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26/6/2016
14/05/2017 - 5th Sunday of Easter - A

14/05/2017 -  5th Sunday of Easter - A 

1st reading  Acts  6,1-7 * from Psalm 32 *2nd reading 1Pt 2,4-9 * Gospel John 14,1-1


The Christian community in Jerusalem is becoming greater and greater. So, at the same time, problems arise: problems caused by poverty and problems caused by those temptations that are always present in each men's everyday life. Temptations work alongside everybody: newcomers and those who are already following the path of the faith alike, but also those who are in charge and have the duty to help the others to improve. In Jerusalem, on top of this, there is also a problem of pluralism: inside the same community there are Jewish-speaking "brothers", of course, but also Greek-speaking "brothers", coming from cities far away, also part of the Roman empire. In this way, we can also see a different problem arising, the problem of people "taking sides". problems, if they are not dealt with sticking to Jesus' Word and His love, generate more or less shocking divisions. At this point, the Christian community is in a serious danger, the danger of giving in to criticism, judgements, accusation, claims and complaints. The Holy Spirit cannot bear fruit any more: is He away? Did He leave? Could not each member of the community realise it? Are those different reasons, supported by either one or the other person on both sides, become for them more important than the quest for the Holy Spirit? And what has become of Jesus? These are all legitimate questions, that from time to time come to the surface in our parish communities and groups, as well.

The Apostles are vigilant. They are aware of the uneasiness that everybody is experiencing, because tensions lead to suffering coming from the tendency to sin, still not completely defeated. And they notice that they are responsible for this suffering, even without meaning to. In fact, they cannot be everywhere. They started taking care of the poor, but they cannot reach everybody. And furthermore, by spending time doing so, they risk not to have enough time to carry out those specific duties coming their ministry, that is to say prayer and teaching about the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit enlightens them: in the community there certainly are people provided by Our Lord Himself in order to carry out the service to the poor with love and carefulness. It is truly pleasing to see how they approach the situation: they do not ask for volunteers, they ask instead to the community to choose a few man of which is well known the faithfulness and “filled with the Spirit and with wisdom”. In fact, there is the possibility that would volunteer someone not yet in possess of a mature faith, not yet firmly converted, not yet spurred on by holy fear of God: this would be a new source of problems. The community has to choose those who will serve God, and they will be called precisely “servants” – deacons in Greek. In this way, a new period of the history of the Church begins: the Apostles notice that the Holy Spirit is asking for something new. Jesus has authorised them to operate changes, as long as they are coming from the light of the Holy Spirit! Even more, it is because of these changes that the Gospel excites more and more enthusiasm and the community keeps growing. New problems, if face remaining in Jesus’ love and listening to the Holy Spirit, give new energy to the Church. Nowadays we are in a situation that requires this listening to the Holy Spirit to be kept alive, because new issues are arising, problems that requires now and also will require in the future to introduce some changes in the life of our Church.

We will never know if Jesus was thinking about this when He said to His disciples: “in my Father's house there are many places to live in”, or “many different jobs”. Right in today’s Gospel is repeated this promise: perhaps Jesus was referring to Paradise, where we will be welcomed at the end of our life, or maybe he was thinking about the places in the new “spiritual house”, the “Kingdom of Heaven”, that is always growing on Earth! Saint Peter says that we are “living stones” ready to be used in order to build God’s projects based on the “precious cornerstone” that has been already chosen and placed. Great things God the Father will accomplish with us: he writes this in the letter we have just read, but it is also Jesus’ dream, who even says: “whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, and will perform even greater works”. What may possibly be those great works and how we should understand this greatness? In our ignorance, more or less the same that the Apostles have shown, we tend to think of miracles or amazing events. The things “great” for Jesus are for sure to be taken in His way: if the one who serves is great, the great works are actions of love, in the service of suffering people. And we can see a lot of these actions, absolutely great indeed, if we think about all the relief work and educational services promoted by the Church throughout the ages, started by people who believed in Jesus, out of love for Him. All of you can surely think about the names of many Saints that have been lately promoters of actual change in the society, both in Italy and in the rest of Europe, not to mention those old changes that came from Saint Benedict’s efforts. Problems come from the Providence: they are the right occasion for new type of charity works to spring up, and for new witnesses of the truth of God the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ to receive inspiration and strength, the same Jesus sent to heal the weaknesses of humanity.