We must do our part well (HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF EASTER APRIL 2023

HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF EASTER

Acts 6:1-7; Ps.33; John 6:16-21

We must do our part well

Yesterday, we saw an end to the external challenge the apostles had with the authorities. Today, we read of an internal challenge; wahala no dey finish! As the early Christian community grew in number, there was an obvious need for a structure that would aid the effective administration of the community. Without proper administration, the people will be not be organized enough to live out the Christian identity. The apostles were able to realize this need for a structure because they had listening ears. They listened to the murmuring between the Hellenists and the Hebrews as regards the sharing of food.

The controversy was still at the stage of murmuring yet the apostles quickly addressed the matter. We need such agility today. The more we allow issues to linger, the worse they may become and more difficult to handle. *We must be responsible enough to realize that time does not heal everything.* Some things just need to be addressed promptly and consciously. Every problem is easier to solve at infancy stage. Again, the apostles did not neglect the matter at hand with the excuse that they were handling more serious matters. Every issue affecting the Christian community must be given attention. When issues are not addressed, those affected are tempted to impute motives into the inaction of those in-charge. Such motives always surround injustice and partiality.

It is interesting to note that the apostles gave criteria for selecting those who would assist in the daily distribution of food. The first criterion was good repute. Beloved, *while it is true that God can choose the weak to shame the strong, that does not justify putting a round peg in a square hole.* If the Christian community will make meaningful progress, people must be assigned roles on the basis of reputation and capacity. A man without repute will definitely bring the assigned office to disrepute. We will be putting God to test when select the unqualified with the expectation that he/she will change in office. Positions must neither become instrument of compensation nor given on the basis of quota system. We must guide against the temptation of installing mediocres with the justification that “after all, no one is perfect”. When positions are assigned on the basis of competence, more people will be challenged to be at their best.

“Full of the Spirit” was another criterion. Beloved, we cannot do the work of God without the God of the work. No matter how competent we may be, if we disconnected from the landlord of the vineyard, we will be fruitless. Every work of God is a spiritual matter; it involves combating with the devil. Only the power of God can defeat the devil. Again, *while it is true that no one is perfect, we dare not entrust the work of God to those who do not know God.* This is not a matter of judging people; it is simply the use of common sense.

Lastly, we need wisdom. With wisdom, we will know what should be done, how it should be done, when it should be done and to what extent it should be done. We need wisdom to inculturate the gospel values; we need wisdom for New Evangelization. Like the early Christians, we must be discreet in selecting those who serve us today in the Church. *The fact that God can write straight on crooked lines is no justification to keep drawing crooked lines.