5th Sunday of Easter C - Homily 3

Homily 3 - 2022

We gather here this evening and celebrate this Eucharist together against the backdrop, still, of the War in Ukraine. War is such a desecration of so much of what our faith is about.

Last Sunday was the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Not surprisingly, Pope Francis wrote a special message for the Day, inviting us, among other things, to enlarge our vision — like Paul and Barnabas, whom we read about in today’s First Reading and who, according to the Reading, “put fresh heart into the disciples” . They were so clearly persons of vision. I would like to quote this evening some of the passages from Francis’ message to stimulate our further pondering. I hope they strike you as much as they strike me.

He began his message by addressing us as “Dear brothers and sisters” — and that seems to be the way that he does see everyone. He really does seem to have taken to heart Jesus’ message from today’s Gospel: “Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another”. It is that vision that permeates the whole message.

Right from the start, he made clear that “…the word ‘vocation’ should not be understood restrictively, as referring simply to [priests, nuns and brothers]…” Rather, he insisted, “… all of us are called to share in Christ’s mission to reunite a fragmented humanity and to reconcile it with God…

“… Each man and woman, even before encountering Christ and embracing the Christian faith, receives with the gift of life a fundamental calling: each of us is a creature willed and loved by God; each of us has a unique and special place in the mind of God. At every moment of our lives, we are called to foster this divine spark, present in the heart of every man and woman, and thus contribute to the growth of a humanity inspired by love and mutual acceptance. We are called to be guardians of one another, to strengthen the bonds of harmony and sharing… [We are also called] to heal the wounds of creation lest its beauty be destroyed. In a word, we are called to become a single family in the marvellous common home of creation.”

A little bit further on he wrote: “Within this great common vocation, God addresses a particular call to each of us…”, which he specified as, “..[to] go forth from ourselves and become the masterpiece that we are called to be.”

So, here we are, not just “brothers and sisters”, but each of us called and equipped to be a unique “masterpiece”. If only we would choose to see ourselves and each other that way. At least, let us try.

Francis sees the framework for all this happening within what he calls “synodality”. The word is unfamiliar —it means “journeying together”. It is a process that is learnt and can become more perfect over time. Ultimately it inspires communities, whatever their size, whether parish community or family community, to reach decisions together — after careful listening to as many voices as possible and searching out the most suitable outcome that all involved can accept freely and willingly. Francis expressed the vision generally in these terms: “This is the mystery of the Church: a celebration of differences, a sign and instrument of all that humanity is called to be. For this reason, the Church must become increasingly synodal: capable of walking together, united in harmonious diversity, where everyone can actively participate and where everyone has something to contribute.”

He concluded his message, tying all things together, in these words: “Priests, consecrated men and women, lay faithful: let us journey and work together in bearing witness to the truth that one great human family united in love is no utopian vision, but the very purpose for which God created us.”

If only we had listened, Christians would not today be killing Christians in Ukraine.