Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled: Reflections on the Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle C

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29
Psalm 67
Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23
John 14:23-29

Some people wonder why we have various Church councils. Usually it is to deal with some critical doctrine or dogma of the Church or to reconcile some disagreement within the Church, such as the heresy of Arianism at the Council of Nicaea. But despite its importance, Nicaea was not the first council of import. This idea goes back to the very beginnings of the Church as we see in today’s readings.

The very first council of this type was held in Jerusalem. The first lines taken from Acts of the Apostles note the reason for the council. The selection then skips the discussion and ends up telling us the decision that resulted and how it was to be promulgated to the Church in general. The question of the need to circumcise Gentile converts to the Church (Christianity) came up during the travels of Paul and Barnabas. And so they were selected to go to Jerusalem to get a determination from the apostles.

It is worthwhile to read the intervening verses between the problem statement and the decision statement read at Mass. There are many significant points that are made there. First we see the leadership role taken by Peter after much discussion and debate had taken place. Peter explains that the Holy Spirit had come to the Gentiles as they had to the disciples. “... we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.” (Acts 15:11) James then supports Peter by noting how God had chosen a people from the Gentiles citing the prophets who said “‘After this I shall return and rebuild the fallen hut of David; from its ruins I shall rebuild it and raise it up again, so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord, even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked.’”

We also see the foundation elements of the Church that we recite in the Nicene Creed at Mass: one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic. We see the unity of Paul and Barnabas, preaching to the extended Church going back to the apostles with this critical question. In Jerusalem, we also see the unity, apostolicity, and the universality of the Church as “The apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.” Throughout it all the holiness of the Holy Spirit is at work, as mentioned in the decision statement. And this gathering of the Church established the foundation of the teaching arm of the Church, the Magisterium, which continues to guide us to this day.

At this meeting the assembly agreed and they directed Paul and Barnabas, along with some others, to carry that decision, guided by the Holy Spirit, to the extended Church, “‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right.  Farewell.’” In keeping with the tradition of the Magisterium shown here at its beginning, these words hold true for us even today.

The responsorial psalm relates directly to this decision in the words, “you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide.” This and the knowledge of God’s salvation gives all the nations on earth good reason to praise the Lord. In this sense the psalmist notes “may all the ends of the earth fear him!” Not in the sense that God is menacing but in the sense of His mercy, equity, salvation, and, basically, his “awesomeness.”

We continue with another selection from the end of the Book of Revelation. At this point in John’s vision he sees the “New Jerusalem,” gleaming with the splendor and glory of God. It was a walled city with gates and foundations inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve Apostles respectively, again referring to the apostolicity of the Church. The amazing thing that John notes is that there was no temple in the city, despite it being the City of God, the Holy City. Recall in chapter two of John’s gospel when Jesus cleansed the temple. The pharisees challenged Him and He spoke of the destruction of “this temple” and how He would raise it in three days. They challenged Him further but, as John notes, “he was speaking about the temple of his body.” (2:21)

We see this again in the new Holy City where “its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.” We also see the light of the Lord rather than sun or moon providing illumination to the new city, just as John also said about the coming of Jesus, “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Recall last week’s reading from the beginning of today’s chapter in Revelation, “He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God.” In the gospel reading Jesus is telling the Apostles this same thing, along with the condition for God joining with His people: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”

This discourse by Jesus at the Last Supper continues from what we read last week and takes place after Judas left the group. He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” Here Jesus tells them, somewhat cryptically, why they should have peace. He is both going away only to return (in a short while) but also that He is going to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, Who “will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

Jesus’ peace is not the peace that the world gives, it is supernatural peace. Therefore they, and we as well, should “not let [our] hearts be troubled or afraid.” Jesus also recognizes that the apostles still have doubts, which we see in all of the gospels and so He tells them, “And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.”

It is not unusual nor sinful to have doubts, especially if those doubts cause you to dig for the truth (e.g., in Scripture or the Catechism). But recall from previous reflections that we must see with eyes of faith. How many times did Jesus tell someone that their faith had saved them? And, even more significantly, as we read on Divine Mercy Sunday (Second Sunday of Easter), Jesus’ words to St. Thomas: “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Recall also Jesus’ words captured in Luke 8:8, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Having eyes of faith allows us to encounter Jesus. “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est) We cultivate our eyes of faith, training them to see ever more, through our daily conversions. As we see from today’s readings, conversion takes place at many stages both in the Church and in us, even in the presence of Jesus Himself. Through it we can become more like Him so we can have our dwelling place with Him.

“Your life only makes sense in the light of the Lord.” Deacon Adrian Marchi