The Holy Spirit is active in the first reading. Disciples are growing in number. The growing Church is coming up with solutions to problems under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If we put ourselves in the place to listen to the Holy Spirit, we too can be a Church that is growing disciples. Readings for Today.
Growing Disciples
Before my homily, I want to have a little advertisement. You saw what a wonderful job these children did with the readings, with the music. Wouldn’t you like to be a reader? Wouldn’t you like to join the choir? Because you know, if they can do it, so can you. So consider what you might do to help us to celebrate God. The end of the commercial.
We all like to think that we are welcoming. This is because we all want to be good people. We want to think we are nice. So did those in the first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles. But were they really? The earlier followers of Jesus naturally were Jewish. It was the case that they wanted to follow the Jewish law.
They lived in an environment where there were all types of people. There were Jewish people who were zealous in following the law, hoping that when the law was perfectly followed, the Messiah would come.
There were Jewish people who tried to live in peace. They followed the law, but they also tried to be peaceable citizens. Others tried to work with the Romans, often bettering themselves in the process.
Then there were the Greeks. Some were Jewish. Some were not. To the surprise of the early followers of Jesus, they also were receiving the Holy Spirit. As much as the resurrection turned the world of the followers of Jesus upside down, widening the circle of believers did so as well. While some welcomed them, there was tension as well.
Some believed that to be a faithful follower of Jesus meant to be Jewish. Whether they realized it or not, non-Jewish followers of Jesus, who were receiving the Holy Spirit, meant that believers had to welcome strangers, which was not easy.
A gift of the Holy Spirit is courage. Courage is doing the right thing in the face of harm. The Hellenists, the Greeks, felt that their widows, who were vulnerable, were not being treated fairly. They complained. The Holy Spirit was active again. A new solution. A new ministry. Deacons to care for the basic needs of all followers of Jesus.
The realization that when it comes to following Jesus, the gospel is available to all people. So, I ask again. Are you welcoming? Do you welcome only people who may share the same values? Are you equally able to welcome those who share political views quite contrary to your own? When it comes to helping those in need, are there certain people you do not want to help? Or even choose not to help?
It is easy to welcome those people who are like us. But what of those we do not like? We live in a time where it is easy to dismiss people because they think differently than we do. They support a politician we do not like. It can be easy to dismiss those who want to worship in a style different than we might choose to worship.
But can we be open to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to welcome those persons that make us uncomfortable? Or do we dismiss them? What solution is the Holy Spirit calling you to embrace? How is it that the Holy Spirit is proposing a solution to us? The question we face today, not too much unlike the situation that is present in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles in today’s First Reading. But just like the First Reading, the Holy Spirit called people to new ministries.
What is it the Holy Spirit wants you to do here at St. Dominic’s? How is it the Holy Spirit is moving you to do something? Sometimes it is the case we need to place ourselves into a place where we are better able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. This weekend, not only can you go downstairs for donuts and Mexican treats and fair trade products and fellowship, you can also learn about some new ways to grow in your faith at St. Dominic’s.
First, we are starting Bible study groups. Despite the name, this is not just head knowledge, but is also designed to help you to experience the Word of God and to see how the Word can enter deeply into your hearts and souls. This program will begin on this Thursday at 7 p.m. in the parish office right next door.
Second, we are beginning faith sharing groups. It can be helpful to have a group of trustworthy people who can help us to sort out the many events in our lives. Jesus calls us to community, and a small group can be the community, the way you can grow in your faith.
Third, we are creating small groups for those in our community who were recently married. Just remember the word “recent” is open to many interpretations. This group helps to support, pray, and develop an ongoing celebration of the sacrament that couples receive in their marriage. It helps you to see the ways in which God is active in your lives. There will be information about these new initiatives downstairs and people who can answer any questions you may have.
This is in addition to the St. Albert the Great Studium, the OCIA for those who receive sacraments at the Easter Vigil, the inquiry group for people who might prepare for baptism at next year’s Easter Vigil. All of this becomes more successful when you reach out and invite someone to come with you.
We are a welcoming community, and I do not think it is rare that those who come here for the first time experience that. Imagine the power of the Holy Spirit here at St. Dominic’s if every single person here at Mass this morning brought another individual to church. Or brought another individual, maybe even themselves, to one of the new groups being formed.
The world absolutely needs the love, grace, and power of the Holy Spirit. It is not that the Holy Spirit is ever NOT active, but it is the case that the Lord Jesus relies on us to invite others into the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you are not inviting people because you are afraid, ask God for the virtue of courage. If you are not thinking of learning more about these groups or can’t imagine you would like it, ask the Lord what he does so well. Ask the Lord for the grace to accept the invitation to try something new. Just as the apostles heard Jesus tell them to follow me, so too he calls us to follow him.
Just imagine if St. Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles, could write this about us. The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples at St. Dominic’s increased greatly.
On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.
On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.