Holiness: the habitat of the Holy Spirit (HOMILY FOR THE 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A MAY 2023

HOMILY FOR THE 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A

Acts 8:5-8.14-17; Ps.66; 1Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21

“ _If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the father, and he will give you the Holy Spirit”_ (Jn.14:15)

Holiness: the habitat of the Holy Spirit

Today, the liturgy talks about the Holy Spirit. This talk with continue till Pentecost and run through the end of the Easter season. So, in a sense, we can say that we have entered the season of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, there seem to be an established hunger for the Holy Spirit in the hearts of many Christians today. Possessing the Holy Spirit is something some Christians are proud about. It is believed that possessing the Holy Spirit enables us to see in some extra-ordinary ways, do some extra-ordinary things and live a more victorious life over our enemy, the devil.

When we consider the gospel reading of today, we see that these expectations are not out of place. Jesus himself said that receiving the Holy Spirit is not an all-comers affair; Jesus noted: …even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him…” The question now is: what will qualify one to be amongst those who can know and possess the Holy Spirit, as against the world? The Holy Spirit is the continual presence of Jesus with us. Jesus promised: “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you”. It therefore means that to belong to the world is to lack the presence of God. One who is without God cannot be fruitful (cf. John 15:5). How do we ensure that we are not fruitless?

While Jesus answers this question in the gospel reading, it was also clearly demonstrated in the first reading. In the gospel, Jesus first noted that those who love Him will always keep his commandments. Thereafter, Jesus says that He will ask the Father to give the Counsellor. It is the keeping of the commandments that will attract the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes as reward for faithfulness. Receiving the Holy Spirit becomes a higher level of Christian Spirituality; a level in which one is no longer struggling with the readiness to obey God’s law but is being challenged to increase in good works.

This explains why the Holy Spirit cannot genuinely manifest in a heart of sin. The Spirit has no business with one who has lost the consciousness of sin. The Holy Spirit is like an admission into a tertiary institution which cannot be given to one who has not successfully sat for the S.S.C.E. So for us to receive the Holy Spirit, we must begin by loving God, keeping his commandments, and then the Spirit will come. The Spirit is the manifold gift of God; we cannot be enemies of God and still desire this gift. We cannot work against the will and still claim to possess this gift. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer is not first indicated by some extra-ordinary abilities but by faithfulness to God’s commandments.

In the first reading, we find Philip evangelizing the city of Samaria. When they heard Philip and saw the signs he did, they gave heed to Philip’s message. Giving heed means that they positively responded to what the Word demanded of them, namely, conversion. This conversion enabled them to get rid of whatever foul spirits that possessed them as a result of sinful living. This conversion also restored the health of those who have been held bound by the sickness of sin. Their obedience to God’s word surely brought them restoration. By virtue of this conversion, they became prepared to receive the Holy Spirit. So, Peter and John were sent to lay hands on them. If they had not wholeheartedly received the message of salvation through Philip, they would not have been able to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a coin whose other side is holiness; without holiness we cannot receive the Holy Spirit.

This invariably means that sin is what inactivates the Holy Spirit in those who have received it. The more we dwell in sin, the more dormant the Spirit becomes in us. The Sacrament of Reconciliation reactivates the Holy Spirit in us. Frequent confession is highly recommended because we need this reactivation as much as possible to keep us going in our Christian journey. Know this: the promise of the Holy Spirit was not made until Christ had first died for sins. The promise of the Holy Spirit was made to Christians who have been made righteous through Christ’s blood. Thus, our goal in the Pentecost novena must be to become holier Christians. If today we are having more Christians who go to Church but care less about their moral standing with God, then we are surely having many Christians without the Holy Spirit. This is conversion at a mediocre level.

In the second reading, we realize why the Holy Spirit need manifest only in a pure heart. Peter asked that we keep our conscience clear (obey the commandments). The life of a Christian is never without persecutions. When the persecutor comes, he begins with accusing us of our faults; he seeks to intimidate us with our sins and wrong life style; that is why those with a guilty conscience cannot successfully fight a just cause. “He who comes to the table of equity must do so with clean hands” If the persecutor meets us with a clear conscience, he will still persecute us; but at that time, we will be suffering for doing what is right. Suffering for doing what is right is persecution but suffering for doing what is wrong is punishment. The Lord rewards persecuted Christians not punished Christians.

Is it not true that today, many of us are not courageous to say the good we know and do the good we can because we fear being confronted with our hypocritical life-styles? Some Christian leaders can no longer stand and fight for the obvious truth in matters because the wrong one is their partner in sin whom they dare not offend. Emotional blackmail continues to cause untold damage in the practice and dissemination of the Faith. It seems as if after the Lord has gratuitously poured out His Spirit on us, we end up deactivating the same Spirit; and the circle continues. So, before we commence another Pentecost novena this year, let us sit quietly and ask ourselves if we are ready to become holy Christians. As the psalmist enjoys us, let us cry out with Joy to the Lord asking him to preserve us holiness.

OR

HOMILY FOR THE 6TH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A

Acts 8:5-8.14-17; Ps.66; 1Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21

(Another perspective to the readings: Summary)

*Two things were unique about the early Christian community in the first reading from the Acts of the apostles chapter 8( they never disassociated themselves from the word of God, not even persecution could derail that closeness with the word of God and secondly they were submissive to the mandates of the Holy Spirit. The Holy spirit led the way and they followed. Every action and judgements were  done in consensus with the Holy Spirit. 

* Evident in the life of Philip the deacon who fled Jerusalem after the death of Stephen and the great persecution that arose. He went down to Samaria and continue the proclamation of the word of God and brought conversion to the people. Furthermore, Peter and John came and conferred the Holy spirit upon them (sacrament of confirmation)

* In the Gospel, Jesus being the first counselor promised the apostles never to leave them desolate or forgotten or orphans but that he would send them another counsellor, the Holy Spirit, who would be with them till the end of time. 

* Activation of the life in the Holy Spirit is rooted in the obedience to the commandment of God. The new commandment given by Jesus  is love one another as I have loved you. They must be ministers of Love through their life in the spirit. This took place after the washing of the feet of the apostles by Jesus. Hence, Jesus desires that they reciprocate this love to him and to their brothers and sisters. 

* The Holy spirit as another counsellor would render divine assistance towards the realisation of this purpose of God in the life of the apostles and see them through even at trial moments of their lives. 

* Are you a person of love? 

1John 4:16 "God is love, and whosoever lives in love, lives in God and God in him. 

1 John 4:20 "If we claim to Love God but hate our brothers and sisters, we are liars.

* We must allow the Holy Spirit to function in us and make us instruments of God's love to humanity.