Homily: May 11, 2023, Thursday of the Fifth week of Easter (Difference )

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 "And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit just as he did us. He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts."

In the first reading, we hear about the debate among the apostles regarding the Gentile Christians and the Jewish practices. The Jewish believers, who were followers of the Mosaic law and its dietary rules, were concerned that the newly converted Gentiles were not following the Jewish customs.

Then Peter spoke up, and declared this truth, that God has granted the Gentile converts the same Holy Spirit as the Apostles, and that He has made no distinctions between them.

This silenced the whole assembly.

Although created, loved and saved by the same God, it is still a challenge to accept one another’s differences in culture, history, language and practices. Why?

We can still see distinctions and differentiation within the Church. With globalization and immigration, churches are filled with people from various corners of the world. Our own parish is a good example. During weekend Masses, we have among the congregation, people from various cultures, who speak more than a dozen different languages, all seated together in the same House of God.

But are we really united with one heart, one mind, one spirit? I doubt so. Even after two thousand years, we are still ‘work-in-progress’.

It takes time to put aside our differences to build trust, acceptance and full appreciation of each other as truly brothers and sisters of the same family of God. Our faith must bring us and keep us together. We all receive the same sacraments with the same sanctifying grace. We are the body of Christ. If we are divided, Jesus will remain crucified.

In the Gospel, Jesus says, "As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love." Only through love can we be truly converted from our old ways and enter into new life, a life in Christ. Then can we worship and praise as one people of God. Let us pray for the grace to see Christ in each other, to accept and embrace God’s creative uniqueness in one another. Amen.


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Homily, Wednesday,January 5, 2022, Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

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