Breaking Open the Word
May 3 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Introduction
The book of Acts gives us a close-up look at the fledgling Church, particularly some of the struggles and growing pains she experienced. In today’s reading, we see an early conflict along ethnic lines. The Hellenists were Greek-speaking Jews and the Hebrews spoke Aramaic, the common language of Israel at the time. The conflict concerned care for the poor – widows in this case, who were not being properly cared for. What follows is a view into how the apostles first moved into the role of authoritative leadership. Note that the reaction of the Apostles is to point out that their critical mission – from which they cannot be distracted - was evangelization - to preach the gospel. Realizing that caring for the poor is also a critical mission they appointed others for this mission. They instruct the disciples to seek out seven new men for this role – to serve the community. These were the first Deacons. This is the first application of apostolic authority. The apostles told the disciples to bring them the candidates for the new role who they (the apostles) would appoint. When the disciples brought the candidates to the apostles, they “laid hands on them” - the first example of the sacrament of Holy Orders. Jesus commissioned the apostles and invested in them the authority to govern the Church, which through the laying on of hands would be passed on to future generations across the centuries right up to today.
The epistle reading, Peter uses the analogy of living stone to highlight as believers, through our unique spiritual gifts, together we are built into a house of God. Rather than built of stone, this new temple of the spirit is built on “living stone” - human beings. Jesus is of course the corner stone – the most critical stone upon which the integrity of the structure depends. Peter then calls us to be what God has always intended – a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. This is a reference to God’s original covenant calling Israel to be a “royal priesthood and a holy nation” (Exodus 19: 5-6). But this is a new priesthood – one that offers “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”. Peter also makes the point that his analogy of Jesus as the stone the builders rejected, while of great value to believers, is a stumbling block to non-believers through disobedience to the word.
Gospel Explained
Today’s gospel is at the beginning of the lengthy last supper discourses in John, a true theological treasure chest. In this section at the beginning, he is preparing them for his departure from the life they had known with him in community and the beginning of what will follow. He tells them he will be going to “his father’s house” and he describes it using temple imagery which of course also has “many rooms”. He makes it clear that they will have special places prepared for them by the Lord and that he will return to bring them to these places. The apostles don’t understand what he means and when Thomas asks him to explain, Jesus responds with the timeless “I am the way and the truth and the life”. This is reminiscent of what Jesus says to Martha earlier in the raising of Lazarus in John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies will live”. In both instances he is evoking his identity as the great I AM, as given to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). Jesus doesn’t just teach the way, the truth and the life; Jesus IS the way the truth and the life. He is revealing aspects of his identity as God incarnate. This also has strong sacramental implications. Through Christ, especially in the Eucharist and the life of grace, believers share in His divine life.
He then says that “no one comes to the father except through me”. The disciples still do not comprehend. When Phillips asks him to show them the Father, Jesus makes clear that he and the Father are one. He even expresses a bit of frustration at their inability to see this in the time that they had lived together and through all they had seen with him in his ministry. As elsewhere in the John (John 5:36, 10:25), he appeals to the miracles as evidence of his identity, not merely as displays of his divine power.
Today's Theme
These readings are about newness. They are looks at the early church taking form, as shown in the reading from Acts where we see the Apostles discern and clarify mission. For the first time, they use their authority to appoint the first deacons and administer to them the first Holy Orders. The purpose was to fulfill a new mission for the Church – serving those in need. Here we have an early distinction of roles in the Church – Apostles to evangelization and leadership and the deacons to caring for the needs of the poor (widows, in this case). This of course leads to the building of the clergy, the basic operating structure of the Church.
Here, as throughout the Acts of the Apostles, one can’t help but feel a sense of excitement; of urgency as the Gospel message catches fire. This must been one of the most exciting times in history. In the epistle reading from 1 Peter, we have Peter commissioning all believers to build a new temple built from the “living stones” of the faithful. He further calls them to the role of the common priesthood, a calling to be a chosen race, a royal priesthood and a holy people. This again, is something new. Unlike the animal sacrifices of the Mosaic temple sacrificial system, now believers will “offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”.
Theme in our Life Today
Something important to note in the gospel reading today from John is that Jesus makes it perfectly clear that God is a Father and that he and the father are one. As much as we might take that for granted today, that was also a completely new concept at the time. The reading from John today demonstrates just how hard that was for the Jewish minds of his own apostles to comprehend that concept. In this Easter season, we should also reflect on this amazing reality. All of the newness described in today’s readings reminds us that we must look at our faith not as something old but as something eternally new. Perhaps that is part of what our Lord meant when he said that we must “become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3)
Prepare for Sunday
Questions for reflection
How can I renew my faith?
How can I better experience the newness captured in today’s readings?
What does it mean to see God as a Father?