Homily: April 14, 2024, Third Sunday of Easter (OLG- Mediator)

But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

I grew up in a big household, with 7 children, our parents, and our grandparents, totaling 11 of us altogether. Among my siblings, fights were very common, but most of the time, we would reconcile ourselves quickly and life got back to normal fast.

There were occasions when our fights were intense, and the separation lasted much longer. Our grandpa had a special ability to sense that we needed external help to set things right again. He would simply call all of us together, made us take turns to apologize to one another with a hug and miraculously, we were back to normal again after that. Many times, I waited eagerly for grandpa’s intervention when we could not resolve it ourselves because I wanted to play again with my siblings, but I didn’t have the confidence to initiate reconciliation.

A few years ago, there was a big rift among my siblings due to some misunderstanding, which separated them into two opposing camps. I was caught in the middle when both sides came to me to complain about the other and were justifying their case. It was beyond my competence nor wisdom to resolve it for them. I wished grandpa was there to settle it for us all. It took many months for them to finally reconcile; I did nothing other than prayer.

Human relations are very fragile. Our words can hurt and offend easily, especially with people who are more sensitive. Sometimes reconciliation can be quite impossible.

Spiritual life is no different. We, weak and sinful men, too often will hurt and offend our loving, good, compassionate, and generous God, not because He is an ultra-sensitive God, because we are such petty and repetitive sinners. We keep hitting the wrong side of God all the time.

The huge rift is caused not by God’s anger but by our own pride, refusing to acknowledge our wrongs or advance in reconciliation. And even if we do, the rift passed down through the generations is too huge for us to close the gap on our own. We need a mediator, as the second reading says, an advocate to reconcile us with God. Jesus is our mediator; He comes to reconcile us to one another and to the Father.

The apostles experienced this advocacy of Jesus; we see in the gospel that they locked themselves in the upper room for fear of the Jews, anxious about what could happen to them, their families and their future, and above all, feeling guilty for not protecting their beloved master from the hands of His enemies and for leaving Him alone at the crucial time of His death. They hid themselves from life and distanced themselves from God.

But Jesus came and stood in their midst and declared, “Peace be with you.” To declare peace is to end war. They were no longer separate but united again. He invited them back into friendship with Him.

Does this happen to us too?

Yes, every time at the confessional, Jesus would absolve you of your sins and say, “Go in peace.” He not only forgives you but also erases your sins and offenses. He ends the spiritual separation and reconciles you to Himself, to God.

Having been forgiven and reconciled, the Apostles went out to offer the same mercy to others, first the Israelites. We heard in today’s first reading, St. Peter consoles them, saying, “That you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced before hand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

This third Sunday of Easter, we are reminded that the same Jesus who broke bread with his disciples after his resurrection, is also here to break bread with us, feeding us His body and blood so that everyone who receives Him, from the past, present and future, will be united as one, with God. This is Holy Communion.

At this Mass, we have the missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to Juan Diego in 1531. He belonged to the Aztec tribe. The Aztec people consisted of 371 towns and used to perform 50,000 human sacrifices annually to please their gods. When Juan Diego was fourteen, the Aztec king sacrificed 80,000 humans in four days for the dedication of a new altar.

Evangelization efforts by the missionaries were in vain among these people, so Mother Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an apparition which will effectively evangelize the Aztecs. Just a few years thereafter, on the same altar where the Aztec king offered human sacrifices, missionaries celebrated the Eucharist, the one and only worthy sacrifice that truly saves.

Mother Mary brings Christ’s light and life to overcome the culture of darkness and death in the world. This missionary image of Our Lady is brought in to our country, so that with our Lady’s intercessions leading our prayers, we can stop abortions, and put an end to the deadly culture in this country. This image will remain here for veneration after Mass and during the healing service.

Jesus Christ is the righteous one, He will expiate our sins, and those of the whole world. Come to Him.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us! Amen.