, to adapt, so that God’s kingdom is built.

Yet, these principles guided the early disciples in their decisions.  They would discern on Jesus, his teachings, and what he said and did, then make a decision based upon those. What would be good for the world.  Look at the Acts today. The early church was successful. So much so, they had growing pains. Now Jesus never talked about deacons, but here is the beginning of the diaconate. The disciples adapted.  Other cases too, they changed based upon the core principles of Jesus. They welcomed Gentiles. They went to various parts of the world. They created new practices according to the local customs.  This gave them a chance to grow even more.

Adaptability was a very part of the community.

Change can be hard.  We get into our routines. We get into our practices. We get into our ruts, and it can be hard to get out, difficult to entertain even different ways. We can also begin to think since this is the way “I” have done it, it must have been the same forever for everyone.  

These past 50 some days, almost 60, have shaken up our routines.  We have had to adapt our way of life for the good of all.  Some resist, but the vast majority of us knowing that this was ultimately good, gave of ourselves for the good of others.  This included how we acted as church.

We still need to adapt  Times are changing. Not just coronavirus, but our world in and of itself.  Our faith will be important. Those core principles of Jesus Christ and the gospel offer to this world a way, a truth and a life.  We need to adapt to promote and live these principles, just as the early church did.

Adapting means reaching out in different ways to learn the faith.  Adapting means recognizing the way that “I” experience Jesus Christ and live the faith, may not be the same for others.  Adapting means the way “I” have it now, may have to go away so that others can grow.

I won’t speak for every priest in the diocese, but I have done a bit of soul searching during this time. Because how I have been as a priest has had to change.  I have always known it is more than just a figure who celebrates the rituals.  There had to be more than just a functionary role.  There is more than just pepperoni pizza.

This parish will be led to some soul searching too. How can we adapt to the 2020’s, so that what we have to offer can be found for those searching?  By our own young persons as they grow and begin to experiment with life?

How will we be Catholics, alive and vibrant?