The Spirit of Truth: Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17

Ps 66

1 Pt 3:15-18

Jn 14:15-21

 

Acts of the Apostles is a primer of Church History 101. Today’s first reading continues to narrate the Church’s rapid growth and spread during its first years. Two weeks ago we heard,  "It was at Antioch that they were first called Christians."   

Several days ago we heard Gamaliel's analysis for the enemies of the Church regarding how to respond to the Apostles' proclamation of the Good News of Jesus, risen from the dead for our sins.  That analysis holds the same weight today. 

 

"So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go.  For if this endeavor is of human origin, it will destroy itself.  But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” 

 

"But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy it." 

 

Despite attempts throughout the centuries to destroy and harm the Church --

despite ongoing attempts in many places today, both internally and externally, the Church continues because, and only because, her provenance is from God. The Church’s growth during the time of Acts was astonishing.  The persistence of the Church over the past millennia proves that it is of God. 

 

We heard in the First Letter of Peter, "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame."

 

That the Church heeds this advice was evident in Boston in May 2014 when a student group at Harvard planned a public "Black Mass," a reenactment of satanic rituals meant solely to mock the Catholic Church and her liturgy.   One could only take pride in the response of the Boston Catholic Church and its communities to the planned blasphemous actions at Harvard as well as its response to the pathetic defense of those who wished to sponsor or approve of the sacrilege among whom was the Boston Globe.   which published a whiny letter by a Miss Sarah Wuncsh, staff attorney for the Massachusetts coven of the ACLU. 

 

The letter criticized Harvard's president for censoring the abomination. 

She used the tired free speech argument.   Today free speech  only exists

theoretically and is applied only selectively, if it supports perversions such as approving puberty blockers for confused brainwashed young children.  Don’t try to argue publicly that it is immoral.

 

The Church's response included a holy hour of adoration at St. Paul's in Harvard Square.  It was attended by over 1000. Sacrilege was countered by prayer.

Blasphemy was neutralized by adoration.

 

Harvard’s desire to stage a sacrilegious anti-Catholic ceremony 

was not entirely surprising.  It, and similar actions throughout the world, represent  the fear of the revelation of the Spirit that Jesus promised in the Gospel. 

It represents fear of truth.  

 

Jesuit Father Stanley Marrow wrote in his commentary on this Gospel, that “the world cannot receive the Spirit of truth because it cannot tolerate the revelation.  

The revelation calls the world's values into question, inverts its hierarchies, 

and overturns its cherished idols.”  

 

Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko the Polish priest martyred by commies in 1984 also commented on the nature of truth.  Gamaliel was aware of a similar dynamic 

when he addressed the haters:

 

‘Truth contains within itself the ability to resist and to blossom in the light of day, 

even if its opponents try to hide it.  Those who proclaim the truth need not be numerous. Falsehood is what requires a lot of people, because it always needs 

to be renewed and fed. Our duty is to abide in the truth, even if it costs us dearly.’

Abiding in the truth cost Father his life at age 37.  He would have been 75 this year.

 

The Gospel has a parentheses framing its message:  At the beginning: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments . . ." 

 

At the end:  "Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me."  

 

Obedience to Jesus’ commandments is the only available means we have of manifesting our love for Him. Only by obeying His commandments 

can we manifest to the world that we live in Christ and He dwells in us. 

 

As the past abominable behavior of the Harvard students illustrates, and as current behaviors confirm, we live in troubled and troubling times.  We can only understand and respond to those times, if we do so in the light of the Christ's birth, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension and His love for us.

 

Father Marrow wrote elsewhere in his commentary on John something that is worthy of meditation: “Loving with utmost generosity and utter selflessness, even to laying down of one’s life, is not uniquely Christian.  What must distinguish, Christians is, when they love, they love as Christ loved them and because he loved them.” 

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The photos are from the Cistercian monastery in Stična, Slovenia.  It is an ancient building that has had the usual remodeling and repair of damages.  I was helping with a retreat there.  

Fr. Jack, SJ, MD