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(18th May 2025) Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

READ: (Acts 14:21-27; Rev 21: 1-5; Jn 13: 31-33, 34-35)

REFLECT: The Hallmark of Discipleship in Jesus...

Dear friends, we are in the Fifth Sunday of Easter. The liturgy of the word invites us to reflect on the hallmark of Disciples in Jesus, the master and teacher. As someone has very beautifully shared, “Discipleship is defined as followers of Christ who then teach what they have learned.” After becoming a follower of Jesus, we are called to share what we’ve learned. Discipleship means being and becoming like Christ, our Master, and helping others become Christ like too.” Yes, it is true. However, being a disciple is not very easy. It has its own demands and sacrifices. It has its own functions and meanings. Thus, being a disciple means living under someone else's teachings, values, and discipline. Similarly, helping others to become disciples is also another challenging aspect because it requires us to be examples of life-witness of all that we proclaim.

That’s why Jesus speaks so clearly about discipleship in the gospel of Luke “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it,” (Lk 9:23-24). Yes, discipleship involves self-denial, daily commitment, and the willingness to suffer even unto death out of love and conviction to follow Jesus. This is the hallmark of discipleship that every Christian is called to live out. So based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three point of reflection.

1. Share the Responsibility

To be a disciple of Christ is, first of all, to be responsible to share the responsibility Christ gives us or Christ has entrusted to the Church. We must consided and this divine responsibility is not a burden, but a loving participation in His mission. When we consider this divine responsibility as a loving participation in the mission of Christ, there is a divine feel and divine power working in us to spread the mission and sow God's word to every nook and corner of the world. However, there is a difference between shouldering and sharing responsibility. We shoulder the responsibility and assure that everything begins and ends well. We share the responsibility, delegating the work, so that all participate in the divine work and make it as far as possible to reach out to entire human race.

That's what Jesus did as Jesus shouldered and shared His mission with the apostles, now, through the Holy Spirit; we are invited to do the same. A wave length of that sort we find it in the First Reading from Acts of the Apostles, where Paul and Barnabas continue their proclamation of the Gospel, establishing centers for the Kingdom of God, entrusting ministry to elders, those who are willing and worthy to serve. The appointment of elders in the church was done with a spiritual atmosphere of prayer and with a spiritual preparation of fast, so that they commit themselves to the call of God and commission themselves for the mission of Christ. Another point of reference from the first reading would be that they had the spirit of acknowledgment of God's work in the mission to gentiles. The elders of the church not only accepted the divine hand at work, moreover, they accepted the entry of gentiles to the Church as well. That's the beauty of the elders, who were appointed with the spirit of prayer and the disposition of the fast for the propogation of the gospel.

Today, similar needs to be our approach and our responsibility too as disciples to make an impact that inspire others to join in Christ’s mission. Just as Jesus empowered His disciples, we to empower others by prayer and fast and proclaim Christ by our lives and witnessing, trusting in the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, what closes our eyes to see the reality of God's work is our lack of prayer and acknowledgement of God's grace in our lives. We lack a life of prayer and are not ready to accept or be open to God's grace to see the changes by the spirit of God. Therefore, what requires is conviction and concern for the growth of God's mission and Church's mission. That's what Pope Francis emphasizes in Laudato Si, “We must regain the conviction that we need one another that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.” So let us shoulder and share the responsibility of Christ in the world, so that we too become partakers and sharers in the divine work of God.

2. Be Near to One Another

Another hallmark of discipleship is nearness and closeness. I don't mean here only of the physical presence rather the presence of mind, the presence of Spirit and the presence of heart. The entire being is present in the disciple and that he or she makes his or her presence felt completely in giving oneself to others. Such a holy and whole-hearted presence, we see in the life of Jesus. Jesus was completely present for his people, because he loved us truly and unconditionally. That's why when Jesus endured much hardship to show us His divine love and compassion, Jesus never excused from loving the people. No matter what happened He never left us or abandoned us rather He promised, “I am with you always”. Thus, Jesus showed his nearness and closeness with us by his sacred and saving presence.

