CHURCH: MODEL OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION HOMILY FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 21ST MAY 2022)

CHURCH: MODEL OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (22 May 2022)

Acts 15:1-2,22-29; Jn 14:23-29

In today's liturgy of the word from the Acts 15 a great controversy arose in the early Christian community between the Jewish Christians on the one hand and  Paul and Barnabas on the other hand, on whether the Gentile Christians must conform to the law of Moses in other to be saved. We are told that “certain individuals came down from Judea (to Antioch) and were teaching the brothers, “unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1) and in Jerusalem “ some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and also said ‘ it is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses” (Acts 15:5). This debate was birthed on the grounds of the significance of circumcision and the law of Moses to the Jews. For them, in Judaism, these are unchangeable and irreplaceable laws and traditions that guarantee salvation and any attempt to change it is considered treasonable felony. For many Jews, Christianity is simply an advanced Judaism so much so that the basics of Judaism can not be transgressed.

However, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, very significant is how the early Christian community went about circumventing her crisis. We are told that they collectively went up to the church in Jerusalem to discuss the problem with the apostles and elders. They didn't take the laws into their hands, rather they recognized the hierarchical nature of the church, thus, left the matter in the hands of the apostles and elders to adjudicate. Friends in Christ, even though the church is Charismatic, it is considerably and structurally hierarchical. Thus, the authentic interpretation of the deposit of faith belongs to the teaching office of the magisterium. At moments of controversy, it is improper to presume that our version of the argument is the final verdict without recourse to the authority of the church or to angrily desert the church simply because our positions were counteracted by the reputable authorities of the church.  Let us like the early Christian community submit our contentions always to the presiding office of the magisterium for authentic interpretation.

Theologians believe that the promulgation seen in the letter sent to the Gentile-Christian community as contained in the first reading of today stands out as one of the very first cannons of the church in the first century. It reads “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well” (Acts 15:28-29). The Church henceforth, over time kept on formulating laws that will continually guide the pastoral ministry of the church and not leave them at the whims and caprices of anyone. We can also observe that the church in concluding this controversy did so not without the guidance and consensus of the Holy Spirit as seen in the experience of Peter in the household of Cornelius. Even while sending the letter to Christ's faithful in the Gentile region, some leading men among the brethren such as Judas called Barsabbas and Silas were chosen to go alongside Paul and Barnabas to deliver, confirm and explain the letter to the people of God.

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, at moments of controversy in the Church, let us learn to submit our litigation and disagreements to the proper legitimate authorities of the church for authentic explanations, guidance and directions. In our little corridors of adjudication e.g families, schools, playgrounds, offices etc let us always remain disposed to the promptings of the Holy Spirit for guidance; that our faculty of reasoning may be illuminated by the Holy Spirit to pass judgments that conform to the dictates of God. Let us also be obedient and submissive to the canonical laws of the Church; they aren't meant to burden us but to help us in an organized manner live out our Christian lives faithfully.

The Gospel reading goes further to reaffirm the place of the Holy Spirit in the Church. The Holy Spirit, the advocate of truth, teaches and guides the Church in the remembrance of the eternal truths of the kingdom of God revealed to us by Jesus Christ. For Jesus told his apostles in the Gospel of John 14 “ the Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you”. The Holy Spirit does not teach anything new but what Jesus had revealed. The Advocate of Truth reveals to us that we are the dwelling place of the Trinity and our love of God is hinged on the obedience to God's commandments for Jesus said “ if anyone loves me he will keep my word, my Father will love him and we shall come to him and make our home with him”. This we experience in the reception of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus said to his disciples “ peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you” (Jn 14:27). Beloved in Christ, it is quite obvious that the world is in dare need of this precious gift of peace of Christ Jesus. It is only the peace of Christ that can heal our broken world, that can mend the cracked fences of fraternity in our homes, that can erase fear from our troubled hearts and restore serenity and love in our community and world.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we pray as we celebrate the Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist today that through the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, the teacher of Eternal Truth, God's love and peace will continue to reign in our church, family and the whole world. May He incessantly make your family his dwelling place and guide you all to keep and love his precepts. 

Happy Sunday to you all!

Fr Remi osj