There is a common theme in our readings and Gospel today, and that is one of life in the resurrected Christ. Ours is not guaranteed to be an easy existence as we live our lives in communion with Christ Jesus, on the contrary, we are told specifically that we will be tested and tried, and refined. We will face challenges and adversity so that our faith will continue to grow and become pure, just as in the way metals are refined within a fire, so too will we be called to refine ourselves and to grow as followers of Jesus.
We are called to continue to live in community with one another, both so that we can be tested by one another, but also so that we can support one another when we stumble. We are called to take care of one another so that each can have their needs met, and so that no one is left alone. We are called to pray together, and to come together to celebrate the breaking of the bread in the form of the Eucharist, and to receive forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so that our souls are nourished and cared for in the same way that our bodies are. This is one of the things that proves especially challenging right now as we are all separated in order to stem the spread of the pandemic. We must instead ask God for the grace to receive these gifts on a purely spiritual level and to still make the effort to ask for these graces and to partake of them as often as we can.
Likewise, as we receive care for our bodies and souls, we must also consider the task that we have been given. When Jesus said to His disciples, “as the Father has sent Me, so I send you” and then breathed on them to impart the gift of the Holy Spirit, our roles are called to be decidedly similar. You see as each of us has received the Holy Spirit through Baptism and Confirmation, we are indeed called upon to continue the work that Jesus had intended for us – to be witnesses to Him, and to evangelize to those who do not yet know Him. As the disciples were commissioned to forgive sins and to spread God’s word, so we are each called to spread the word of God. Perhaps the most effective way of doing this is simply how we live our lives on a daily basis. I can think of no better way to get people to take notice than to demonstrate to them daily the difference that belief and faith in Jesus Christ make in our lives. To show that it is our way, to be compassionate, to share in what we have (both temporal gifts and spiritual ones). To not be ashamed to stand up for our belief, and make known proudly that yes, we both believe in, and follow Jesus Christ because we love Him. We choose this way of life, not because of what we receive, but because of what we know to be true. In this day and age, when so many are content to treat faith as more of a punchline in a joke, than as a way of living, we are commissioned to be different. We are called to continue to show brightly the light that Christ brought back into this world at His birth and the hope that He gives all men through His death and resurrection. There is no salvation outside of that hope. God is merciful to those who have never heard of Him through no fault of their own, and we pray for his compassion to those souls who never knew Him directly, but who lived their lives in such a way as to reflect His teachings none the less. We know that God alone can read the mind and heart, and render just judgement, but we should be very much afraid, of the opportunities we miss to educate those who do not know Him yet and let them continue on without faith or knowledge of Him. To those whom much has been given, much will be expected, and as Catholics, we have indeed been given many graces and gifts of knowledge and reasons for faith. How then can we ever justify failing to share such treasures, which are as much necessities of life, as the bread we are called to break together? As we continue on in our social distancing, a lot of us are finding some extra time on our hands. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to spend it in ways that can give both the gift of faith, and perhaps newfound hope to someone who is isolated and afraid? It would be nice if we could come together directly to do this, but for now, we can certainly still use other avenues, such as social media, and other forms of remote communications to give witness. It doesn’t have to be preaching, if we’re asked how we are spending our time, don’t just talk about how the garden and the back yard are shaping up, talk about the extra time you have found for spending time with God, and the beauty of what that brings. Don’t worry about those who may initially scoff, they will still be left wondering on some level, what it is that you know, that perhaps they do not. Seeds are planted most effectively in this way. The loss of life due to the pandemic is tragic, but wouldn’t it be more to lose those who simply gave up because of their isolation, and seemingly inescapable loneliness, fear, and hopelessness? You can give that hope. To quote Pope John Paul II, be not afraid.
The Deacons Bench 