Homily from Father Stephen for the 6th Sunday of Easter
If you love me – keep my commandments
Each Sunday in Easter time we celebrate the gifts we have received in Baptism and Confirmation. We rejoice that the Spirit is our Advocate, who continues to support us in these difficult times. As we gather today we think of the comfort and warmth of a parish community. If you are a parishioner of St. Joseph’s, Clarkston, you are very welcome. If you are a Facebook parishioner of St. Joseph’s, you are welcome. If you are dipping in because perhaps you are seeking the spiritual, encounter with God or seeking something that you cannot yet describe or explain, you are particularly welcome.
Since the season of Easter we have celebrated in JOY, but this joy is pointless unless we live out his teaching through the ups and downs of our daily lives. We prepare for Pentecost by praying for the gift and power of the Holy Spirit, praying that the Spirit may build us up in unity and love, which is in the witness of our lives and how we evangelise with that message. We must change for the better – we must become more loving, tender and more patient. It is important to remember that Christ never tried to convert the whole world – the Gospel tells us that the world cannot accept the Spirit of God. It is up to us to reach out to others and stir up people’s hopes and beliefs. Through the voice of the Church, Christ says to us what he said to his apostles: – If you love me – keep my commandments. We couldn’t possibly call ourselves disciples if we don’t listen to his words and make an effort to live by him.
So, as we look at the Acts of the Apostles we are told of the successes of the early Church, and the giving of the Spirit to new believers. St. Peter writes in his first letter that Christians should be able to give a reason for the hope that is in them. And in St John’s Gospel we hear Jesus repeats his commandments of love and promises the gift of the Spirit.
Saint Peter says something really important this Sunday – which every Catholic and every Christian should think about very carefully. He says, “Always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have.” “Always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have.”
We Catholics, and I include myself in this, are often shy when it comes to giving reasons for the hope that is in us. We easily let ourselves off the hook by saying that questions about the Catholic faith are for other people not me, to answer. I do not know enough, and I am happy believing what I believe. Not good enough says Saint Peter, “Always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have.”
I am sure we have all been in the situation when the question of faith comes up in conversation. People are having all kinds of conversations in lock down with their neighbours and with people online, about faith amongst other things. Even in lock down, while church doors are closed, the work of the Church of course continues. And all of us who are Catholic have a part to play in this work of having conversations with people and giving reasons for the hope that is in us. It is for us to have thought about our faith and to be able to give the reason for our hope.
The opportunity to get into conversation with somebody about faith is an opportunity to do for them an act of love and service, just as getting someone’s shopping is or asking if they need anything. When somebody asks a question about faith or about the hope that is in us or what it means to be Catholic, we get the opportunity to tell them the truth. Last Sunday we heard Jesus describe himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life. Nobody wants to be left in the dark, with no one willing to tell them the truth. The Truth is the person of Jesus Christ. In him and in him alone, is the answer to all our questions.
The new reality in which we find ourselves with the restrictions around the coronavirus pandemic is an insight into the new reality that followed the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples at Pentecost. Every experience of a new reality involves change and transition. And every new reality presents amazing opportunities. Once lock down happened in March we had quickly to play catch up, moving our prayer, worship in faith formation online and live streamed, which Canon Tom in Greenock, Fr Jim in Paisley and Bishop Brian in Oban, as well as our Bishop John, Canon Oliver and our Fr Jonathan in the Cathedral have excelled in evangelizing for the people of this parish.
Every new challenge requires dependence upon the Holy Spirit, prayer to the Holy Spirit and fidelity to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In two weeks we will celebrate Pentecost Sunday that wonderful moment marking the beginning of the Church when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus.
Beginning nest Thursday we have our Pentecost Novena– “ I invite you to join me in praying our Pentecost Novena to the Holy Spirit again this year, when as a diocesan family, we prepare ourselves for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our Church and on our mission” – Bishop John. The Diocesan Commission for Evangelisation is promoting this Novena for the nine days from Ascension Thursday (21stMay) till Pentecost Sunday (31stMay). To sign up please access the web address http://eepurl.com/g2D9yP alternatively you can log on each day to the diocesan web page www.rcdop.org.ukor the Facebook page.
Praying deliberately and intentionally for what we need, it is not like inviting somebody to afternoon tea, in a take it or leave it kind of way. Praying deliberately and intentionally involves praying with confidence, praying in the belief God already wants to answer our prayer and grant our request. It means the conviction that God is just waiting for us to ask. It is not God who tires of giving; it is we who tire of asking. This is going to be a wonderful movement of prayer and a transforming movement of prayer and I invite as many people reading now to be part of this.
Crucially and importantly, do not just participate yourself. Invite others, family, friends, neighbours, workmates, anybody and everybody to participate in this prayer of invoking insistently the Holy Spirit for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Pray that we might all be renewed and that the face of the earth will be renewed at this time by the Holy Spirit this Pentecost. Renewed in the Holy Spirit we will indeed be able to have our answer ready for people who ask the reason for the hope that is in us. The reason for the hope that is in us is not of this world, it is of God. And we gain access to God through prayer. We need to be a praying people, constantly invoking the Holy Spirit.
So – “Always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have.”
