Trust in God

 

Our focus today on this the Fifth Sunday of Easter and Mother’s Day is that as a chosen people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation we are called to place our faith and trust in the spirit of Jesus who guides our community of faith.

 

It would be remiss of me however if I didn’t mention the diaconate since the first reading from the acts of the apostles is about selecting the first deacons and I am an ordained deacon of 15 years as of April 30th this year.

 

The qualities this reading list to be considered for the diaconate brings a smile to my face because I don’t know if I had a lot of what was being asked 20 years ago: deep spirituality, prudence, wisdom and to be reputable.  I know I believed in God and his message of love, tried to make decisions that had a positive effect on everybody involved, was smart enough to know when I was out of relationship with God to change and was concerned about protecting our family and all we had.  

 

Deacons are ordained for three primary reasons: to proclaim the gospel, serve at the altar and to be active in both charity and gospel justice for those in need.  Of the many deacons I have met and known throughout the years (including Deacons Ken and Jorge), all of them take these faculties seriously.  This is a ministry which comes from the heart and not much deters deacons from ministering to God and his creation.

 

For these reasons, our second reading from St. Peter makes sense when he writes all created by god who believe by virtue of their baptism are a chosen race, a royal priesthood to serve and worship god and a holy nation called to place our faith and trust in the spirit of Jesus who guides our community of faith.

 

It is our gospel from St. John, however, that solidifies the purpose for why we are created and how we are to fulfill that purpose.  Jesus tells the apostles at the last supper to not let their hearts be troubled.  He wants to bring them both calm and hope so that even though he will die in the flesh, he will rise in spirit.

 

For us today, it is meant to bring us comfort so we are not anxious and worried because we may not be sure that Jesus has a plan of care for us; especially in these days of the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

 

Jesus wants us to know he has done everything that needs to be done for us to be welcomed into his father’s house and that the holy spirit lives in us to help us, if we only trust and yield ourselves to his lead.

 

In response to Thomas’ question about how the apostles and we, his disciples, can know the way in which all are headed, he says: “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

 

“I am,” you may remember, comes from Moses’ question to god at the burning bush when he asked: ‘what should I say to the Israelites about who sent me’? And God’s answer was: “I am sent me to you.”  The Hebrew translation of this is Yahweh which means “to be.”  In other words, Jesus is claiming he is god.

 

“I am the way,” is Christ declaring that because he is god, there is no other way.  Our journey must be to follow his path because there is no other path to heaven, no other way to the father.

 

“I am the truth,” tells us that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and prophets.  The law of god is the authoritative standard of righteousness.  Jesus, as the incarnate word of god, is the source of all truth.

 

“I am the life,” verifies for us that he is the God of both physical and spiritual life and death because by his death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection from the dead we are delivered from a life of bondage to sin and death to a life of freedom in eternity.

 

So how do we follow him today?

 

We listen to his words in the gospel, read the scriptures, recognize his miracles, ask for his forgiveness when we fall short, share our belief by words and example with others as best we can.  To be present to others in the way that Jesus has taught and shown us.  Look at him as the go-to person for all our decisions.   That’s what we are called to do. 

 

If we can do this, we can overcome whatever stumbling blocks we have in our way; whether it be the current Covid-19 virus illnesses and death, loss of jobs, inability to pay bills, to buy food or medications.  Difficulties as these will be with us throughout our life.  They may be as severe or not, but since we don’t have answers to all the questions, we need to trust in someone who does.

 

I haven’t found anyone better and I am not looking elsewhere!  Maybe that’s why I feel a deeper spirituality, prudence, wisdom and am more reputable in the ways of the lord.  You don’t need to be a deacon to figure that out.  Just trust god and have faith that his way to heaven is the right and only one!

Reading 1: Acts 6:1-7
Reading 2: First Peter 2:4-9
Gospel: John 14:1-12