Christ Our Hope

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

We all know that Jesus had 12 Apostles and that one of them – Judas – betrayed Jesus by turning Him over to the Pharisees. Judas, realizing that he had betrayed innocent blood and learning that Jesus was to be crucified – committed suicide.

After the death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ – but before Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit – the eleven remaining disciples of Jesus returned to Jerusalem. It was in those days that Peter stood up among the disciples and proposed the election of a new apostle to take the place of Judas.

So they put forward two men who had accompanied them during all the entire time Jesus was among them – beginning with His baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist.

The eleven disciples then prayed and said “Lord, you know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside” – then they cast lots and the lot fell on Matthias and he was enrolled with them and the apostles were once again 12. Thus began the practice of Apostolic Succession that continues to be practiced to this day and has brought us Pope Benedict the 16th.

When the day of Pentecost came, the 12 were all together in one place and suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The apostles no longer afraid or intimidated began to preach to the people themselves, and they started the Catholic Church. There was a lot of work to do.
People came to them with gifts; others came asking for healing, or for food. Soon, the apostles were so busy organizing the people that they had no time for personal prayer to teach them anymore.

We hear in our first reading that the Hellenists complained because their widows were being neglected – so the Twelve called together the entire community and suggested that they put forth 7 reputable men – filled with the Spirit and wisdom – and that these men would be appointed to take care of the poor and responsible for organizing the people.

Thank God they realized that they needed help – thank God that they realized preaching the Word of God – caring for the spiritual health and wellbeing of their flock was more important than organizing the people or fund raisers. These seven men they selected were the first deacons of the church. The apostles ordained them as deacons by praying over them and placing their hands on the heads. And thus began the practice of ordination which continues to this day too.

Saint Stephen was one of the first seven deacons. He began to serve the poor and preach to the people about Jesus. More and more people joined the Christians and even a large number of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

The high priests of the temple were jealous of Saint Stephen's successes, and accused him of blasphemy. They took him in front of a judge, just like they had done to Jesus. At the trial, Saint Stephen kept on preaching and teaching his accusers about Jesus.

He told the judges that they were hard-hearted murderers of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. When the crowd heard this they became so angry that they stopped the trial, dragged him outside and began to throw rocks at him. As they were stoning him, Saint Stephen forgave them and asked God not to punish them for their crime. Then he said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." and died.

Saint Stephen, a deacon, was the first Christian martyr, the first person to die because he loved Jesus so much that he wouldn't stop talking about Him, and he wouldn’t compromise the truth – he refused to give into their threats and pressure – even if it would cost him his life – why – because it is far better to die in Christ than to stand in judgment having denied Him.

What each of us has to ask ourselves today is how bold are we – at home, at school, at work – with our friends and with our family, with strangers – how bold are we in today’s society – when people look at you like you are crazy when you talk about your love of God – how bold are each of us when it comes to publicly proclaiming our love for Jesus?

How bold are we to stand up for the truth – no matter what the consequences may be? And how ready are we to forgive those who hurt us – especially those that have persecuted us?

Our second reading from the First Letter of St. Peter contains some of the most reassuring verses in Holy Scripture. We are called living stones and to let ourselves be built into a spiritual house – to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices.

Each of us are called a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people that the Lord claims for His own – called to proclaim the glorious works of the one who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

Each of us is precious in the Lord’s eyes – each of us is invaluable and God our Father cherishes us, we are highly esteemed, and our Father loves us. He loves us not because of something we have done, we don’t have to do anything to merit or win His love – he loves us in spite of everything we have done – the good and the bad. But why? Why are we so precious in the eyes of God?

I think parents have some insight into the answer to this question. Why parents do we love our children, why are they so precious in our eyes? Is it because of something they did – I don’t think so – I know that I love my children just because who they are – my children – not for what they have done or failed to do.

