Homily Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Sunday, May 21, 2017
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Acts 8:5-8. 14-17
Psalm: Ps 65:1-7. 16. 20. “Let all the earth cry out to God with joy”
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18
Gospel: John 14:15-21
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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Sunday, May 21, 2017 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-easter-6a
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The readings this weekend speak of the early church communities forming just after Jesus returned to his Heavenly Father… and had sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles and to the church…. The readings also show that the Holy Spirit sends the disciples out into mission.. into new territories… further afield.. to preach and to spread the word of God further and further…..
Jesus, as we hear in the Gospel this weekend… prepared the apostles for his leaving (at his Ascension) by telling them that they would never really be left alone. They would never be like orphans; but, rather, the Spirit of Truth would come (at Pentecost). It is this Spirit that helped them to know the presence of Jesus in their lives even when they were no longer able to see him with their eyes.
Jesus asked the apostles to love him and to follow his commandments, for this is the way to have life. This is the way to experience the love of the Heavenly Father. There is really only one commandment, the single command to love. If we love Jesus, then we have love for one another. When we live the values and commands Jesus lived in his own life—humility, joy, peace, compassion and love —we are doing the will of the Father.
It is also the Spirit of Truth who helps us to understand the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our lives even now and always.
In the coming week.. in some time of quiet and prayer and reflection.. let us reflect prayerfully upon some questions…….
• What is your experience of how Jesus continues to reveal himself to us today?
• What value that Jesus lived do you find the most attractive?
• When is the promise of the Spirit of Truth most alive in you?
• How comforting is it to you to live in the promise that the Holy Spirit will always be with us?
And notice, in the gospel.. Jesus speaks about sending the Holy Spirit upon his followers… the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth… the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and makes us sons and daughters of God… and joins us to God.. so that we are in communion.. in union with God and with one another.. what a special gift!!!….
The presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and in our church is absolutely vital. Without the Holy Spirit of God, we cannot do anything effective….
This truth was known right from the beginnings of the Church two thousand years ago… and so… the ancient greeting the early Christian communities gave to each-other reflected the presence and the truth of the Holy Spirit in their lives… the priest or bishop would say “the Lord be with you” and the people would reply.. “and with your Spirit”.,,, this was a recognition and acknowledgement that the Spirit was present in us…. Rather fittingly.. the church has gone back to this ancient saying…. It actually never changed.. the English response we had been using forty years, before it was changed back to the ancient words again a few years ago)… the words.. “and also with you” we're actually a very loose translation; a paraphrase of the latin master-edition of the Mass…. And Rome and the local bishops decided that this translation didn’t capture sufficiently the recognition of the Holy Sprit, who is SO necessary for the life of the church.. now, since 2010, we Catholics have returned to the ancient words that say so much!!! And, I must say, although it is an unusual phrase… I like it.. I like how it acknowledges the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, and how this Spirit of God is with us always, bringing Jesus not only to mind, but also making him present and active in our lives, and in our hearts…
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
Celebrating the gospels (Cronin).
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Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Lord Jesus, you healed the sick:Lord, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you forgave sinners:Christ, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength: Lord, have mercy.
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Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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Preparation of the Gifts
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
Blessed be God for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink.
Blessed be God for ever.
Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God,
the almighty Father.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Easter V p.26
Euch Prayer II p.56
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Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. Alleluia, Alleluia!
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