Seventh Sunday of Easter - Year B

 The readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter - Year B may be found at:  

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051224-Sunday.cfm

On this last Sunday of Easter, 

with Pentecost bearing down on us like the Holy Spirit, 

We hear from the evangelist St. John, 

recounting Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper, 

part of our Lord’s High Priestly Prayer.

Jesus knew He would die the next day.

And what did he do?

He prayed for His disciples and us.

He had just finished washing their feet. 

He instituted the Eucharist so that He could remain physically with us.

And how awesome is that.

I mean, if you knew you were dying the next day, what would you do?

Would you eat whatever you want, hit the casino, stay up and dance all night, go crazy, max out your credit cards, hang out with family and friends?

Maybe some of us have done that already.  

No judgement.

But Jesus knew He would die the next day and He washed people’s feet.

He instituted the Eucharist so that we would have His real presence with us after he went to the Father.

He prayed to God for His disciples and for us.

He prayed that His Heavenly Father might protect us, 

make us holy 

and empower us to carry on His mission.

Just as God sent His son into the world, 

so Jesus sends us to share what we believe 

and to make known a new way of relating to God and to each other.

He sends us into the world, 

but He makes it very clear that we do not belong to the world 

any more than He does.

He calls us to go out into the world, 

but not get too wrapped up in it,

Because this is not our home.

We have the Church, 

but even it is called a pilgrim church on earth.

Set apart.

Called to be different.

Set apart.

Called out for holiness.

Now, as followers of Jesus that doesn’t mean 

that we have any right to have an attitude of 

“We are better than you other people”, 

But, instead we are called to show through our actions that 

“We are different from this world.”

And holiness is our survival tactic for how we do it.  

So, Jesus gave us the tools so that we could strive for holiness.

In the sacrament of confession, sacramental grace and the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

So that we can strive towards holiness and be set apart as Catholics and followers of Jesus.

Because without striving for holiness, we’re really no different than anyone else.

And Jesus calls us to be different.

Not of this world, 

but called to live in it 

To engage with it, 

To face the world 

without being swallowed up by it.

So that others can come to Jesus and want to strive for holiness too,

Because of how we live our lives.

Because of the things we say.

Because of the things we do.

Because of the charity we give.

Because of the love we share.

To be part of God’s rescue mission. 

So that we can be active, visible examples of His love and mercy.

And in the process, remind everyone that this is not their home either.

So that they too might spend less time focused on the difficulties or sideshows of this life, 

and recognize the importance of striving for holiness 

and having a real, personal relationship with God.

And he has called us to show people.

So we need to get out there.

We have a lot of work to do.

Now before I finish up, 

I have a public service announcement to anyone who has ever had a mother or has met a mother or who knows a mother that this weekend is Mother’s Day weekend.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day I would like to recognize how  mothers are often the heart of the family, 

laboring tirelessly to keep their children safe and united in love, 

just as our Lord does.

Like Christ, 

she desires her children to be "consecrated in the truth", 

instilling in them virtues, values, and a shared identity rooted in love.

And yet, a mother's role goes beyond her own family. 

In a profound way, all women are called to be spiritual mothers, 

building up the unity of the entire Church and the world through their self-sacrificing love.

The Blessed Virgin Mary being our primary example of this spiritual motherhood.

On this Mother's Day, let us all give thanks for the countless women who have answered the call to nurture unity through their maternal love and self-gift. 

Whether biological mothers or spiritual mothers in the Church, they are icons of Christ's desire for all of us to be one in the communion of love.

May their example inspire us to tear down the walls that divide and to build up the unity willed by Christ for his Body, the Church and for the world.

Happy Mother’s Day.