Homily
Tuesday 2nd Week of Easter, Fr. Udoekpo, Michael Ufok @shsst
Readings:
Acts4:32-37; Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5; John 3:7b-15
The Spirit of Sharing and Commitment during
This Pandemic
(1)As we saw yesterday, in the Church of
Easter, the Holy Spirit is at work no matter our daily challenges. We read part of John’s Gospel 3 yesterday. Leading
up to today’s Gospel passage, we meet Nicodemus, a high-ranking Pharisee, and a
lawer, who comes to see Jesus under the cover of darkness (Hoshek).
He shows an interest in Jesus, and seems to want to know more about Him.
But Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born from above/anōthen in
Greek, mistakenly also taken as again. Under the darkness of literalism
and misunderstanding, which can happen
to any of us, Nicodemus response, just before today’s passage, is that he isn’t sure how he
would go about crawling back into his mother’s womb, especially since he was
already a grown up man. How often do we not hurry to misunderstand one another,
or pre-judge ourselves? Or presumed undue advantage over our next door
neighbor?
(2)What Jesus really wishes, is for
Nicodemus to be born of the Spirit, which we know sacramentally happens through
Baptism. At baptism our sins are forgiven. At baptism we all become adopted children of
God. We become sharers of divine life and temples of the Holy Spirit, and are
now able to live and act under the guidance of the light of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. This Spirit, helps us mature in prudence, justice, temperance and
fortitude, in boldness. The kind of boldness Peter and John exhibited yesterday.
Baptism also provides a common foundation
among all Christians, irrespective of your color, tribe and gender. In baptism we are configured to Christ. We
become members of the Church, the Body of Christ, sharing in his priesthood as prophets
and kings, and missionaries as we often read in 1 Peter 2:9. In baptism of water and of the Holy Spirit, being
born from above, we enjoy the community we find in the Church, share our
talents, with its members as was the case in early Christian community of Acts
of the Apostles, the first reading, Acts 4:32-37; one of the Summary narratives
in Lukan composition (cf. 2:42-47; 4:32-35; 5:12-16)
(3) In this Summary, the Holy Spirit is at
work, enabling the early Christian community of believers to act with one mind
and heart share their gifts and property with one another. A spirituality that Pope Francis delights so
far in his papacy, and would continue to recommend to everyone, especially in
this time of pandemic. What is special about this text of Acts is that it is a
unique summary- genre of Lukan description of the congregation of believers in
Jerusalem that clearly and vividly depict what was customary, for them, as the ideal for all Christians. Through his inspired literary craftsmanship Luke
makes it clear in this passage that he envisions this quality of sustainable
fellowship, a koinōnia, a common commitment to Christ as ideal to all
believers.
(4). This text of Acts also implies the
need for believers, to possess a spirit of unity and harmony in their worship.
This spirit must not end at mass or in the four wall of the church, but, rather
must be translated into the altar of daily life, by how we treat our next door
neighbor, on the road, in plazas, in our private conversation, or in how we
share our possessions and talents, our material wealth, with others, particularly
with the less privileged and needy persons of our society.
(5) We must not like Nicodemus misunderstand this
text, Acts 4:32-37. It was not about forced “Christian Communism”. Rather, it was
a voluntary act of love and generosity. Our love for one another must be free and be guided by the impulse of the Holy Spirit. Prompted by the Holy Spirit members of the
early Christian community, including a wealthy Cyproit Levite, Joseph known as
Barnabas voluntarily sold his field, his property, and brought the money to the
feet of the Apostles for community fellowship- such that there was no needy
person among them!
(6) I know this could be challenging for us
in a materialistic, world of indifference Pope Francis referenced in his Divine
Mercy Sunday homily. But, Luke is meant to remind us of the kind of fellowship
that was present in the Jerusalem Church as the standard for other churches and
congregations.
(7). By implication Luke is inviting us
today in this challenging time of coronavirus pandemic, to not only open the
doors of our hearts to the Holy Spirit, but to imitate the early Christian
community as much as we can, to
appreciate the role of a community in our lives for spiritual growth. He is
inviting us to be nice to one another, offer counselling, pray for one another,
the sick, the dead, the elderly, our health workers as well as our political
and civil leaders, and scientists that they may continue to listen to the
prompting of the Holy Spirit; and be ready to share their talents, goods,
gifts, love, acts of forgiveness of debt, wealth and divine inspiration with our
various communities.