That's what we find in the Second Reading from Revelation, we hear the vision of a new heaven and a new earth and the voice that declares: “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race… He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain.” Yes, God has prepared himself to dwell with us to wipe away our tears and sadness, hatred and hurtful feelings. Thus, the presence of God has the power to remove within us the dark sides and shadows of life. We need to constantly remind ourselves that God wants to dwell with us but do we have proper disposition to welcome God in hearts free from sins. Just as Jesus dwells with each one of us, we too as his disciples need to inspire others by making others experience the presence of Jesus by holy lives and holy ways. So it is mission of every disciple to make God's presence felt in our lives.

That's what Pope Francis taught us saying, “We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities, when so many people are waiting for the Gospel!” Yes, the world is waiting and eagerly longing for the word of God, are we ready to make known the words and presence God to the world around. We have an inclination in ourselves today that we like to blow the trumpet of our own works, although it is not done by us but by God. We expect names to be mentioned and feel that we should be recognized at all times. But have we ever realized the presence of God at work in us in every act that we do. It is a time to realize that God's presence makes us new. That's what we read towards the end of the second reading from Revelation, "Behold, I am making all things new." Yes, the presence of God in us creates newness and renews life, provided we believe in the presence of God and permeate the presence of God to people around us with holy joy that promotes peace and builds communion. Let us pray for God's nearness and share the closeness of God to one another.

3. Bear Witness to One Another

Another important dimension of Discipleship is bearing witness to Christ. We do this not just in word, but in action through love. We could say that it is the most authentic way of manifesting to the world, who Christ is and what he stood for and what he expects from each one of us his disciples and witnesses. Bearing witness to one another in the world has been all time content of the Bible and the Gospel. Perhaps we could say that initial, middle and final act of God is manifested in and through love. Therefore, love is the only medium that connects us to God and others. So we need to promote genuine love rather than hate, because Christ is seen in genuine form of love and kindness.

Indeed, that's what we hear in the Gospel of the day, where Jesus speaks of His coming departure, but He leaves His disciples with a new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” Yes, it is not only a command that Jesus lays before us rather a call for commitment, where genuine love is expressed and lived out. This is not an emotional love that appears when time needs or situation arises rather it is love that's active, transformative and redemptive. Thus Jesus teaches us that the love is ordinary manifestation of kindness and compassion and expressed in action. However, this sort of love is not that ordinary rather an extra-ordinary love manifested in selfless, self-emptying, and expects nothing in return. It is in this kind of love that we truly bear witness to Christ in the world.

Today what we need to embody in our lives is genuine love by which all people would know that we are Disciples of Christ. To be Christ-like means to be loving and compassionate like Jesus to one another. There is no other best means than showing our love for others by means of genuine expressions of love. That's why perhaps, Pope Francis would encourage us: “We are called to bear witness to Jesus right where we live, in our families, at work, everywhere, even just by giving the light of a smile, a light that is not our own it comes from Jesus.” Yes, genuine expressions of love for Christ need not be showing in great works rather in little words of kindness and gesture of smile, accepting others as God's children.

As we are called today to be disciples and live out true discipleship in Jesus Christ, let us shoulder and share responsibility with joy, not with jealousy or hatred; let us draw near to one another to build a world that reflects heaven; let us bear witness to Christ by loving as He loved us. Let me end with a quote from Pope Francis: “Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey.” Yes, let us become the embodiment of God's love in our lives.

RESPOND:

Do we shoulder and share the responsibility of Christ in our lives for the spread of faith and mission?

Are we near to one another to show the closeness of Christ in our lives?

Do we bear witness to one another like Christ by ways of love?

Let us share the good news of Christ, show closeness of Christ to all and bear witness to Christ by ways of love. Amen.