Worth Fighting For...

Solemnity of The Most Holy Trinity

Readings: Deuteronomy 4:32-34,39-40; Psalm 32(33):4-6,9,18-20,22; Romans 8:14-17; Matthew 28:16-20

Video: YouTube panza larga

My dear friends, do you know what a pep-talk is? Have you ever given or received one before? Inspiring words uttered to rouse up courage before battle, especially when facing impossible odds? One of the more memorable pep-talks I’ve heard, is the one given by Samwise Gamgee to Frodo Baggins, in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Sam begins by speaking of the stories of old, where the heroes had many chances of turning back but didn’t, because they were holding onto something. What are we holding onto? Frodo asks. To which Sam replies, That there is some good in this world… and it's worth fighting for!

Similarly, on this blessed feast of The Most Holy Trinity, each of our readings presents us with a rousing pep-talk. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gathers the Israelites on the far side of the river Jordan, to prepare them to enter and take possession of the Promised Land. Knowing that they will soon have to do battle with those who worship other gods, Moses urges the Israelites to remember the mighty works God has done for them. So as to understand… and take it to heart that the Lord is God indeed… he and no other.

At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gathers his disciples on a mountaintop in Galilee. And, before sending them out into a world that continues to worship other gods, he reminds them that, through his own Dying and Rising, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. They are thus to go forth with this same authority, to engage in spiritual battle, and to usher others into the fullness of life in God, Father, Son and Spirit.

The second reading too, describes something like a pep-talk. Except that it does not consist in mere human words spoken into the ears of clueless people. Instead, Paul writes about the gentle yet powerful promptings of the Spirit, moving mysteriously within weak but trusting hearts. Reminding them – reminding us – of our true identity. That, contrary to appearances, we are not meant to be slaves of worldly powers, but daughters and sons of God. Sharers in the sufferings of Christ, and heirs to the glories of his Kingdom.

Even so, one striking feature of our readings today, is that they focus our attention less on ourselves, and more on God. They speak of the power of God’s love for us, and for all creation. They remind us that we can persevere in battle, because we are continually being held by the gentle mercies of God, who is Father, Son and Spirit. In the words of that old children’s song some of us used to sing, He’s got the whole world in his hands…

Isn’t this the kind of pep-talk we need to hear especially now? As we face a world darkened by oppressive forces and infectious viruses of one kind or another, our readings remind us not just to hold onto the belief that there is good in the world worth fighting for, but to trust that, however dark things may seem to be, it is the Holy Trinity who continues to hold onto us. What must we do to take courage from this assurance, and to keep fighting the good fight today?

Of Bands & Bonds, Presence & Absence

7th Sunday of Easter

Readings: Acts 1:15-17,20-26; Psalm 102 (103):1-2,11-12,19-20; 1 John 4:11-16; John 17:11-19

Picture: cc Jo Zimny!

My dear friends, do you know how to test the strength of a rubber band? It’s easy, right? We simply try to pull it apart. The stronger the band, the more it will resist our efforts… And can we not say the same about human relationships? Like a rubber band, these too can be tested by subjecting them to stress. For example, how does a couple respond to separation? Do they keep in touch? Or do they forget each other, and move on to new relationships? The stronger their bond, the more they will strive to somehow remain present to each other, despite being further apart. In contrast, isn’t it true that, when two people don’t care about each other, they won’t really be there for the other… even if they happen to live in the same house… or share the same bed?

Strong bonds create presence, even in absence. But weak bonds lead to absence, even when one may seem to be present… We find something similar in our readings today. On the one hand, in the first reading, we are told about how, although Judas had been a member of the college of apostles, and had shared in their ministry, he eventually betrays his Master, abandons his calling, and goes to his proper place, the place of destruction. Which indicates that, even when he was by the side of Jesus and his other companions, Judas had already allowed himself to drift apart from them. He had allowed his bonds with them to weaken. He had become absent, even if he may have seemed present.

In sharp contrast, in the gospel, on the eve of his own physical separation from his disciples, Jesus prays earnestly that his heavenly Father will keep them united to him and to one another. That they will be given the strength they need to withstand the seductive forces that threaten to tear them apart. I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one…

And there is a reason why Jesus offers his prayer out loud. Why he wants his disciples to hear his words. I say these things to share my joy with them to the full. Just before going to his Passion, Jesus prays aloud, in order to help his disciples – to help us – come to the joyful realisation that, no matter how far away he may sometimes seem to be, we always have access to the Lord. For his love always remains with us. The same love we gather here to celebrate, and will shortly separate to share with others. For God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him.

Strong bonds create presence, even in absence. But weak bonds lead to absence, even when one may seem to be present… Isn’t this a timely reminder for us, as we enter yet another period of tighter Covid restrictions? When the bonds among us will be even more severely tested than usual. Our relationships with the Lord, with our own inner self, with one another, and with the rest of creation, particularly those most vulnerable.

Sisters and brothers, in the coming days, like a rubber band being pulled apart, we too will likely experience stress. What must we do to keep reinforcing our bonds today?

