Homily – May 24, 2009 – Seventh Sunday of Easter

Our gospel today is very powerful. Holy Father, Jesus prayed looking up to heaven, keep them (keep these men I have chosen as Apostles, and those who will believe in us through their preaching) keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.

• Jesus has spoken long, hard and often about the unity and the peace that unity brings – it is a participation in the very life of God himself– in fact, he is suggesting that the only way to peace, is unity – and a sure sign of dis-unity is chaos.

Jesus tells his Father: when I was with them, walking and talking with them, teaching them and encouraging them, feeding them – uniting them – giving them the first taste of real peace – I guarded them, and none was lost, except the son of destruction (in order that the scripture about him be fulfilled).

• And Judas was lost – he voluntarily and willfully closed his mind and heart and will to the gift that Jesus was offering him – eternal life -- and the result of his choice was eternal death; there have been many Judases within the community of believers since him (there are still "other scriptures" to be fulfilled) – and when they surface, when they "sell their souls to the devil" for a brief moment of strutting across the stage of history– it is the community that suffers also and greatly (for we are all connected to each other – we are united) – it is very difficult for a family to keep united when an otherwise honored member goes publicly and incomprehensibly awry: what can one say at such a time?
  

My heartfelt desire, Jesus goes on, is that all of them experience the joy that I know and have the power to share with them, but they must be very vigilant and not be taken in by the (dis-unifying) world around them or else they will know no such joy!

• I don't ask, Father that you take them from the world (we need to know what these chosen ones are made of) – but I ask that you protect them from the evil one (whom we know will be there until "the bitter end") – these our beloved disciples – arm them with the truth. Your word is Truth. I am your word. Keep them safe and informed and willing to defend me -Truth - by keeping them in me always!
  

Jesus is now ascended into heaven – he is "seated at the right hand of the Father" – and he is interceding for us constantly – that we might REMAIN IN HIM – REMAIN IN TRUTH – REMAIN IN THE CHURCH: the one, sure and certain vehicle to get to where he is!

• And how we do this is to REMAIN IN LOVE, to REMAIN IN DIVINE FRIENDSHIP which is now reconnected and in good working order, to REMAIN IN OBEDIENCE to the voice of God speaking to us: in Scripture, in Preaching, in the Church Teaching, in praying, in the going out and doing of what we hear!
  

While the Apostles waited, with Mary, in the Upper Room as they had been asked to do by Jesus before he ascended – praying for the coming of the promised Holy Spirit - who would remind them of everything that told them, who would teach them Truth and would lead them all safely to Paradise – they were to appoint a replacement for the betrayer, for the traitor, for the one who denied friendship with Jesus (Judas Iscariot) – by prayer and asking a sign from God. They prayed, they cast lots and Matthias was chosen because it was the Holy Spirit's choice and because Matthias was most qualified to die witnessing to Jesus and the newborn Christian faith.

All of us are asked to give ourselves completely to the cause, as well – and perhaps, some, in one way or another, even literally give our lives – but in any event: witnessing to Jesus, to the Truth, to the Kingdom of God is what being a Catholic is all about. We all want to go to heaven; but know that it is our job to take as many along with us as we possibly can!

We need witnesses more than ever – at this very critical time in salvation history! May the words you hear today, the songs you sing, the prayers you pray, the Eucharistic food you eat – be exactly the nourishment you need to be a committed, joyful and loving Catholic, this day, this week!

God bless you!