Homily Fifth
Sunday of Easter Year B: Fr. Michael Ufok Udoekpo
·
Acts 9: 26-31
·
Ps 22:26-32;
·
1 John 3:18-24
·
John 15:1-8
Remaining
in the Faithfulness of Christ Jesus
In the
last discourse of John’s Gospel which we began reading last Sunday, Jesus, the
one Paul saw in his conversion experiences, in the first reading, in Acts of the Apostles chapter 9,
continuously reminds his disciples, of who he is. Jesus is not only the Way
to the Father, he is the Messiah. He fulfills his Father’s promises to
Israel, his church- God’ faithfulness. He is the Truth, the Life (John 14), and
the Vine (John 15), to whom we must remain as branches, even in moments of
persecutions and challenges that daily confront the Church everywhere, in every continent (the
early church, and the contemporary church[Nigeria in particular]).
As Christ’s
Good Friday and death were neared during “Holy Week” he knew his disciples
would be humanly devastated as evidenced conversation of the two
disciples on Emmaus' journey as well as in Mary Magdalene, Thomas and other disciples' reactions.
Today’s
church could be part of this “others” in her sorrows, persecutions, hostilities
and in her lack of freedom and safety to worship or witness the Messiah
preached by the very Paul, once a persecutor—and through Damascus highway, and who may have ironically witnessed the martyrdom
of Stephen in Acts 7-8.
In our moments of persecution, may we not lose
sight of the Good news, the hiddenness of God in our lives, and his
faithfulness to us – no matter what! Even after his Ascension the Holy Spirit
will surely accompanies Christ’s church everywhere!
In light of
today’s Gospel John 15, God’s faithfulness in turns invites us the church to
stick with Christ, to remain with and in him in all circumstances of her
prophetic mission. The Johannine Christ uses the imagery of the vine and the
branches to drive home his point. Jesus is the vine, the source of life and
nourishment, and we are the branches- nourished by the vine. Whoever
remains in him bears abundant fruits- because without Christ we can do nothing.
Nary, a vine branches would survive on its own without the parent tree.
Similar
message is heard in the second reading 1
John that, “those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and
the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us” (1 John
3:18-24).
Like in the
days of Isaiah and Ahaz, who was called to trust in God in the face of the advancing
Assyrian army, it must be challenging to any church(Nigeria in particularly searching
today for a way to remain with Christ), in the face of advancing hostilities, violent
and persecution.
In all circumstances imitation of Christ's prophetic courage, Paul's missionary zeal, Martin Luther King Jr's non-violent approach, patience-endurance,
allowing Christ to prune the inhumanity in each of us, the intolerance in us, the lack of respect to life and a sense of common humanity in us-in our nations' capitals, prayers, constructive dialogue,
forgiving those who may have offended us, and showing sincere kindness to one
another could be part of the ways forward in remaining and trusting in his
faithfulness!
Reflecting
Questions:
- 1. Isn’t it ironic that the very Saul who was patrolling Damascus highway, persecuting, killing Christians has seen and witness the Lord today in Acts 9?
- 2. In the light of today's’ Gospel, what could prevents us from trusting and remaining in Christ’s faithfulness and prophetic vision especially in moments of active persecution?
- 3. How do we restore hope in our religious communities that may have experienced moments of hopelessness and socio-economic and political insecurities?