The first time I held each of them in my arms – even before they had a chance to do anything – I loved them. Before they were born – as I placed my face against the womb – I loved them. As I pressed my ear to hear their heart beats or held my hands to feel them kick – I loved them – before they were born I knew I would give my life if necessary for them. And that is what good parents do for their children – they sacrifice.

Certainly, now that they are older, I am proud of all of their accomplishments – but I don’t love them anymore than I did – certainly over the years they have done things that hurt me – but I don’t love them any less. They are and always will be my children.
I love them because they are my children and God the Father loves each of us for who we are – His children. You have heard it said before, if we – who are wicked and sinful – love our children and give them what is good – how much more does our Heavenly Father love us and wants to give us what is good.

No matter what we have done – no matter how good or how bad we have been – God loves each of us.

God created us to demonstrate His unconditional love for each of us and so that we could demonstrate to the world our love for Him. Jesus came so that we might enjoy life more abundantly and He died on the cross so that we might live and have eternal life.

But as we know and hear in our reading today – Jesus is the rock that the world rejected – yet He has become the cornerstone of the New World and each of us are called to be living stones – to build up His Church where His Holy Spirit lives and breathes.

Jesus – the great High Priest – who was rejected by the world, thrown out of the temple, and crucified on the cross – counts on each of us, as members of His royal priesthood – to carry on the priestly presence of our Lord by making God present to others and others present to God.

Jesus is the Light of the World, the light which dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy, casts out hatred, brings us peace and humbles earthly pride.

Each of us are called to be lights of the world - called to bring hope and light to a world living in fear and darkness.

And that is another reason why we are so precious to God – because He sees His Son Jesus at work in each of us when we boldly proclaim His gospel of life.

Jesus suffered much during his passion and today His Church – each of us – suffers both from without and within the Church – especially when we stand up for the truth or when we proclaim the Gospel of Life.

Each of us, as God’s children, must be aware of our individual dignity as well as the dignity of all life. We must treat ourselves, our bodies and each other with the respect a child of God deserves. And when we are tempted – when the world tells us that it is OK to do this or that – we must remember that dignity and turn away from popular opinion and the culture of death and make the right choices.

It’s not easy – but we hear in our Gospel reading today that in our Fathers house there are many rooms and that we know the way – and the way is Jesus. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. To see Jesus is to see God; to hear Jesus is to hear God and to follow Jesus is to know where we are going – and that is home to the Father.

This week America was blessed – Our Holy Father – Pope Benedict XVI – the successor of Peter – the Vicar of Christ – visited our nation. And his message was simple – Christ is our hope.

In a world today that seems to be off track and out of control – Pope Benedict demonstrated for each of us – as he met with President, as he addressed the bishops and cardinals; as he addressed the 45000 people at Nationals stadium; as he spoke to the people at Catholic University, the press and the United Nations, the 26,000 youths at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York and the 57000 people in Yankee Stadium today – he demonstrated for us that Christ is our hope – that Christ is our rock – that no matter what – Truth and Love will prevail. That His Church is built upon a rock and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

That was his message and each of us must take that message and make it our own. No matter where we are or what the consequences may be we must proclaim Christ is our hope. With the eyes of the world on him – Pope Benedict did not waver against political or social pressure – he didn’t compromise our beliefs or water down Catholic teaching. No one should do that.

We can give in to the pressures and temptations of this world – many good Catholics have; We can compromise our religious beliefs and practices – for many good Catholics have been led astray by blind guides and theologians – OR we can choose to follow Christ – who is the way, who is the truth, who is the life and who is our HOPE.

As we prepare to receive Our Lord Jesus Christ – truly present – body, blood, soul and divinity – in the Most Blessed Sacrament of Love, let our prayer today be that the Holy Father’s visit become the spark that ignites a renewed faith within the Church and within each of us; let our prayer be that each of us standup for those who don’t have a voice, that each of us will boldly proclaim the Gospel of Life, that each of us will willingly share our of Love of Christ with all we meet – we ask this through Christ our Lord – AMEN!