Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year, A – May 14, 2017

Readings: Acts 6:1-7; Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:1-2,4-5,18-19; 1 Pet 2:4-9; 

Gospel John 14:1-12.

Theme: Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life!

Friends in Christ, the Penny Catechism reveals that God the Father created the world, God the Son redeemed the world and God the Holy Spirit sanctifies the world. For Jesus to claim that He is the way, the truth and the life means that He invites us to a Trinitarian expose that is capable of catapulting us into divine realities. We shall mediate on these realities as they relate to our daily lives:

Jesus as the Way: Before making the claim that He is the way, the gospel (John 14:1-12) reveals that Jesus told the apostles that He is going to prepare a place for them assuring that there are many mansions in his Father’s House. We must understand that Jesus wanted to clear the doubts, distress, confusion and anxieties of the apostles which was why he said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Indeed Jesus does not only know the way – In fact, He is the way; as the way, he goes to the Father while inviting His followers to follow suit. By claiming God as His Father, who is responsible for preparing mansions for us, Jesus invites us to be faithful heirs of the kingdom. His response to Philip underscores the point.

Our liturgy exhorts us to shun other dissenting voices claiming to be the way. The proliferation of churches and miracle centres with pastors who claim to be showing the faithful the way to God but end up milking the faithful dry and making their situation worse, comes to mind. We must we weary of anyone teaching us ways that are different from what Jesus is and what He has taught us namely that, He is the way - He is the way ; He knows the way; He goes the way and holds us dear to himself while giving direction.

Jesus as the Truth: In his article, How is Jesus “the Truth?” Randy Alcorn opines that as truth personified, Jesus is the source of all truth and becomes for us the source of evaluating all truth-claims. Jesus’ claim that He is the truth means that there is iota of deceit in Him and so he calls us to walk in the truth (John 1:3), love the truth and believe in the truth (Thessalonians 2:10-12).

Since God has written His truth on our hearts and in our conscience (Romans 2:15), we ought to proclaim the truth as revealed in the gospels and explained by the Church’s Magisterium. To call to witness to the truth as Jesus reveals should be in-season and out-of-season. This mandate is also to be carried out without fear or favour.

Jesus is the Life: To the question, Why did God make you? The Baltimore Catechism says: God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him forever in heaven” (BC no.1). If Jesus insists that He is the way, the truth and the life, then, the ultimate destiny of man lies in him. As the life, he gives us the bread of life (John 6:35); He gives life to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11) and assures paradise to the repentant thief (Luke 23:43).

By giving up His perfect life and blood, Jesus makes it possible for us to gain the real life which is everlasting life (1 Timothy 6:12-19; Ephesians 1:7 & 1 John 1:7). It is not easy to lay down your life even for a good man but Jesus gave His life for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:7-8). We are called to emulate Jesus by laying down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Christians must develop a sense of sacrifice and responsibility towards those at the margins of the society such as the aged, widows and orphans; IDPs, the sick and those who have no sense of direction in life. This is where the message of the first reading (Acts 6:1-7) comes in – the division of labour or ministry is an important aspect of the Church. We must have people in the ministry of hospitality who would join our Deacons in the Ministry of Service while our priests pay attention to the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments. 

What is more, those in government must ensure equitable distribution of resources in a way that they touch the lives of the rural population to have no access to good roads, education and health facilities and pipe-borne water. Our politicians must live up to their election-promises by securing lives and property. The message of St. Peter in the second reading (1 Pet 2:4-9) which says, “But you are chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God...” reminds us that we have been specially made as such, we should not allow anyone reduce our God-given potentials.  

Above all, we must realise that since it is in Him that we live and move and have our being, God expects us to give an account of our stewardship when our life’s work here is ended. If we waste the life that He has given to us, He would hold us accountable. Have a Blessed Week as we continue our May Devotion!