[Acts 20:28–38; Jn 17:11-19]
INTRO:
First Reading: Paul's final call to church leaders: Shepherd the church of God.
Gospel: Before leaving them, he prays to the Father, "Sanctify them in the truth."
HOMILY: "Living in Truth in the world"
Just to remind ourselves – we are still with Paul on his Third Missionary Journey. And today we have the second part of his farewell speech to the elders of the church at Ephesus. Paul reminds the elders of their responsibility as 'elders'. Paul cautions them of the "wolves attacking the flock". He gives his own example of taking care of the needy in the community.
In the Gospel, Jesus continues his prayer for his disciples. Jesus makes it very clear that he is not asking that they be removed from the world's environment, only that they be protected from its evil influences. It is only by being in the world that they will be able to communicate the Gospel message, as he said elsewhere, to be "the salt of the earth" and the "yeast in the dough".
Jesus prays that they be consecrated in truth, the truth of God himself. This truth does not consist of a set of dogmas. But it is living our lives in integrity as true human beings in this world; as men and women in the image and likeness of God. That is to say, we are called to live in perfect harmony with the will of God.
Let us then pray today,
- that we may realize that, if we want to give witness to the Gospel, we must be fully inserted into the world by which we are surrounded. To be 'holy' is not to escape and distance ourselves physically from that world, which is what many are tempted to do or even think is the right thing to do.
- that we may be people of complete integrity, that we may be filled with truth and sincerity so that what people see in us is what we truly are and wish to be: disciples of Jesus.
References:
http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2012/05/23rd-may-wednesday-of-the-7th-week-of-easter/
http://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/E1074G/
Vally Mendonca, S.J.
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