Between Road & River

6th Sunday of Easter

Readings: Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48; Psalm 97(98):1-4; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17

Picture: cc Tanti Ruwani

My dear friends, do you know the difference between a river and a road? How about an escalator and a stairway? It’s quite obvious, right? In contrast to a river that flows, and an escalator that… escalates, both a road and a stairway remain stationary. We have to walk down a road, or climb up the stairs. But we can float down a river, and ride up an escalator.

It’s helpful to keep this contrast in mind, as we ponder our Mass readings today. Especially in the gospel, where we hear Jesus using those two big words beginning with the letter c: commandment and commission. This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you… I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit… that will last…

I’m not sure, but I think these words can sometimes make us feel like we are simply being driven to do something painful and burdensome. To love by consistently laying down one’s life, in little unseen, unappreciated, even resented ways. To bear fruit that, though lasting, may take so long to appear, that one doesn’t live long enough to see it. Where and how to find the courage to keep walking such a lonely road, to keep climbing such a steep stairway?

And yet, when we ponder them more deeply, our readings reveal another pair of images. Not so much a lonely road or a steep stairway, as a flowing river or an uplifting escalator. For today’s gospel reading is a continuation of that passage where Jesus describes himself as the true Vine, of which we are the branches. We bear fruit not by our own strength, but by remaining in him, by drawing from his life-giving love.

The second reading makes this clearer, when it tells us that the love we are meant to live is not, in the first place, our love for God, but God’s love for us when he sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away. So the first step we need to take, in order to keep the Lord’s commandment, is to locate and to keep drawing from the living stream flowing from the pierced side of the Crucified and Risen Christ.

Isn’t this what is happening in the first reading? Although Peter may appear very busy, he really plays only a supporting role. The lead actor is God. It is God who helps Peter overcome his prejudice. It is God who anoints Cornelius and his family. It is God who keeps building up the early church. Peter’s part is to recognise and respond to God’s action, to remain in the flow of God’s creative and merciful love. 

We may recall these words from an old hymn… Peace is flowing like a river; flowing out of you and me; flowing out into the desert; setting all the captives free… And the word peace is easily replaced with the words faith and hope, love and joy, grace and, yes, even God… God is flowing like a river…

Sisters and brothers, isn’t this the good news of Easter? That rather than a hard taskmaster, driving us down a stressful road, God is instead a reliable river of grace, carrying us all into fullness of life. What must we do to immerse ourselves ever more deeply in its powerful yet gentle flow today? 

Where Homeless Hearts Find Rest

5th Sunday of Easter

Readings: Acts 9:26-31; Psalm 21(22):26-28,30-32; 1 John 3:18-24; John 15:1-8

Picture: cc Brian Evans

My dear friends, do you know the difference between a house and a home? We all do, right? A house provides us a place to lay down our bodies for the night. But a home is where our hearts find rest. As they say, home… is where the heart is.

And hasn’t the current pandemic highlighted this difference to us? Despite being forced to spend more time indoors, we still don’t always succeed in finding rest. Though our bodies may be cooped up in the house, our hearts may remain as burdened or bored as ever. Where and how to find true rest?

These are the questions that our readings help us to ponder today. In the gospel, Jesus invites his disciples – you and me – to remain in him. To make our home in him. To be nourished by him, the way a branch draws sustenance from the vine. In other words, the Lord offers himself to us as a suitable resting place for tired and troubled, wounded and wayward hearts.

The second reading then tells us how to accept the Lord’s offer. How to quieten our conscience. Or, in another translation, how to reassure our hearts. Interestingly, for us Christians, the resting of the heart is closely connected to the activity of the body. For the reading begins by telling us that our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active. Our hearts find rest in the Lord, when our bodies are devoted to keeping his great commandment of love. Restful hearts find expression in merciful minds, hands and feet.

We see what this looks like in the first reading… When the newly converted Saul is initially rejected by the Jerusalem Christians, whom he had been persecuting, Barnabas goes out of his way to help him gain acceptance. And, when Saul is finally accepted, he doesn’t simply build a comfortable nest for himself in his new home. Instead, he goes out and preaches courageously in the name of the Lord. The reading then ends by telling us that, after Saul’s departure for Tarsus, the Christian community was left in peace. Which is not to say that it was not at peace before. Rather, the interior rest that it had already enjoyed earlier, is now matched by an external freedom from harassment. 

Generous hospitality… even to former enemies. Passionate preaching… even before stiff opposition. Peaceful perseverance… even under fearsome persecution. This is what it looks like when hearts find rest in Christ.

But it’s not always easy to rest in this way. Seduced as we often are by the addictive delights of an illusory world. Isn’t this why we need this beautiful season of Easter? A privileged time for us to gaze more intently into the gentle eyes of the One who died and was raised to life for us. The better to enter more fully into his warm welcoming embrace.

Sisters and brothers, particularly at a time when so many hearts remain restless, what must we do to continue claiming our rightful home in Christ, and to share it with others today?