Fifth Sunday of Easter Year A 2023

Peter H. Davids

Easter • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

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Many think of church development in terms of structure. In Acts we see a concern about proper structures, but only with the unity of the Church and the fulfillment of God's call in mind. 1 Peter uses the images of temple and priesthood to argue that we need to be built on and in unity with Jesus, his apostles, and one another to fulfill our priestly calling with him as high priest and our peoplehood as the fulfillment of Israel. Jesus points to himself as the goal, the way to the goal, and the life in union with which we become God's collective face to the world through whom he works building his people, his Temple, his Church.

Notes

Transcript

Title

Structure Supports the Goal

Outline

Many people look at Church in terms of structure

They ask about church-growth, weekly attendance, commitment as measured by giving, outreach activities.

They ask about how many congregations belong to a denomination and whether they are increasing or decreasing and how well they cohere or work together.

They ask which groups are gaining adherents at the expense of other groups and whether clergy are also shifting.

But they miss the essence, which is whether that community is becoming one with Jesus, whether Jesus’ presence is experienced in its self-presentation. And if this is lost, then the outward structure, while significant, is crumbling.

The Apostles were concerned with structure that brought unity

They had a problem; they realized that they would be distracted from their calling to bring inner unity with God via prayer and and proclamation/teaching (remember that they are the primary sources of the gospels, our connection to Jesus) if they deal with the structural hole. Perhaps they were also not linguistically or culturally equipped to deal with it. So they empowered men from the aggrieved community “filled with the Spirit and wisdom” (that the aggrieved community recognized) to deal with it, creating a new structure for the Church in the process. We might call them bishops from another culture who will serve both cultures. Yet because of this release of authority not only did the Church remain unified but it grew and at least some of these men ended up in apostolic ministry, establishing the Church outside the Aramaic speaking Jewish culture.

Peter tells us that this expanding united Church is built by attention to the inner structure of the Church.

There is a new Temple, a structure, but it is built on a capstone or cornerstone that is its source, and this is Jesus, prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures and now fulfilled. Weaken the unity with Jesus and the structure collapses. But then the foundation is the Apostles, as Paul says, appointed and authorized by Jesus, upon which we as living-stones are built. Lose the connection to one another and especially through the apostles to Jesus and there is a disaster brewing.

Then the metaphor shifts, for we are speaking of the Church, not just of Cathedrals. It shifts to “a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Now Jesus is high priest and we only offer acceptable sacrifices if it is done through and in unity with him.

This is summed up in a quotation from the Hebrew Scriptures: “‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises’ of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This is the renewed Israel in which everyone is a priest under the direction of the king, everyone is holy and related, structurally, yes, for it is a nation, but relationally for it is a people. And we, Jews and Gentiles as one, fulfill the purpose originally given to Israel, announcing the praises of God - right worship, bringing all creation into harmony with him.

Now read Jesus in John in this light

Trust me, says Jesus, I am creating a place for you, and in Revelation we discover that it is the Holy of Holies of a Temple, the new Jerusalem and in 1 Peter we discover that we are being built into that place right now. His coming back is simply to knock away the scaffolding and reveal via a final transformation what he has been building over the centuries.

How do we get to our right place in the house, our right places as priests, ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Union with Jesus leads, of course, to union with the Father. And then we will see that Jesus and the Father are one, that the works and words of Jesus are the work and words of the Father. And with our double vision cleared, when we see Jesus as the High Priest joining divinity to humanity, making divinity visible to us, then we will realize that the Father through Jesus is drawing us into his grand work of redemption: “whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Sisters, without the vision of union with Christ the structures will be built cracked or skewed.

The charismatic movement often hears the greater works and thinks of power, of working miracles, but does not get that all is in the service our growing in union with Jesus and serving as his hands in building the united Church.

Some put their hope in structural change, which may indeed be useful, and forget that it is in the service of the greater goal of a Church, a Holy Nation, a royal priested united to Jesus and through whom Jesus works his purposes.

We are called to keep the central vision of our ordered priesthood in union with Christ in sight and mind and to ask Jesus how anything we do relates to it. Then we will be supporting the goal in God’s eyes and will have true success, which is union with Christ.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 5-7-2023: Fifth Sunday of Easter

FIRST READING

Acts 6:1–7

1 At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. 3 Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, 4 whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Catholic Daily Readings 5-7-2023: Fifth Sunday of Easter

RESPONSE

Psalm 33:22

22 May your mercy, LORD, be upon us;

as we put our hope in you.

PSALM

Psalm 33:1–2, 4–5, 18–19

1 Rejoice, you righteous, in the LORD;

praise from the upright is fitting.

2 Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;

on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise.

4 For the LORD’s word is upright;

all his works are trustworthy.

5 He loves justice and right.

The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him,

upon those who count on his mercy,

19 To deliver their soul from death,

and to keep them alive through famine.

Catholic Daily Readings 5-7-2023: Fifth Sunday of Easter

SECOND READING

1 Peter 2:4–9

4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, 5 and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says in scripture:

“Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,

a cornerstone, chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.”

7 Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:

“The stone which the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”

8 and

“A stone that will make people stumble,

and a rock that will make them fall.”

They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.

9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Catholic Daily Readings 5-7-2023: Fifth Sunday of Easter

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

John 14:6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

GOSPEL

John 14:1–12

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. 4 Where [I] am going you know the way.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 12 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 5-7-2023: Fifth Sunday of Easter

SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2023 | EASTER

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Acts 6:1–7

Response Psalm 33:22

Psalm Psalm 33:1–2, 4–5, 18–19

Second Reading 1 Peter 2:4–9

Gospel Acclamation John 14:6

Gospel John 14:1–12

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