Blossom in your Natural Habitat (HOMILY FOR THE 5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER

HOMILY ON THE 5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A

Acts 6:1-7; Ps.33; 1Peter 2:4-9; John 14:1-12

“ _It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve at tables” (Acts 6:2b)_ 

Blossom in your Natural Habitat

Before his ascension, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go make disciples of all nations. This necessitated that a Christian community should be formed. How this community will fare was something that the apostles learnt from experience. They practically learnt how to live together from the way they handled each problem that confronted them. Even today, every problem can become an opportunity to learn how to live better if only we allow the Spirit of God to direct us in all we do. Sometimes, it takes a negative experience for a positive impact to be made in our lives.

In the first reading of today, we are told at the beginning that a dispute arose amongst the believers as regards the daily distribution of food. The feeling of injustice leads to mutual suspicion and is capable of crumbling any human community; it has even affected families. So, this complaint threatened the unity of the infant Church. But at the end of the first reading, we see that “the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith”. Obviously, the problem at hand ended up increasing their number and boosting their faithfulness. Beloved, it is human that we often times desire that God saves us from some troubles; but we must also learn how to ask God to give us the wisdom and insight to make the best out of every issue confronting us. The fire that burns the gold does not destroy it but proves its worth.

The apostles came to understand that the Christian community was and will always be a human community. To belong to the Christian community, certain requirements must be met: the person must believe and accept the gospel, be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. But the meeting of these criteria was not to remove the humanness of the individual. And so, as the Christian community increased, there was a clear need for a process of administration. Receiving the Holy Spirit does not imply that people we will able to act rightly towards themselves and others, without governance. Spirituality does not take away likes and dislikes, human weaknesses and evil inclination, temperaments and society/family influences, aspirations and cravings. These are human tendencies that must be taken care of through proper administration.

You will notice that the dispute that arose in the first reading, came up when the number of disciples were increasing. Beloved, know this, every blessing comes with some responsibilities. Any blessing for which we are not responsible enough to handle will no longer seem like a blessing. Today, many people are praying hard for a miracle that they cannot handle. Parents who have not been able to properly train the very few children they have, are asking God for more. Young boys and girls who have become promiscuous, are praying for a faithful marriage partner. Men and women of God who have lost the desire for prayer, want their congregation to appreciate them for prayers answered. People want to trend when they clearly have no virtue to diffuse. Some continue to ask God to bless their hustle while they live the most reckless kind of life. My dear, it does not work like that! If the apostles were not responsible, the increase of the number of the disciples will no longer wear the cloak of a blessing.

Being under the unction of the Holy Spirit is no license to live life based on impulse. God has given us different gifts. This means that all of us cannot fit into the same place at a particular time. We have been created to function optimally at different strata of the society. Proper administration implies that we must engage people in their area of proficiency. In the administration of the Church, we cannot put a round peg in a square hole and expect that the Holy Spirit will crown our effort with success. The apostles were clear on the qualities of those who will handle the daily distribution of food. This does not mean that those who were not qualified to serve food were not good Christians; they will obviously fit into another organ of the community life. The best way to know that you were not made for a particular office is if you do not possess the charisma that the office requires. Let it not border you that you do not have a particular gift that you admire so much; focus on what you have, for no one has it all.

Again, the fact that no one has it all shows that no one is expected to do it all by himself/herself. This is simple wisdom. Jack of all trade is an unproductive Jack. In Exodus 18:14-23, Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law watched how Moses was administering the people of God and advised him on the principles of delegation and subsidiarity. Jethro made it clear to Moses that without these principles, the people will not be served effectively. This is exactly what the apostles did in the first reading of today. Wanting to do it all alone not only denotes a sense of pride, it also distracts. However, we must delegate to capable hands. Duties must be assigned on the note of competence and not compensation.

When we learn to serve within the ambience of our God-given talents, some of these tensions and power tussle in the Church/family/state will fade away. When you give an assignment to one who is unqualified, you invariably cause more unqualified to desire that assignment. But when we learn to work where we are naturally enabled, we will not only desire where we fit in, but will also produce the best results which will amount to tremendous growth of the Christian community. Beloved, the goal is not for you to shine but that God should shine through a growing Church; growth in number and faithfulness.

Know this, with the gifts God has bestowed on you, you can participate in this growth-project. In the second reading, St. Peter says: “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”. In the gospel reading, Jesus says that if we believe in him, we will do greater works. It is lack of faith that makes us think that we cannot blossom with our natural talents but with what is meant for others. Greater works means productivity and fruitfulness. This can only come about when a round peg is placed in a round hole; a square peg for a square hole. Stay in your natural habitat.

OR

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter, Year A

NEPOTISM AND THE HOUSE OF GOD

First reading: Acts 6:1-7

Psalm 32:1-2,4-5,18-19

Second reading: 1 Peter 2:4-9

Gospel: John 14:1-12

1. The early Church was flourishing, sweet, good and experiencing the beauty of togetherness, the spirit of oneness and the splendor of caregiving until the first problem arose. The problem of nepotism and unequal treatment along tribal lines. Nepotism has various expressions like segregation, separation, differentiation and distinction. These segregation, separation, differentiation and distinction were colored with tribalism and sectionalism. The widows of the Hellenists were being treated differently from the Hebrew widows; a case of unequal treatment, a case of marginalization. Tribalism, nepotism, sectionalism and all allied forms are evils to humanity and divinity. 

2. Nepotism is an evil against humanity because it denies the equal rights and fair treatment of some persons. It is usually the beginning of the collapse of any thriving society. Is it not interesting that the first problem of the beautiful early Christian community was human problem? Nepotism, tribalism, differentiation, segregation etc are all man made. The first problem was not spiritual like most persons would expect, but human. That is a great lesson for us. The destruction of every beautiful community, relationship, or gathering can begin as a human problem, not some spiritual problem. Families and societies are often divided over human issues. Sometimes we expect the devil to cause spiritual problems, we prepare ourselves against spiritual battles but fail to see the human danger lurking around.

3. There should be no room for nepotism and tribalism in the Church, community and nation. Unfortunately, we find it in obvious ways. As much as possible, we must condemn nepotism in all its forms. In fact, the best way to do so is to stop being a beneficiary of it. As a Christian, you should reject the benefits and advantages of nepotism especially when it favors you. Oftentimes we condemn those who perpetuate tribalism and forget those who benefit either actively or passively. In every form of nepotism and tribalism, there is a perpetrator and a beneficiary. Oftentimes, we focus on the perpetrator and forget the beneficiary who has failed to oppose such tribalistic nepotism.

4. How did the disciples overcome this problem? They chose men of wisdom, discipline and character to serve and care for the widows. They simply fortified the leadership of the people. They chose men filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. This speaks volumes about how societal problems can either remain or disappear depending on the leadership available to the people. That is why we must pay close attention to how people become leaders; the strength of their character, the sincerity of their actions, the wisdom in their decisions, the patience in their waiting, the contents of their vision and their plan of action. 

5. Those who promote tribalistic nepotism in the Church lack the correct understanding of what the Church is and stands for. The gospel passage gives us a clear explanation that in God’s house “there are many rooms”. Therefore, in God, everyone is accommodated. No one is excluded. In God, we are included and united. Those who promote tribalism and segregation think that by excluding others, they will get a better experience with God. No! God is there for all.

Oh that today you listen to his voice, harden not your hearts.