The internet age has brought forth the rise of the armchair warrior. During this time of the pandemic, we have seen an increase in this battalion of recliner combatants. Many think they are fighting the good fight, and maybe some are. If one were to cherry-pick a sentence from today’s second reading, they might be able to support it biblically. “Always be ready to give an explanation.” That’s an important point. We should be ready to defend our faith and our beliefs. It leaves out two important things, though.
Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope. In a world where the digital age allows us to respond immediately to events, we often forget that our calling is to show our faith by words and deeds. Answering with Scripture and Theology is excellent and essential. Maybe more important, though, is teaching our faith by how we treat others. The Sacred Scriptures say that they will know we are Christians by our love. The Church reaffirms this in the Catechism when it says:
“The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends. Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love.”
The second part of the quote from the reading, “do it with gentleness and reverence,” is no less critical. If you spend even a little bit of time in an internet comment section, you’ll see way too much anger and bitterness. God has called us to something higher, a more beautiful way of life. There is a saying attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi that says, “Preach at all times the Gospel, when necessary use words.” While he probably didn’t say this, it reminds us that the Gospel of Christ should affect everything. It’s not just something that happens behind closed doors or preaching on a street corner. It happens every time we encounter another person, period.
All of this starts with the phrase: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.” The Church, in her wisdom, has tied this reading to the Gospel for today. Jesus tells us that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. Most of us try. Maybe that’s why they call us “practicing Catholics.” He reminds us that the Holy Spirit lives in the tabernacle of our hearts and will give us the words we need. He will move us to do the actions that reveal God’s presence if we let him.
How do we do that? The first reading shows us a glimpse. Deacon Phillip went down into the land of Samaria. Driven by the Holy Spirit, he went where not only was he probably uncomfortable, the Samaritans being the enemy of the Jews, but into a place where he was in physical danger. Now, most of us aren’t going into the world like that. God calls us to bloom where he plants us. Given that example, though, we can apply it to any situation.
God sent Phillip. We cannot hear Him call us unless we listen. We listen for God’s call through prayer, Sacred Silence, Adoration, and the Sacraments. As Churches begin to reopen, we should receive them that we might hear where God is sending us.
He went. God is calling us to move. We must put shoe leather to the pavement. We are the hands and feet of Christ. Let us get out there and serve those in need. Yes, I know we are under “stay at home” orders. We can help others through the internet, by giving them a call to see how they are, or merely writing a letter to let them know we have not forgotten them.
The most important part, I think, is to let the Holy Spirit work. Once Phillip had finished the task the Lord had given him, the Holy Spirit did the rest. God cured the people. He freed them from their addictions and oppressions. Phillip did what God asked him to do, and God moved in the world. When we do what Jesus has commanded, people will want to know why we love so deeply. That’s when they begin to ask. That’s when we can respond. That’s also when we need to be prepared to answer.
A reflection on the readings for Sunday, May 17th, 2020: The Sixth Sunday of Easter.