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HOMILIES ARCHIVE
HOMILIES
Dear Audience,For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!
Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year A)
153
2
0First Reading
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (8:5-8, 14-17)
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit."
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms of David (66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16-20)
(R) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!" (R)
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!" Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam. (R)
He has changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot. Therefore, let us rejoice in him. He rules by his might forever. (R)
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. Blessed by God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness. (R)
Second Reading
A reading from the First Letter of Saint Peter (3:15-18)
Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteousness for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Gospel
A reading from the Gospel according to John (14:15-21)
Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day, you will realize that I am in the Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
(P) The Gospel of the Lord.(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily
There are many documented stories of crimes and atrocities against prisoners and civilians during World War II. One such story involves a Romanian born Jewish teacher and writer named Elie Wiesel. When he was a teenager, he and his family were sent to concentration camps in Poland. He survived the camps and went on to write over 50 books, of which the best known is "Night." In this book, Elie records that he and other inmates witnessed multitudes of human beings that were humiliated, isolated, tortured, and killed every day, including the death of his parents and eight-year-old sister. But two public hangings haunted him most deeply. One was the hanging of a young man who was executed for stealing food and the other was that of a little boy whose crime was not known.
Elie recalls that the hanging of this little boy was the worst horror he witnessed. Because the boy was so light, his weight was not enough to break his neck immediately. As a result, the boy struggled for over half an hour, remaining alive and in agony before finally dying. As they were watching the boy hanging between life and death, a prisoner behind Elie groaned, "Where is God?" Elie felt a voice within him answer, "Where is He? Here He is - He is hanging here on this gallows...," implying that God is not distant nor absent but rather is suffering and dying with the boy. Elie admitted that the horrors he witnessed in the camps shattered his traditional, childhood faith in a benevolent and just God. However, he never abandoned his faith in God. In an interview later in his life, he stated that he was never divorced from God, but that he was quarrelling, arguing and questioning. He described his faith as "wounded".
When persecution and harassment against early Christians intensified, the Apostle Peter wrote his first letter to encourage, provide hope, and offer practical guidance to them on how to live in these circumstances. As a leader among the disciples and an eyewitness to the life of Jesus, Peter had firsthand experience of Jesus' sufferings, particularly Jesus' intense agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His arrest, and subsequent trials, 1 Peter (5:1). Although the Gospels only specifically place John at the foot of the cross, Peter likely witnessed the sufferings of Jesus on the cross from a distance. So, Peter, as a "fellow elder" used his experience to bring authoritative encouragement to early Christians facing hardships and trials. In today's second reading, 1 Peter (3:15-18), we read a part of his exhortation.
Peter wrote, "Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts", 1 Peter (3:15a). The Greek word for "sanctify" is "hagiazo", meaning to "make holy, consecrate, dedicate, set apart, treat or regard with reverence and honour". In other words, Peter called on the believers to replace their worry and fear of persecution with confidence in Christ, honouring Him as the Master in every area of life - not just during worship but in daily actions, interactions, and decisions. Then he added that they should "always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks for a reason for their hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame", 1 Peter (3:15b-16). In other words, assuming that the believers' steadfast faith and fearless hope during persecution and suffering would propel others to ask them for the reason behind such unwavering faith and joy, Peter urged the Christians to always be prepared to give a logical explanation and defence for their faith in Jesus.
However, he emphasized that they must do so with gentleness, respect and a clear conscience rather than arrogance or hostility reflecting the loving character of Christ so that it will ultimately silence and put to shame those who falsely accuse them of wrongdoing. Besides, he said that suffering for doing good - if it aligns with God's will - is far better than suffering for doing evil, 1 Peter (3:17). To anchor and illustrate this, Peter pointed to Christ's suffering as the ultimate example, noting that Christ - who was perfectly just, innocent and sinless - willingly endured the greatest injustice so He could bring humanity to God, 1 Peter (3:18a). Peter finally concluded his instructions on suffering by stating that Jesus was "put to death in the flesh but brought to life in the spirit", 1 Peter (3:18b). This means that Jesus experienced physical death in His human body ("the flesh") but was restored to life in the spiritual realm ("spirit"). By contrasting Christ's physical death with His spiritual resurrection, Peter reassured the believers that their suffering, persecution, or hardship would one day give way to eternal, victorious life, and that suffering is temporary, but the glory that follows is eternal.
What is the message for us?
When it comes to suffering, we generally tend to think of physical pain or illness, lack of material possessions or poverty, and the aftermath of natural disasters and accidents. But, biblically, "suffering" primarily refers to the physical, moral, and spiritual cost of following and believing in Jesus. It encompasses taking up one's cross, enduring persecution, and denying selfish desires to align with Christ's teaching, Matthew (16:24). As Christians, when we try to live a righteous life in a fallen world, we will inevitably face subtle alienation and ridicule, passive isolation and exclusion, systemic opposition and threat, and in extreme cases, bodily harm. During those times, instead of being terrified of the threats or giving in to threats, let us, as the Apostle Peter instructs us, focus entirely on Christ, making Him the absolute Lord of our life and taking our worries and anxieties directly to Him for He has specifically commanded us not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid, and assured us that His divine, supernatural peace will ultimately guard our hearts and minds, John (14:1) and Philippians (4:6-7).
Peter's command to "always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have", 1 Peter (3:15b), presupposes a faith that causes us to live out our hope in Christ visibly before others. People usually react to trials with anxiety or complaining. But when we, as Christians, live a joyful and hope-filled life - especially during trials and hardships - fellow believers and unbelievers, even our family or friends, will naturally notice and become curious, prompting them to ask questions like, "How can you be so positive in this situation?" or "Why do you have so much peace?" or "What is the source of your resilience?" and so on.
When such opportunity arises, as the Apostle Peter reminds us, let us be ready to share our faith and the hope of Christ with humility and kindness, and avoid being pushy, overly forceful, or argumentative. Let us be specific and honest about our struggles, allowing them to relate to our humanity. Let us describe the moment or process where God stepped in, and highlight His grace, peace, or provision during the trial. Let us explain how God has changed us, what we have learned, and how our life reflects His faithfulness today. We don't need to be a theologian or an expert. We just need to take time to understand the gospel, know how Jesus changes our life, and be ready and willing to articulate that truth to others when they notice the difference in our life.
Let us maintain our integrity and strive to do good, even in difficult situations, for it is a powerful and faithful way to honour God. When we choose to do good, act justly, and align our actions with God's will and experience suffering for it, our conscience will remain clear. We have no reason to be afraid or ashamed. Instead, slanderers will be put to shame when they see our consistent, honourable behaviour. Therefore, when facing challenges in our daily life, let us lean on the Holy Spirit so that we may respond to injustice and suffering with the same patience, love, grace, courage, and steadfast faith that Jesus has modelled for us. Let us remember that though perfectly righteous, Jesus willingly suffered for the unrighteous - you and me - to bring us to God. In contrast, our suffering (when we suffer righteously) is not to pay for sins or atone for the unrighteous, but rather a way of participating in Christ's example, demonstrating our faith, and enduring persecution without losing hope.
When navigating life's trials, let Jesus' suffering be a constant reminder that (i) because Jesus experienced extreme painful and emotional suffering, He is a sympathetic high priest who intimately understands what we are going through; (ii) just as His suffering ultimately led to resurrection and victory, the hardships we face can be used by God to strengthen our faith and produce endurance; (iii) our earthly suffering is just a temporary phase before eternal victory and glory.
God Bless You!
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