7th Sunday of Easter, Year B: Homily
by Fr Isaac Chima
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Readings: Acts 1:15-17,20a,20c-26; 1Jn 4:11-16;
Jn. 17:11b-19
Dear friends
in Christ, one of the things companies do for their new intakes is orientation.
Some go as far as sending their new intakes to undergo some further formation programs or
special training to be able to fit into the company’s system and to be worthy
ambassadors of the company in the society. The same thing also happens when a
person is appointed as an ambassador of a country. The ambassador will be
groomed in international relations and will have a good knowledge of his
country’s interest in the country where he is being sent to serve. This way,
the ambassador will be able to represent his country.
Jesus was
aware of His brief stay on earth and, therefore, gathered some men around Him
to represent Him and to carry on His mission on earth. He took time to groom
them in the mysteries of heaven and in the things they should do to properly represent
Him on earth and make disciples for Him as well.
Since the
last three Sundays, we have been reading the proceedings from Christ’s last
seminar/workshop or further training for his disciples. Two Sundays ago, Jesus
told them that to survive in the mission he handed over to them, they must draw
their life and their strength from Him, just as the branches of the vine draw
their life from the vine tree. Last Sunday, he taught them that the only
identity they should have in the world as they carry on his mission is love. This
Sunday, he is teaching them that unity is necessary if they are to convince the
world that they love themselves and belong to Him; their acts of love must bind
them together as one community.
Knowing how
important unity is, how difficult it is to achieve it and how its absence will
rip his disciples apart, Jesus committed the disciples into prayer, asking His
Father to keep them united just as He is united with Him.
Dear friends,
without unity, it will be impossible for us, the members of the Church, to
convince the world that we love ourselves, and without being united we cannot
claim that we represent Christ, who lives in unity and love with the Father and
the Holy Spirit. To convince and conquer the world, the Church needs acts of
love manifested with a strong sense of unity.
Aware of
the importance of unity and what its absence might cause the community of
believers, the disciples always sounded an alarm anytime there was a trace of division
in their communities. We saw this in Acts 15, 1Cor 1:10-17; 1Cor 12 and 13. In the
first reading of today, St John dealt with cases of disunity in the Church by emphasizing
the necessity of love among Christians, for love and unity work hand in hand.
The first
reading showed us how the unity which reigned in the early Christian community
helped the apostles to conduct a poll between Joseph and Matthias, and elected
Matthias to replace Judas. We know that one of the factors that tear
communities apart is election, but the early Christian community were able to
conquer this threat, courtesy of unity.
Dear friends,
the prayer of Christ for unity among his followers should wake us to the
reality of the necessity of unity in our various churches and Christian communities.
This realization of the necessity of unity in the mission of evangelizing the
world will help us to desist from unhealthy competitions and aspirations in the
Church; it will help us to see our different talents as gifts given to us by God
to complement each other and to serve the body of Christ, rather than
opportunities to look down on others or to fight; it will help the various
groups in the Church to see themselves as branches of the same tree instead of individual
trees that are fighting for survival; it will also help all Christians of all
denominations to understand that no one can convincingly preach Christ if he is
in a battle with his fellow Christians.
Peace be with you.
Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima
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