Pope Francis has announced that the Church will celebrate a Jubilee Year in 2025, with the theme of “Pilgrims of Hope”.
You know my last name is Peregrino which literally means pilgrim meaning a person who travels to a holy place. So, we are actually all Peregrino’s journeying on our travel towards heaven, our true home.
Every now and then - this question is asked; "Will the Catholic Church continue to survive?"
We might as well ask ourselves that same question and, of course, the answer is and always will be; YES! The Church will survive without any doubt.
If we examine the first reading and the Gospel today, the same question could have been asked. We find the apostles and others behind locked doors in the upper room out of fear. They were afraid that if they ventured out they might be arrested and suffer the same fate of Jesus.
Would this small group of frightened followers of Jesus survive? From a worldly point of view, the answer would be a resounding NO. Yet we know what happened. The Holy Spirit came upon those men and women who made up the Church and with His sevenfold gifts they were able to go out and spread the Gospel to the four corners of the world, so to speak.
Will the Church continue to survive? Of course, it will! It will survive and prosper because it is the Church of Jesus. It will survive because He promised to be with us always. The Catholic Church will survive because the Holy Spirit continues to dwell with us and to guide us today just as surely as on that day in the upper room when He came upon Mary and the apostles in the form of tongues of fire.
You will notice that in every single Catholic Church you will find a confessional, a place for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
For those of you who have not gone to confession in a while, do you still remember what it is? When was the last time you went to Confession. There is a confessional; there is a Sacrament of Reconciliation because we are a Church of sinners, who seek the mercy and forgiveness of God. I do not know about you, but for me personally, that is such a great consolation for me because I am a sinner and I seek the mercy and forgiveness of a loving and merciful God.
To know that Jesus gave the Keys of the Kingdom to His Church to forgive our sins – again, personally, is such a great comfort for me. Jesus calls us in our sinfulness to reform our lives and live by the Gospel message and He has given us - the Church with all the Sacraments - to guide us and assist us in our journey of life towards heaven, our true home.
The Catholic Church will survive… as the Body of Christ.
Now – on a personal level - The question is – Are we – personally – as individuals – will we be able to persevere in faith and survive – even in the midst of the trials and temptations in this life?
In our Gospel reading today, we see the apostles at a time when they were very much like you and me. They were behind locked doors because they feared the Jews. In a very real sense, they were in prison so to speak. The doors were locked but they were locked from the inside – meaning – they were behind locked doors simply because they did not have the courage and strength to go out and face up to life.
Aren’t we like that sometimes – imprisoned by fear, intimidated by life? Often times – it is not so much fear of harm from our enemy - but – often times it is just a haunting uneasiness, restlessness – a recurring anxiety that something bad is waiting to happen. A man fears for his job. A mother fears for the future of her children. A young person fears the rejection of his peers. A woman fears for her health. A father with heavy responsibilities fears for his financial stability.
Thus, we find ourselves virtual prisoners, held hostage by our own fears. And it is not all imagination because the truth is – life can really be a dangerous and difficult journey…. We live in such a very secular and even atheistic society and we often hear or see violence and sufferings.
The apostles ran from life and barricaded themselves behind closed doors… not so much because of the danger that surrounded them but the storm that was raging within them – because they felt themselves to be utterly incapable of coping with the circumstances of life… Aren’t we like that more often than not?
Here’s the Good News: After His Resurrection - Even though the doors were locked because the apostles were gathered in fear - - Jesus walked in –– and addressed the apostles’ deepest and most desperate need…
First of all – Jesus greeted the apostles with: “Peace be with you.” Jesus did not blame them for abandoning him but instead - He said “Peace be with you” .... because the apostles needed to hear those words of forgiveness for themselves for their own failures as disciples…. So that – in turn – having experienced the mercy and forgiveness of God - they can announce the Good News of God’s mercy – the Good News of the forgiveness of sins – so that forgiveness will flow through them - to others – to the world.
Jesus turned their attention from themselves to others… Now, they can love even their enemies… calling them to share in His work of redemption …. and we – my brothers and sisters in Christ – the People of God – the Church - we are all called to share in the mission of Christ by virtue of our baptism IN Christ. We already have everything we need by the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill our mission.
What the apostles needed above and before anything else was peace, someone or something to calm the troubled waters within, a sea of tranquility at the center of life that no external storm could disturb.
And who among us does not recognize that same need in his or her own life? – The need for that inner peace regardless of what we are going through.
Again – life these days is no picnic – there are dangers that are very real, disappointments that are inevitable, responsibilities that are unrelenting, and admittedly – sad to say, some dreams that will never come true.
And so how wonderful it would be if each of us possessed an inner peace to which we could turn – in good times and bad, and know that it would always be there. We all need – some serenity of soul to come to at night and go out from in the morning.
But how do we get it? Where is it found? The Good News, the Gospel tells us that Jesus breathed upon them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit… - simply speaking – meaning – “Receive the life-giving loving presence of God.”
We already received that same Holy Spirit at our baptism and confirmation. God already dwells within us, so we can share in the very life of God and so it is now a matter of constant awareness of God’s presence in our lives and to continually walk with God, conversing with God everyday - not from the head but from the heart… from within.
All of us face all kinds of uncertainty which can cause anxiety and restlessness, and even distress… The Good news is - only in the presence of God – we can face uncertainty with perfect Peace… and even joy.
Jesus said: In this world, you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Peace is a personal awareness and conviction of one’s ability to cope with whatever life may bring. Peace is awareness of deep wells and reserves from beyond ourselves – so that our power is not so much in us but through us… allowing the Spirit of God to live in us and work through us in faith and trust in God.
St. Paul gave us his personal testimony to this effect in his letter to the Philippians: “I have learned to be content whatever circumstances may be…. I have strength for anything through Christ who strengthens me.”
We always have the nourishment of the Lord’s Word in Scriptures and in the Eucharist… to strengthen us.
Together with Mama Mary and the apostles – May we all continue to take comfort in the words of Jesus, "Peace be with you! Receive the Holy Spirit. Be not afraid, I am with you always until the end of the age.
Amen.
God bless…
