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Some great things: A homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter (C)

As we get closer to Pentecost, the readings include more and more coverage of the Holy Spirit.  In the olden days, they used to talk about the Christian life as the “great goose chase.” It’s hard to follow a goose, hence the term of phrase “wild goose chase.” The Acts of the Apostles tells stories of folks who are on a bit of a goose chase…they are going everywhere with the Gospel. They’re following the Holy Spirit all over the place. In yesterday’s reading, we heard how Paul and Timothy wanted to go to Asia and then they tried Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit prevented them from going to either place and sent them to Troas instead.  What prompted Paul and Barnabas and Timothy and all the others to follow the Holy Spirit on the wild goose chase?

  1. The great vision of heaven:  We hear about that in our second reading…wow!  But most of us today aren’t living for heaven. Or we just assume it’s where everyone goes. But folks! When we live with heaven in mind,, we live better!!
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  2. The great commission/commandment:  Jesus told everyone to go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS….and he gives that command to all of us!  Not just priests.  EVERYONE.  It’s YOUR job (and mine) to fill this church, and to fill heaven.  Talk about your faith!!!!  TESTIFY!  Win others for Jesus.  This is done by word of mouth in our first reading today….probably must be the same today. An invitation to someone to come to church means a lot more when you say, “I’ll pick you up at 8:15, and maybe we can get coffee afterwards.”
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  3. The great comma:  In the Apostle’s Creed, we hear about how Jesus was “born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilot…”  That comma says an awful lot, and it’s called the “great comma.”  It encompasses everything Jesus did and taught.  All the miracles, the teachings, the healings.  That comma is the message of JEsus, and THAT message is worth every drop of blood and sweat and heart that we spend for the Kingdom.

Friends! The Lord puts us on a wild good chase.  Here’s the thing!  That wild goose chase leads us to heaven (point 1 above), he commands us to it (point 2), and the message of Jesus itself is so worth it we shoudln’t even need a commandment!!

Your homework:  talk to people about Jesus, specifically about your Catholic faith…do so with great love in your heart for JEsus and for them….give yourself this challenge: I will make a Catholic this year. YOU be the reason someone joins RCIA!!!  We can put each other on the wild goose chase that is the Catholic life.