Acts  15:1-2,22-29
Psalm  66
Revelation  21:10-14,22-23
John  14:23-29
 
Reflections

Jesus foretells his Apostles about the Easter gifts, the fruits of his passion and resurrection. In the first place, the gift of a new love (Gospel): a love that is ‘total immersion’ in the Holy Trinity, that comes to live, to take up its dwelling in the one who believes and loves (v. 23); a love that becomes the source of the new life. Then there is the gift of peace: the peace that Jesus gives, a much different peace from what the world has to offer, a peace that is stronger than any disturbance and gives reassurance in every difficulty (v. 27). And above all, there is the gift of the Consoler, “the Holy Spirit”, as teacher and repository of the things that Jesus has taught (v. 26). It is a promise that affects very closely the pilgrimage of the Church throughout history: Jesus could not have explained all the consequences and the application of his message, so he ensures the friendly presence of a sure guide, even in the face of new problems, of unexpected events, of the development of human sciences... We can think of today’s manifold challenges: fundamentalism, bioethics, globalisation, dialogue between religions, ecology and so on. The Spirit always intervenes as light, power, forgiveness and consolation, because it is an oil of gladness, a gift of love. (*)

 
The new choices that the community of those who believe in Christ will have to make throughout the centuries, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, cannot be in contradiction with Jesus’ message; indeed, they will be a development, a creative depth of understanding, an application that responds to the needs of the many different people, times and places. A storm arose immediately, and was a question of life or death for the Church, only around 50 years after Christ, a few decades from the historical time of Jesus’ life on earth. The Acts of the Apostles (1st Reading) tell of the quarrels and animated discussion between two groups: on the one side the converts from Judaism, who wanted to impose certain Jewish practices on pagan converts even before they were baptised; Paul and Barnabas, on the other side, saw in such impositions the risk of blocking the grace of Christ, and argued for the immediate admittance of pagans into the Christian community, without Judaic impositions. (v. 1-2).

 
Very wisely, the debate was taken up to the highest level: to the involvement and discernment of the Apostles in Jerusalem. Three tendencies emerged in the Council of Jerusalem: the open line of Paul and Barnaba, the somewhat hesitant line of Peter, and the practical advice of James, Bishop of Jerusalem, who mediated between Paul and those who wanted to impose Jewish practices, with a reasoning based on pastoral criteria, with one or two temporary concessions (v. 29), as can be seen from the first conciliar document of the Catholic Church (vv. 23-29).

 
The presence of the Holy Spirit can be recognised in all this difficult process: in the quest for a stronger communion with the leaders of the Church, in the discussion thrown open to all in the search for a community decision, in the attention given to each speaker, especially to Peter, in the choice of credible witnesses to be sent to the brothers in Antioch. The presence of the Spirit is forceful above all in the clear affirmation of salvation offered to all through Christ, thus making access to the Gospel easier for pagans, with no extra obligations imposed. This decision is the result of a happy, though difficult, acting together: “It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves...” (v. 28).

 
“The historical journey of the Church has not always been in a straight line, as the Council of Jerusalem shows. Some qualities are very important, such as the dynamism that stops the Church from falling into nostalgia, fidelity that stops the Church from going off-line, the patience that holds the Church back from frenzy, prophecy that lets the Church recognise and understand the signs of the times, tolerance and dialogue that hold off the problem of fundamentalism, hope that allows the Church to get over hesitation and uncertainty. But above all, faith in the Spirit must dominate, as the last and living guide of the Church” (G. Ravasi). The conciliar method was tested, and remains valid in every age, as a course for communion and mission!

 

The Pope’s Words

(*)  «The Holy Spirit is the gladness that comes from God. From Jesus this gladness sweeps over us in his Gospel, in the joyful message that God knows us, that he is good and that his goodness is the power above all powers; that we are wanted and loved by him. Gladness is the fruit of love. The oil of gladness, which was poured out over Christ and comes to us from him, is the Holy Spirit, the gift of Love who makes us glad to be alive».

Benedict XVI

Homily during the Chrism Mass of Holy Thursday, 01.04.2010

 
In the steps of Missionaries

- 9/5: St. Pacomius (Upper Egypt, 247-348), father of Christian cenobite monasticism, author of one of the first monastic Rules.

- 10/5: St. John of Avila (1500-1569), committed to popular missions in the south of Spain, friend and companion of the great reformers of his time; patron of diocesan Spanish priests.

- 10/5: Bl. John Merz (1896-1928), a Croatian layman and humanist, engaged in social life.

- 11/5: Bl. Zefferino Namuncurá (1886-1905), born in Argentina, member of the Mapuche ethnic group from Araucania, died in Rome. He was a young candidate of the Salesian family, a model of Christian virtues.

- 11/5: Anniversary of Fr. Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), an Italian Jesuit priest who lived, worked and died in Peking, and is buried there. He was the pioneer of a new missionary and Christian presence in China.

- 13/5: Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima (Portugal, 1917).

- 13/5: Anniversary of the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America, opened by Pope Benedict XVI in Aparecida (Brazil) in 2007.

- 14/5: St. Matthias, Apostle, called to make up the number of the Twelve (Acts 1:15-26).

- 14/5: St. Theodora (Anna Teresa) Guérin (1798-1856), a French nun, foundress, missionary in Indianapolis (USA).

- 15/5: St. Isidore the farmer (Madrid, c.1080-1130), husband of Bl. Maria de la Cabeza: he was an example of hard work and trust in Divine Providence.

- 15/5: International Day of the Family, instituted by the United Nations in 1994.