Sixth Sunday of Easter / Msgr. Owen F. Campion
The Sunday Readings
The Acts of the Apostles once again furnishes the first reading for Mass this weekend during the season of Easter. In the readings of the weekends earlier in this season, the identity of the Apostles clearly was established.
In a critically important way, the Apostles exercised the authority of Jesus himself in naming a new member of their group, Matthias, to succeed the dead Judas. Peter healed the sick with power that originated in Jesus. And on behalf of all the Apostles, Peter spoke as Jesus had spoken.
The Apostles clearly discharged the divine power that belonged to Jesus, and they continued Jesus’ mission as the Redeemer. They had been the Lord’s specially selected students and companions, but in Acts they possessed a unique role themselves.
Through them, the Lord continued the mission of salvation. They bore within themselves the Holy Spirit, and they gave the Holy Spirit to others.
While Acts already has established that Peter was the leader of the Apostles, the character of Apostle belonged not just to him. It was also with the others.
Thus, in this reading, the central figures are St. Philip and St. John. They performed miracles, as Jesus had performed miracles, having been sent by the other Apostles to Samaria. Their destination reveals much. They looked to the salvation of all people, even of Samaritans, whom Jews so despised. No one was beyond the scope of salvation in Jesus.
The second reading is from the First Epistle of St. Peter. It is a strong, joyful and enthusiastic proclamation of Jesus as Lord, calling believers to hear and follow him. The Lord should be in their hearts and minds.
St. John’s Gospel is the source of the last reading. Not a Resurrection narrative, it nonetheless serves the Church’s purpose as it teaches us this weekend. After celebrating the Resurrection for these weeks since Easter, the Church gently is summoning us to examine our lives in our own times, with circumstances particular to us.
This reading is our blueprint for life. Our task as disciples is to love others as Jesus loved all. It is clear. In God’s love, given to us in the Lord, is our salvation. Indeed, the very act of giving us a blueprint for living is a vitally important gift given in love to us by God.
Reflection
The next major liturgical event for us will be the celebration of the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Soon after this feast, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. The end of the Easter season is in sight.
For weeks, the Church enthusiastically has proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus, gloriously occurring after the dreadful events of Good Friday. It has shared with us its joy, which echoes the joy of the first Christians. It has told us repeatedly of the risen Lord’s appearances and admonitions.
The message is strongly catechetical. Contact with Jesus was not lost with the ascension, when Jesus returned to the Father. Contact with the Lord remains very clearly in the Church. It offers us the pastoral leadership of the current successors of Peter and the other Apostles. Christ lives!
Through them, we still hear the words of Christ. In the sacraments they celebrate, we still experience and are given the power of Christ’s eternal life. We are brought into union with Jesus.
Finally, in the reading from John’s Gospel, the Church tells us how to live. We must love others, pure and simple.
Gently, gradually, definitely, the Church has entered, and is pursuing, the process of leading us to ask what the Lord’s plan for salvation after his ascension means for each of us individually.
For us, this is the obvious question. Are we willing to live with this plan? †