5th Easter Dsicpleship


In the 2nd Reading from Revelation, did we notice something? A popular misconception is that this book talks about a future end of the world. Yet it never speaks of the destruction; yes, trial and tribulation, but the end is that Heaven and Earth are one. The Heavenly city of Jerusalem comes down to Earth, they are one. And John does not speak necessarily of a future, but of a reality that was taking place in his time. He was speaking about the rise of the Christian faith and those who believed in the message of Jesus Christ, the Son of God come down from Heaven. He spoke of the faith of disciples.

God’s great will and plan have always been the unity of Heaven and Earth, the spiritual and the material. God created humanity to help fulfill this plan; but humanity has rejected it and many of us still do so. It is the “Original Sin”.

Almost two years ago we embarked on a process of transforming the culture of our parish, called “Belonging leads to Believing”. We build up community, create a safe place for people to experience God through Jesus Christ, and then they and us can be drawn into a deeper life in Christ, to become disciples.

One question I have had is “What are true disciples?” What marks a person who has truly become a disciple.

The Gospel always provides the answers. We got it today: Love one another!

We may say this is simple: “I must be a disciple!” I go to mass almost every week, i place money in the collection. I say my prayers. I generally “love” or “like” people.

But it also says as Jesus loved us, so we must love another.

How willing are we to give up our comfort for the good of others? How willing are we to make a sacrifice for someone, for peace, for growth? How willing are we able to put aside our opinions, listen to others and see a greater need other than “I must be correct. I must win”?

How willing are we to forgive the person who hurt us? How willing are we to welcome a person at the door that we do not know? How willing are we to pay living salaries, speak up against the injustice of this world in its forms of racism, sexism, ageism, nationalism, poverty?

Loving one another is not a feeling; but an action. An action to see the good in all human persons, no matter how others have judged them, and not just the ones I agree with. Love is an action to want to work for that goodness.

Love will pull us out of our narrow selves, our small worlds, and we will participate in something much larger: the Kingdom of Heaven.

Eucharist calls us to this. We give thanks for God so loving the world that God sent his only into the world to save it: save it from indifference and smallness.
Eucharist reminds us what God did to save us, in Jesus Christ.
Eucharist reminds us and calls us to this same mission.

We are not here to get out of this world, or escape it: we are here to live it, transform it; to see the goodness and work to bring it forth.

This is our mission.

Each moment that we choose to forgive: we are on mission.
Each moment we choose to live humbly and listen: we are on mission.
Each moment we give of ourselves: we are being disciples of Jesus Christ.
Each moment we live as those disciples we live as true to ourselves and we live truly free.

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