Homily for Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/041708.shtml



St. Peter, Vicar of Christ, pray for us!
+JMJ

St. Paul does his best to preach to the Jews in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia. He speaks in terms with which they are familiar, quoting the law and the prophets. Pope Benedict as he addresses the United States this week will try to make his knowledge of the scriptures and of theology accessible to us. He will do this in speeches of course, but most importantly, through his homilies that He will given in the context of the Eucharist. This is where we as Catholics seek conversion. I look forward to hearing the homily the Pope will give today at National Stadium in Washington DC. Pope Benedict is a great theologian, but He will speak plainly to us for the benefit of our conversion to Christ. He comes not to be served, but to serve, in imitation of Christ who washed his disciples' feet before reminding them that they will carry the same cross that He will carry, since no messenger is greater than the one who sends him.





What is great about the Pope's visit is that we see clearly in him Christ's promise to leave as gift more than His words. Christ's words are indeed recorded for us in Holy Scripture, and there are many who appeal to Scripture as the only revelatory authority, and many others who are happy to receive the spiritual message delivered by Jesus but who want no part of the Church that He founded. The Pope leads his flock in accepting from Jesus not simply the responsibility to pass on His words, but also the great gift of sharing in His mission of reconciling the world to the Father. Jesus does not say in today's Gospel - whoever receives the word that I spoke receives me. No, He says that whoever received the one I send receives me. Through our confirmation each one of us shares in the responsibility of making Christ more present by offering our bodies as a sacrifice acceptable to the Lord, and by making up in our suffering what is lacking in the suffering of Christ. Through apostolic succesion that can be traced to St. Peter, Pope Benedict appears to us this week as one who has been sent (an apostle) to represent Christ to the people of the United States. Pray that our country will be humble enough to receive Him as we would receive Christ, and in so doing to welcome the blessing of our Father in heaven!

+m