jesus is our peace .... 29th week tuesday 2014

Paul in our first reading today writes to the Christians in Ephesus.  Paul reminds them of their former lives – they were pagans, they were gentiles, they were excluded from the people of God, they were despised by the Jews.  Their status as gentiles is symbolized by the wall in the temple.  In the temple in Jerusalem during the time of the apostles there was that wall which separates the gentiles from both the sanctuary and from the Jews.  They could not see much less approach  see the sanctuary where God dwells because a wall blocks their way.  They could not interact with the Jews or even come near them because again a wall separates them from the Jews.  Why that wall?  Because in the past only the Jews were considered sons.  It was only to them that God made a covenant. It was only to them that God gave the Law and it was only to Jews that God made his promises.  There was no such grace for the gentiles, only for the Jews.

But when Christ came, Paul says, he became our peace.  Paul calls Christ our Peace.  Why?  Because Christ broke down the wall that separates the gentiles from the sanctuary.  Now the gentiles can approach God.  They have been reconciled with God.  They too have become the sons and daughters of God in equal status with the Jews.  And as such the barriers that divided Jews from gentiles are also broken down in Christ because now all are brothers and sisters – there is no more Jew or Gentile, no more slave or free, we are strangers no longer but fellow citizens.  Paul was saying to the Ephesians look at these again and appreciate who you are.  You were a nobody before, a nobody in the eyes of God, a nobody in the sight of the chosen people of God.  But now because of Christ you have become members of the household of God.  All barriers have been broken because now Christ is our peace.

Probably this is also a good exercise for us.  When was the last time nga gin-appreciate mo ang imo kaugalingon how good you are, who you are, what you are, how you have become, not because of what you did, no, but because of what Christ did for you?  Have you looked into yourself and have you examined and therefore appreciated what Christ did for you?  There are so many things we take for granted and I think this is one area we should learn to appreciate again.  In the Vatican a few days ago they were debating whether to permit catholics who made a mistake in their family life, who made a mistake by marrying the wrong person, people who divorced, people who remarried, can they be allowed holy communion?  We take for granted the fact that there are people who want to receive communion but could not, and we are graced to do so, we are graced by a faithful husband and a loving and caring wife whom we would never think of separating from, and for that we could receive holy communion, while others are deprived of it.  Have you ever appreciated that reality?  There are people even in our island who want to hear mass as conveniently as we do but could not do so or could only do so after walking 3 hours, 5 hours for it.  These are things we take for granted many times.  And so let us look at these and appreciate what we have because of Christ.

Today we are on the third day of our triduum to celebrate the feast of St. John Paul II Pope tomorrow, October 22.  What is the legacy of this Pope?  We can point out many things.  We can point out his pilgrimages to so many countries thereby fulfilling in a scale unknown before the role of Peter to affirm his brothers, to strengthen Catholics in their faith by speaking and being present to them.  We can point out the tremendous inspiration he gave to people living behind the iron curtain facilitating the demise of communism in Europe and therefore stopping the ever persistent threat then of nuclear war and annihilation.  We can point out his charisma to the young and how he moved them to value and live their faith.  We can also point out his zeal for dialogue among religions, in his effort to reach out to Jews and Muslims.  But there is something very important in his papacy that needs to be appreciated and appraised and this is his thoughts especially on the apostolate of the laity.  This is what he taught us when he came here to Jaro in 1981, speaking to us on that balcony in the cathedral.  He spoke about the dignity of the lay person, what it means to belong to Christ, what it means to be in Christ, the very same thing which Paul speaks to us today in our first reading.  He said that your activity as lay people in the world, in your business, in your offices, in your places of work, even in your neighbourhood and parishes, and most especially in your homes with your families, you are slowly building up the kingdom of God.  Priests preach but it is you the lay who actually build up the kingdom of God in the world - when you do justice, when you serve one another, when you are generous, when you forgive, when you care for one another.  Especially in the homes when your children experience for themselves through you the love of Christ, the love of God for them. Let us not just admire the man.  But like Archbishop Casas then when he welcomed the Pope in that balcony he said, Holy Father speak and we will listen, lead and we will follow.  It is my prayer and hope that our admiration for this saint would lead us to listen to him and to follow where he led us.