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 6th Sunday of Easter, Year A – Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: How to Defend the Christian Faith in a Hostile Environment

Readings: Acts 8:5–8, 14–17; 1 Pet 3:15–18; Jn 14:15–21

The Gospel reading today continues the final discourse of Jesus with His disciples. In this discourse, Jesus gives His disciples His last will and testament. It is the duty of a good father, when he senses that his final days are near, to gather his children and share with them his last wishes. The final words of a father are never taken lightly by his children.

In the same way, one of the last things Christ told His disciples—and tells us today—is to keep His commandments as a sign of our love for Him. He said: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” And again: “He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me.”

Indeed, there is no better way to show our love for Christ than by keeping His commandments. But the great challenge is this: how do we show this love in a world that is hostile to the values of Christ? We live in a world that behaves as if God does not exist, a world that sees those who follow Christ’s teachings as people swimming against the current.

For example: Christ taught His disciples to love and to cherish peace. How can they live this peace in a world that constantly sows hatred? Christ asked Christians to be holy and pure. How can they live this in an environment where immorality is proposed, imposed, celebrated, and even protected as a “right”? Christ asked His followers to be truthful and to reject bribery. What should Christians do when they work in offices where corruption is normal and lies are called “diplomacy”? Christ commanded His disciples to make disciples for Him. How can they do this in a world that mocks preachers and considers them outdated?

It is in the light of these difficulties that St Peter gives the powerful admonitions we heard in the second reading. At that time, Peter was in prison in Rome. From his cell, he wrote to Christians throughout the Roman Empire who were facing suffering, hardship, and persecution, teaching them how to carry out Christ’s mandate in a hostile world.

What St Peter told the early Christians is extremely important for today’s Christians, who find themselves in a world marked by secularism and religious indifference. He said, “Always be prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you.”

Dear friends, there are many ways to give an account of the faith we have received from Christ. I want to highlight three.

1. Defend the Faith by Knowing It

No one can defend what he does not know. Many ideologies in society challenge the faith of the Church, yet many Christians are too lazy to read the Word of God or learn their catechism.

St Peter challenges us to equip ourselves with knowledge of what we believe so that we can defend our faith when confronted by those who ridicule it. Let me ask some pertinent questions: When non-believers ask why you pray the Rosary, what do you say? When they ask why you go to confession, what do you say? When they ask why you pray to the Virgin Mary, the saints, or for the dead, what do you say?

Many people have left the Church simply because they were questioned about practices they never understood and never cared to understand.

So, dear friends, learn your faith. Read the Bible. Study the catechism. Know what the Church teaches and why.

2. Defend the Faith by Standing Against Evil

Many Christians are afraid to witness to Christ because they do not want to be hated by the world. Some prefer to remain silent; others compromise. But evil grows when good people keep quiet.

Dear friends, if you find yourself in a place where justice is denied, truth is rejected, and immorality is celebrated, what do you do? Do you keep quiet? Do you compromise?

Christians must never remain silent or compromise in environments that deny the teachings of Christ. Such situations are precisely the moments when we are called to give an account of our faith.

Do not let fear—fear of insults, suffering, rejection, loss of friends, or loss of privileges—lead you to deny your faith or remain silent in the face of evil.

Christ promised that “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” (Mt 10:32–33) We should always remember that the worst suffering is separation from God.

3. Defend the Faith by Living It

In the second reading, St Peter gives a second step. He said, “Do it with gentleness and reverence; keep your conscience clear, so that those who speak against your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame.”

Here, St Peter calls Christians not to allow their lifestyle to contradict their faith. Our lives must be shining examples of what we preach.

Christians witness to Christ not only with words but with their lives. Hence, every Christian should reflect gentleness, humility, peace, love, justice, charity, patience, forbearance, and all Christian virtues. In fact, the life of a Christian should be a Bible for those who never read the Bible.

If the way you live before your husband, wife, children, colleagues, and friends contradicts your Christian faith, then you cannot convince or convert anyone. Therefore, living a life that reflects the teachings and virtues of Christ is the best defence of the Christian faith.

Happy Sunday, and remain blessed.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima