Pentecost Sunday: Mass of the Day – June 8, 2025

 Pentecost Sunday: Mass of the Day – June 8, 2025

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7; 12-13; John 20:19-23

 

Theme: New Life in a New Creation and Oneness in the Spirit with God and One Another

 

 A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 20:19-23

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel passage, taken from the section about Jesus’ Resurrection (chap. 20), presents Jesus’ appearance to his disciples as a testament to his Resurrection and signifies the end of Jesus’ earthly life and the beginning of the Church age. The stories of the Empty Tomb (20:1-10) and Jesus’ appearance to Mary of Magdala (20:11-18) precede our passage, while the accounts of Jesus’ second appearance to his disciples (20:24-29) and the first conclusion of the Book (20:30-31) follow it.

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel text is a narrative account divided into two parts. The first part (vv. 19-20) describes Jesus’s appearance to his disciples, while the second part (vv. 21-23) details Jesus sending his disciples on a mission.  

 

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 19-20. Jesus appears to ten disciples, minus Thomas, who is absent, and Judas, who had already died. “On the evening of that first day of the week” refers to the evening of the Sabbath (Sunday for Christians), the day of Jesus’ Resurrection. The ten disciples were in a locked room, presumably in Jerusalem, out of fear of the Jews. They believe that at this moment, those who crucified their Master, Jesus, are also planning to crucify them. Amid this confusion and anxiety, Jesus appears and stands in their midst. Jesus’s resurrected body enters the locked room without opening the doors. Jesus’s first word is “Peace be with you,” as he realizes how frightened they are. This peace is different from the ordinary peace the Jews use to greet each other. It echoes Jn 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” (NABRE). Jesus fills the hearts and minds of his disciples with the peace of the resurrection, which revitalizes their hope, courage, confidence, and faith in him. Then, Jesus shows them his hands and sides as evidence that he is alive. Luke speaks of “hands and feet” based on Ps 22:17 (see Lk 24:39-40). The fearful disciples now rejoice because the living Lord is among them.

Vv. 21-23. Jesus commissions his disciples by extending to them the same mission he received from God the Father. In their mission, they will be assisted by the Holy Spirit, which Jesus grants to them by breathing on them. Jesus’ breath recalls the story of creation in the book of Genesis when God created Adam. The sacred author of this Book reports that Adam was not a living being until God blew into his nostrils the breath of life (see Gn 2:7). Then, through sin, Adam lost this “spiritual life.” Therefore, using his breath to give the Holy Spirit to his disciples suggests that Jesus has re-created them. He empowers them with the authority to forgive or return people’s sins so that those whose sins are forgiven regain the “breath of life” they lost through their sins.   

 

4. Synthesis

Jesus appears to his disciples on the evening of the day he was resurrected, entering the Upper Room without opening the locked doors. Knowing their fears well, he starts by wishing them peace before showing them the marks on his hands and side as proof that he is alive. They rejoice at the sight of him. Then, he commissions them with the same mission that God gave to him. The Holy Spirit, which they receive through Jesus’ breath, will assist them on their mission. Jesus’ breathing on the disciples evokes God’s breathing on Adam in the creation story. Thus, Jesus’ breath re-creates the disciples and empowers them to forgive or retain people’s sins so that those who are forgiven may regain the “spiritual life” they lost through sin and be re-created.

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

1. Liturgical Context

Today, we commemorate the Solemnity of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season. In last Sunday’s liturgy, the Ascension of the Lord, we learned that Jesus’ Ascension did not signify a farewell, the conclusion of everything, or the moment we needed to claim our reward as the disciples mistakenly believed. Instead, the Ascension of our Lord signifies a time to work. Our mission is to help our fellow humans become his disciples. Before he was lifted up to heaven, Jesus enjoined us not to depart from our “Jerusalem” but to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would strengthen us to carry out his mission (Acts 1:4; Lk 24:49). That is why today, we are gathered here in this Church, our local “Jerusalem,” to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The message that the Scripture readings of this Pentecost Sunday teach us is that in Pentecost, we begin breathing the breath of the Resurrection as we start a new life in a new creation. Sin causes us to lose this new life in a new creation. To restore it, we are encouraged to use the sacrament of Confession, which our Risen Lord has instituted in today’s Gospel. New life in a new creation means we are called to avoid division among us and live in oneness with God and our brothers and sisters (First and Second Readings).

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today 

 The first part of our Gospel (vv. 19-20) teaches us three lessons. (1) Jesus’ disciples locked themselves in the Upper Room out of extreme fear, believing that the Jews who crucified their Master, Jesus, were also seeking to execute them. Today, many of us grapple with various fears and anxieties concerning unemployment, health issues, natural disasters, paying bills, raising our children, and many other concerns. These fears and anxieties compel us to “lock ourselves in our minds,” which means not allowing ourselves to open to God’s grace. Amid this confusion, Jesus appears and stands before his disciples and us. Jesus’s resurrected body enters the locked Upper Room and our “locked minds and hearts” without opening the “doors.”

(2) Jesus’ first words to his frightened disciples and to each of us are, “Peace be with you.” Jesus knows how we experience fears and anxieties. That is why he first fills our hearts and minds with peace. This is the peace of the resurrection, which restores our hope, courage, confidence, and faith in him that we lost because of fears and anxieties.

(3) Then, Jesus shows his hands and sides to his disciples and to us as evidence that he is alive. At Mass, we listen to, see, and touch Jesus in the Scriptures and the Eucharist. Our Lord is truly risen; he is alive. There is no reason to be sad or afraid. Let us rejoice as the disciples did when they saw the Lord.

We also learn three lessons from the second part of our Gospel (vv. 21-23). (1) Jesus commissions his disciples and each of us today. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” This phrase means that Jesus extended the same mission he received from his Father God to his disciples and each of us. God sent Jesus to establish the kingdom of God on earth. Jesus accomplished his mission. He sent his disciples, and today, he sends us to implement this kingdom of God wherever we live. The disciples did their part. Now, it is our time. The Church calls each of us (clerics and lay members) to implement God’s kingdom by proclaiming the Word of God and living out our Christian faith in our families, Churches, neighborhoods, and societies.

(2) Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to his disciples and us by breathing on us. “Breathing” recalls the story of creation in the book of Genesis. When God created Adam, he, Adam, was not a living being until God blew into his nostrils the breath of life (see Gn 2:7). Therefore, by using his breath to give the Holy Spirit to his disciples and us, Jesus recreates us. Although the disciples followed Jesus for three years and were well-trained to carry out the mission of the Church, they needed the Holy Spirit to become a new creation and start a new age of the Church. Likewise, although we have experienced the presence of the Resurrected Lord during this Easter season, we also need the Holy Spirit to begin a new life in a new creation. With Adam, we lost the Spirit God blew into us at the first creation, and now, with Jesus’ breathing on us today, we are re-created, and the Spirit of God in us is restored. From now on, we are breathing the breath of Resurrection. Please let us feel it; the Spirit of the Risen Jesus is in us! This is what Pentecost is about. It is the celebration of the New Life in a New Creation that we start with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let us leave our “locked Upper Room” and go out without fear to begin consolidating the kingdom of God by implementing the Word of God and living out our Christian faith openly everywhere we go.

(3) Jesus institutes the Sacrament of Penance (also called Confession or the sacrament of Reconciliation) and empowers his disciples and their successors, the ordained ministers, to forgive and retain people’s sins. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. Here, Jesus confers the faculty to forgive and retain people’s sins to his Church through the ordained ministers. We know that sin damages our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters and makes us lose the breath of resurrection with which Jesus has re-created us. To breathe the breath of resurrection again and restore our oneness with God and our fellow humans, our Holy Mother Church encourages us to use this wonderful Sacrament of Penance frequently. We seek three things in the sacrament of confession: forgiveness of our sins, reconciliation with God and our fellow humans whom we have offended, and the healing of the spiritual, emotional, or psychological wounds that sin causes (for the details of these three things, see my homily for the 2nd Sunday of Easter & Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, 2026).

As the sacrament of Confession restores our oneness with God and our brothers and sisters, we are called to maintain and embody this unity with God and our fellow humans. This is what Luke teaches us in our first reading. In his Pentecost account, he states that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Many people from diverse cultures and languages witnessed that first Christian Pentecost. They were astounded because each could hear the disciples speaking in their native language. The Holy Spirit we receive today is the Spirit not of division but of unity. It empowers us to communicate and understand the Christian language of love, justice, peace, compassion, and forgiveness. God created us to be “one” with him and “one” with each other. However, given the realities of our world today, we can see how we are losing this gift of “oneness.” People are divided, families are separated, and even Church members lack the unity of spirit that we should have, as is evident in the community of Corinth, which our second reading discusses.

In our second reading, Saint Paul addressed an issue of division that arose in his community of Corinth. A charismatic group emerged among the Corinthians, leading the people to speak in tongues (glossolalia). This gave rise to dissension, as those who had the gift of speaking in tongues viewed others without this gift as second-class Christians. Paul was called to resolve the situation. He does not condemn the charismatic movement; rather, he recognizes the Spirit's presence in this glossolalia. However, he emphasizes that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit must unify the community, not divide it. Using the analogy of the human body, which is one despite having many parts, Saint Paul teaches us that we all possess different talents and gifts of the Holy Spirit; we do not share the same skin colors, cultures, languages, or opinions; we have different jobs and varying incomes. Therefore, these differences should strengthen our families, Church community, and societies, rather than tear them apart. We were all baptized into one body in one Spirit. We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord.

As we celebrate our new life in a new creation and our oneness in the Spirit with God and our fellow humans, let us pray for all families and communities still divided, that their unity with God and their brothers and sisters may one day be restored. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

 

The Ascension of the Lord – June 1, 2025

The Ascension of the Lord – June 1, 2025

Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Luke 24:46-53

 

Theme: “You Are Witnesses of These Things”

 

A.   A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Luke 24:46-53

 

1. Historical and Literary Contexts

Luke organized his resurrection narrative into five sections. Our Gospel passage, which serves as a conclusion to Luke’s Gospel, comes from the last two sections: Jesus’ final instruction (24:44-49) and the ascension (24:50-53). The three preceding sections are: (1) the women at the empty tomb (23:56b–24:12), (2) Jesus’ appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (24:13-35), and (3) Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem (24:36-43).[1] It is worth noting that the Gospel of Luke and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles are not separate works but one book in two volumes written by the same author, Luke. Thus, our Gospel passage (Luke 24:46-53) closes the first volume (the Gospel of Luke), while the stories of the promise of the Spirit and the Ascension of Jesus recounted in Acts 1:1-12 (the first reading for this Sunday) begin the second volume (the Book of the Acts of the Apostles).

 

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel passage is a narrative account divided into two parts: Jesus’ instructions to his disciples (vv. 46-49) and the events of Jesus’ Ascension (vv. 50-53).

 

3. Detailed Analysis

To better understand our passage, let us first analyze the account of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem (24:36-45), which immediately precedes our text. The Risen Jesus appeared to all his disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem and wished them peace. The disciples were frightened, confusing him with a ghost (vv. 36-37). Jesus’ glorified body transcends the limits of time and space while remaining physical. Jesus is concerned about his disciples’ feelings of fear. He employs physical and scriptural evidence to prove that he is not a ghost but their Risen Lord. The physical evidence includes showing his disciples the nail marks on his hands and feet, inviting them to touch him to feel his bones and flesh, and eating baked fish before them (vv. 38-43). In terms of Scriptural evidence, Jesus’ interpretation of the Scripture opened the disciples' minds, just as it did for the disciples of Emmaus (see 24:25-27). They understood that the Risen Jesus fulfills everything written about him in the Books of the Law of Moses, Prophets, and Psalms (vv. 44-45). Our text picks up from here.

Vv. 46-49. Jesus tells his disciples they are the “witnesses of these things” (v. 48). “These things” refer to Jesus’ entire earthly life that has fulfilled the Old Testament, especially his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, as well as the repentance for the forgiveness of sins that should be preached in Jesus’ name to all nations, with Jerusalem as a starting point (vv. 46-47). As Jesus’ witnesses, the disciples are called to carry out Jesus’ mission with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promises to send upon them. However, before they begin this mission, Jesus urges them to remain in the city of Jerusalem until the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will clothe them “with power from on high” (v. 49). This is Jesus’ final speech and teaching.

Vv. 50-53. Before Jesus is taken up to heaven, he performs three actions for his disciples: (1) he leads them out, (2) raises his hands upon them, and (3) blesses them. The disciples praise Jesus. Then, filled with great joy, they return to Jerusalem. The narrator informs his readers that they were continually in the temple praising God.

  

4.      Synthesis

Jesus indicates that his disciples are witnesses to all the events of his earthly life, which fulfilled the Old Testament, especially his Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. As witnesses, Jesus assigns them the mission of preaching, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all nations, starting from Jerusalem. After his final speech, Jesus leads them outside, raises his hands, and blesses them; then he ascends into heaven in their presence. The disciples praise him as he ascends to his Father. Filled with great joy, the disciples return to Jerusalem. The narrator concludes this scene, and the entire Gospel, by noting that the disciples continually went to the temple to praise God.

 

B.    Pastoral Implications

 

1.      1. Liturgical Context

The liturgy of this Mass reminds us that we are Jesus’ witnesses and missionaries. Indeed, we have witnessed all of Jesus’ events from Christmas and its preparatory season, called Advent, to Easter and its preparatory time, known as Lent, passing through the first part of Ordinary Time, during which we have experienced Jesus’ ministry in establishing the kingdom of God on earth. Now, it is time to work. The Scripture readings we heard remind us of the profound significance of this celebration. The Ascension of our Lord is not a moment of reward, as the disciples mistakenly believed in our First Reading. Instead, as the Gospel instructs us, the Ascension is when our Risen Lord sends us on a mission. To fully grasp the urgency of this mission and be empowered to carry it out wherever we are, the Second Reading tells us that we need the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that results in knowledge of God.

 

2.      2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

Today, Jesus commissions us to preach, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He urges us to begin first in our “Jerusalem,” which represents our families, Church community, neighbors, and wherever we live. Before we start anything, Jesus asks us not to depart from our “Jerusalem” but to wait until the Holy Spirit, who will assist us in our mission, comes upon us and clothes us with “power from on high.” This will take place next Sunday, at the Solemnity of Pentecost. Then, after Pentecost Sunday, which will mark the end of the Easter Season, we will return to our ordinary lives (Ordinary Season) and begin the mission Jesus has assigned us today. 

Our first reading provides more details about the same event we heard in the Gospel. It can be divided into two parts: vv. 1-5 and vv. 6-11.

Vv. 1-5. Theophilus is mentioned as Luke’s recipient (v. 1). He is the same person referenced in Luke 1:3. In Greek, Theophilus means “The lover of God.” This suggests that Luke wrote his two-volume Book for anyone who loves God. He informs Theophilus that in the first volume of his book (referring to the Gospel of Luke), he has addressed everything that Jesus did and taught up until the day of Jesus' ascension to heaven (vv. 1-2). This introduction connects the two volumes, the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.

Luke summarizes the events following Jesus’ resurrection in three points. (1) He emphasizes the forty-day period between Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension (v. 3a). The Church also celebrates the Ascension of the Lord forty days after Jesus’ Resurrection. Note that the solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord always occurs on the Thursday after the Sixth Sunday of Easter.[2]  For liturgical purposes, the local Church in the United States (except for the local Churches in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York, and New England, which celebrate the Ascension on Thursday) observes it on Sunday. Thus, from Easter Vigil to Thursday of the Ascension, there are 40 days. In Scripture, the number forty conveys the symbolic meaning of preparation. We can recall the Israelites’ 40 years in the desert from Egypt to the Promised Land, Noah’s 40 days in the ark, Moses’s 40 days on Mount Sinai, and Jesus’ 40 days in the desert before he began his ministry. Now, our Lord needed forty days after his resurrection to prepare his disciples for the mission he was about to assign to them. By celebrating the Ascension of our Lord today, forty days after Easter, our Holy Mother Church wants to remind us that we have been well-prepared during the forty days of the Easter Season. What is the goal of this preparation? Luke answers in the second point.

(2) Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God with his disciples (v. 3c). He initiated this kingdom during his earthly ministry in the presence of his disciples. Mentioning it here can suggest that Jesus reminds them, including all of us, of how he prepared us during the forty days of the Easter season to continue this same mission of implementing God’s kingdom wherever we live.

(3) Human effort alone is not enough to accomplish this crucial mission. Therefore, Jesus reassured his disciples of the assistance of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, he instructed them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit promised by his Father, God.

Vv. 6-11. The second part of our first reading recounts the story of Jesus’ Ascension. It begins with the disciples’ question to Jesus: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” They refer to the “physical kingdom” they wish to establish in place of Roman power. In his answer, Jesus tells them that the times and seasons established by God’s authority should not be their primary concern. Instead, Jesus directs their focus to the mission he assigns them. He tells them that they will receive the Holy Spirit, who will empower them to be his witnesses throughout the world, starting with their own people, the Israelites of both kingdoms (Jerusalem in the north and Judea in the south), including even the Samaritans, whom the Jews considered the “unchosen people” (vv. 6-8).

The disciples reveal the motivations behind their discipleship. They have followed Jesus for about three years, not out of true discipleship, but due to their selfish ambition to seize power from the Romans. How about us today? Why do we follow Jesus? What are our specific motivations for being Christians? Do our motivations align with what Jesus calls us to? In his reply, Jesus redirects his disciples’ focus from their selfish motives to the essential mission of a disciple. He does the same for us today. He tells us that our motivation for being Christians should not be to know exactly when God fulfills our requests. We are Jesus’ disciples primarily to implement God’s kingdom and be his witnesses wherever we live until the ends of the earth. This is what Saint Paul asked God for in his prayers for his believers and us, which we heard in our second reading.

Saint Paul first prays that God grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelation, leading to a knowledge of God (Eph 1:17). We are called to know not just about God but to know God personally. This knowledge involves a personal relationship with him. Second, Saint Paul prays that the “eyes of our hearts” be enlightened so that we may understand why God calls us and what motivates us to be Christians (Eph 1:18). Therefore, our baptismal motivation is not about the “physical kingdom” but about the “spiritual kingdom,” not about our selfish ambitions but about becoming Jesus’ witnesses and missionaries. 

Still in the second part of our first reading, Luke also reports that after Jesus finished instructing his disciples, he was lifted up, and his disciples watched as he ascended to heaven. Two angels, described as “men dressed in white garments,” asked why they stood there looking at the sky. They told the disciples that the way Jesus was taken up to heaven would be the same way he would return (vv. 9-11). The angel confirmed Jesus’ second coming at the end of time. Here, our Holy Mother Church wants us to know that if we celebrate this solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord without committing ourselves to carry out the mission Jesus assigns us, we are like these “men of Galilee,” merely contemplating Jesus without taking concrete action. Jesus’ Ascension is not a time for “looking at the sky.” Instead, it is time for work. Let us return to our “Jerusalem” (which represents our families, neighborhoods, and everywhere we live) and begin implementing the kingdom of God.

May the liturgy of this Mass help us recognize that we are witnesses of Jesus and fulfill his mission of bringing God’s kingdom to life wherever we are. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

---

[1] Nabre, note to Lk 24:1-53.

[2] For example, in the Liturgical Year 2024-2025, the Ascension of the Lord occurs on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Thus, from Easter Vigil on April 19th to Ascension Day, Thursday, May 29th, it is 40 days.   

6th Sunday of Easter – May 25, 2025

 

6^th Sunday of Easter – May 25, 2025

Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23; John 14:23-29

 

Theme: Renewal and Continuity of the Church Guided by the Holy Spirit

 A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 14:23-29

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

This Gospel passage is part of Jesus’ first farewell discourse (13:31–14:31), which occurred during the Last Supper before his Passion and Death. This first farewell discourse can be divided into three parts. First, Jesus prepared his disciples to view his Cross not as a loss but as a moment of glorification for himself and his Father, and he left them a new commandment: to love one another as he had loved them (13:31-38). Second, He urged them to have faith in him in the same way they had faith in God because he and the Father are one (14:1-14). Third, in the last part of his first farewell, from which our Gospel passage comes, Jesus promised that he would not leave his disciples orphans; he would come back to them in the form of the Holy Spirit, whom he called “the Advocate.” He also instructed them to keep his commandments as proof that they loved him (14:15-31). Jesus’ discourse about the Vine and the Branches (15:1-17), which opens his second farewell discourse (15:1–16:33), immediately follows the section of our text. 

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This narrative discourse addresses three topics: the divine revelation and love bestowed upon those who keep Jesus’ commandments and love him (vv. 23-24), the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom God will send in Jesus’ name (vv. 25-26), and the gift of peace that Jesus leaves with his disciples (vv. 25-29).

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 23-24. Jesus continues the topic of love, which he already developed in 14:15-22. There, he told his disciples how loving him and keeping his commandments are intrinsically connected (14:15, 21a). He also explained the results for those who love him and keep his commandments: they will receive the Holy Spirit, Jesus and God the Father will love them, and Jesus will reveal himself to them (14:16-17, 21b). Then, v. 23, which begins our text, is Jesus’s response to Judas’s question (not Judas Iscariot) in v. 22. Based on Jesus’s statement in v. 21, Judas wants to know why Jesus said that he will reveal only to them but not to the world. In his response, Jesus makes it clear that loving him and keeping his commandments are necessary for him and his Father to reveal themselves to and love the people by coming to them and making their home with them.[1] The “world” will not benefit from this divine revelation and love because John uses the “world” in this context to refer to all those who refuse to believe in and love Jesus.

Vv. 25-26. Some key points connect Jesus with the Holy Spirit. (1) As Jesus is the “Sent One of the Father” (cf. 4:34; 5:23, 24, 30, 37; 6:38-40; 7:16; 8:16, 18, 26; 12:44-49), the Holy Spirit is also sent to the disciples by the Father.[2] (2) In v. 16, Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “another Advocate” (Paraclete). This implies that Jesus is the first Advocate. The Greek meaning of the term “advocate” includes a defense attorney, a spokesman, mediator, intercessor, comforter, or consoler.[3] In 1 Jn 2:1, Jesus is referred to as an advocate in the sense of an intercessor in heaven. (3) Both Advocates (the Holy Spirit and Jesus) share the common function, as the Holy Spirit’s mission here is to teach the disciples everything and remind them of all that Jesus already taught them.

  Vv. 27-29. The topic shifts. Jesus now speaks of the precious gift of peace that he leaves with his disciples. This peace will remain with them after his Passion and Death. He calls this peace “my peace” and says it differs from the world’s peace. The traditional Hebrew salutation is šālôm, but Jesus’ peace is “Shalom,” a gift of salvation. It indicates the bounty of messianic blessing.^[4] Therefore, Jesus' death should not be a source of trouble or fear for his disciples, because it is not the end; Jesus promises them that he will come back to them, so they should rejoice.

 

4.      Synthesis

Our Gospel passage is the final part of Jesus’ first farewell discourse, in which he prepares his disciples for his Passion and Death. In our pericope, he develops three topics. First, he clarifies that loving him and keeping his commandments are necessary for him and his Father to reveal themselves to people and love them. The “world” will not benefit from this divine revelation and love because John uses the “world” in this context to refer to all those who refuse to believe in and love Jesus (vv. 23-24). Second, Jesus promises his disciples that his Father will send them the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, in his name. The Holy Spirit’s mission will be to teach and help them recall everything Jesus told them (vv. 25-26). Third, Jesus leaves his disciples with his peace. He calls this peace “my peace,” which, he says, differs from the world’s peace. He means that the world’s peace is an ordinary salutation, but his peace is a gift of salvation, indicating the bounty of Messianic blessings. For this reason, he exhorts his disciples not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid but to rejoice and keep peace (vv. 27-29).

B. Pastoral Implications

1. Liturgical Context

In the Gospel, Jesus prepares his disciples to transition from the time they related to him in person to the age of the Church when, after his death, they will experience his presence through the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. The story of the great gathering between the Apostles and Paul and Barnabas in Jerusalem, known as the Council of Jerusalem, which we heard in our first reading, is one example of how the Apostles experienced Jesus’ presence through the Holy Spirit. They restored peace and unity in the Church of Jesus, reflecting the “Holy City” that the author of the Book of Revelation speaks of in our second reading. These Bible readings also prepare us for the transition from the Easter Season to Ordinary Time, a period of growth in faith. We enjoyed our Lord’s appearances and listened to his teachings and farewell words during the Easter season. Now, we should be ready to transition to the Ordinary Season, when, guided by the Holy Spirit, we will be called to work on the renewal and continuity of the Church of Jesus.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

Loving Jesus implies keeping his “word,” and consequently, Jesus and his Father will reveal themselves to us, love us, and come to make their dwelling with us. His “word” here refers to the mission he has left to his disciples, which consists of working in his Church that he just founded during this Last Supper celebration, where he delivered this discourse of our Gospel. We are Jesus’ disciples today. The disciples and Christians who lived before us did their part. Today is our time to continue this same mission of renewing the Church of Jesus. We do not work on this mission alone; Jesus reassures us of the guidance of the Holy Spirit, whom he calls the “Advocate” (Paraclet). Knowing the trials and obstacles we may encounter in our mission, Jesus exhorts us not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. Instead, we should rejoice and keep the peace he leaves with us. As we commit ourselves to renewing the Church of Jesus where we live, let us be open to the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, as the disciples, Paul, and Barnabas did in our first reading story.

Through this Gospel passage, the evangelist wants us to know that Jesus did not outline all the institutional details of the Church he just founded. He left the responsibility for the organization and constant renewal of the Church to the apostles and their successors. Saint John even testifies to the renewal and continuity of the Church in his vision, which we heard in our second reading. To better understand the symbolism of this vision, we must note that in New Testament thinking, the Church is the “Israel of God,” which succeeds the “Israel of the flesh.” Thus, in his vision, the author of our second reading shows that the Church is a renewed Israel when he refers to her as “Jerusalem,” founded on “the twelve apostles of the Lamb,” who succeed the twelve patriarchs of the Israel of old. Here, Saint John indicates continuity between the old Israel and the Church of Jesus and a distinct aspect of renewal. Hence, the Church of Jesus, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, should constantly renew itself and safeguard its continuity. This is what the apostles did in our first reading and what our Church today continues to do.

Regarding our first reading, note that everything began with Paul and Barnabas, who baptized Gentiles without first imposing the rite of circumcision on them and without requiring them to observe the Law of Moses, as the Christians from Jewish backgrounds had wished. Thus, the Jewish Christians were unhappy to see the Gentiles becoming Christians without initiating them into adherence to Mosaic Laws, especially circumcision. A serious dissension and debate arose between these Jewish Christians and Paul and Barnabas. Acknowledging the authority of the Church of Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and presbyters to resolve the question. This significant gathering is known as the “First Council of Jerusalem.” The lectionary has omitted from our reading the text that describes the procedure of this debate. It can be found in Acts 15:3-12 and Galatians 2:1-14.

Our first reading reports three resolutions from this Council. First, the Church observes that some Jewish Christians who imposed the law of circumcision on the Gentiles lacked authority in their teaching. The Church of Jerusalem now chooses Judas (Barsabbas) and Silas as credible representatives (see Acts 15:22-27). Second, Gentiles do not have to be circumcised to join the Church because one becomes Christian not by tradition but by Baptism (see Acts 15:28). Third, to facilitate social contact with Jewish Christians, Gentile Christians are asked, however, to follow a few Mosaic laws, such as abstaining from meat sacrificed to idols, meat with blood in it, meats of strangled animals, and unlawful marriage (see Acts 15:28-29). Note the words the apostles used in their decision: “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us (…)” (Acts 15:28). This means that apostolic collegiality is guided by the Holy Spirit when they decide on the renewal and continuity of the Church.

Since this first Council, the Church has held (and continues to hold) many other councils and synods to discuss and explore possibilities for the renewal and continuity of the Church of Jesus. The current one is the 2021-2024 Synod on Synodality, called by Pope Francis to explore possibilities for the Church to “journey together” with God’s people. Reflecting on the three aspects of Communion, Participation, and Mission shared by all Christians today, this Synod aims to help the Church become more aware of the concerns and experiences of the faithful. At the level of our local Churches, we also organize important meetings, such as the parish council, finance council, and liturgy committee, among others, to discuss various issues related to the renewal and continuity of our parish communities. Today’s readings teach us that the Church of Jesus needs renewal, but it also must maintain its continuity. As the apostles did in our first reading, the Church continues to preserve the communion and unity of the faithful.

In the liturgy of this Mass, we pray for good discernment whenever the Church leaders gather to make essential decisions for our Church in general and local parish communities in particular. Amen. 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

---

[1] Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John: Sacra Pagina Series Volume 4 (The Liturgical Press: Collegeville, Minnesota, 1998), 404.

[2] Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 410.

[3] NABRE, note to John 14:16.

[4] NABRE, note to John 14:27. 

5th Sunday of Easter Year C– May 18, 2025

5^th Sunday of Easter – May 18, 2025

Acts 14:21-27; Revelation 21:1-5a; John 13:31-33a, 34-35

 

Theme: Perseverance in Faith and Mission, Love of One Another, and Hope in Eternal Life

A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of John 13:31-33a, 34-35

 

1. Historical and Literary Context

Our Gospel passage occurs within the context of Jesus’ first farewell discourse (13:31–14:31). Jesus prepares his disciples for how they should live after his death. The account of Jesus revealing to his disciples that Judas will betray him (13:21-30) immediately precedes our text, and the story about Jesus predicting Peter’s denial (13:36-38) follows it.

2. Form, Structure, and Movement

This narrative discourse can be divided into two parts: Jesus speaks of his glorification (vv. 31-32) and addresses his disciples by giving them a new commandment (vv. 33a-35). 

       

3. Detailed Analysis

Vv. 31-32. Judas leaves the group, and Jesus begins his discourse to his disciples. His first topic is his and God’s glorification. “Now is the Son of Man glorified.” The word “now” refers to the beginning of Jesus’ Passion and Death, which marks the time of his glorification. Jesus’ Cross will not be seen as a defeat but as the manifestation of God’s glorification in him. Throughout his public ministry, Jesus has sought not only his glory but also the glory of God. That is why he says that God is glorified in him. He adds that God will glorify him, Jesus, at once.

In vv. 33a-35, Jesus changes the topic. He now speaks to his disciples, addressing them as “My children,” expressing his affection. He first tells them about the short time that he is with them. In v. 33b, which the lectionary has omitted, Jesus tells them that where he goes, they cannot follow him. He already mentioned the same thing to the Jews in 7:32-36. And in 13:36, responding to Peter’s question: “Master, where are you going?” Jesus will clarify that where he goes, they will follow him later but not now. “Where I go” can be interpreted as Jesus’ prediction of his Death or his departure to his Father (Ascension). Jesus’ departure implies his return, either at his Resurrection or at the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost), or his second coming at the end of time.

Second, Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment: they should love one another as Jesus has loved them. The commandment to “love one another” is not new, because it is found in Lv 19:18: “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (NABRE). Why does Jesus make it new? This commandment becomes new because the disciples are instructed to refer to the model of Jesus’ love for them when they love one another. Jesus’ love entails self-sacrifice, including death for the person one loves. Jesus adds that through this type of love, people will recognize them as Jesus’ disciples.

      

4.  Synthesis

Jesus’s cross will not be seen as a defeat but as a manifestation of God’s glorification in him. He addresses his disciples and gives them a new commandment: to love one another as he has loved them. They are instructed to use Jesus’ love for them as a model for their love for one another. Jesus’ love is the love for everyone and entails a supreme sacrifice for the person one loves. This type of love will distinguish Jesus’ disciples from others. 

 B. Pastoral Implications

1. Liturgical Context

As we approach the end of the Easter season, our Holy Mother Church prepares us to understand that trials can temper the joy of the Resurrection of Christ. Hence, today’s Scripture readings instruct us to persevere in our faith and mission (the first reading), observe the new commandment of love for one another (the Gospel), and keep our hope on eternal life, which awaits us in a “Holy City” and “New Jerusalem” (the second reading).

       

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today 

Jesus’s cross is not viewed as a defeat but as a sign of God’s glorification in him. Here, our Holy Mother Church urges us to see our daily suffering not as a loss, but as a moment of our glorification and God’s glorification. When we do not give up our faith and good works amid our daily suffering, God is glorified in us, and as a result, he will also glorify us (Mt 13:31-32). We are called to persist in our faith and mission work. Our first reading presents Paul and Barnabas as models of perseverance for us to imitate. 

To better understand our first reading passage, let us review the entirety of chapter 14 from where it is taken. The preaching of Paul and Barnabas in the Jewish synagogue in Iconium led a great number of people (both Jews and Greeks) to believe in Jesus. However, the Jewish officials incited persecution, intending to hinder the evangelization of the Gentiles. The people were divided: some backed the unbelieving Jews, while others supported the apostles. Paul and Barnabas fled to the city of Lystra because the Jews attempted to attack and stone them (see Acts 14:1-7). In this city, Paul and Barnabas miraculously healed a crippled man who had been born lame. This miracle provoked considerable controversy among the crowds, who believed the gods Zeus and Hermes (with Barnabas identified as Zeus and Paul as Hermes) had appeared to them in human form. With this misunderstanding, the crowds stoned Paul and Barnabas, compelling them to leave the city. They went to Derbe (see 14:8-20). Our first reading picks up from here, at the end of Paul and Barnabas' first mission.

Paul and Barnabas faced hardships in their mission. They were rejected, contradicted, persecuted, and stoned. However, they persevered in their faith and mission work, continuing to draw people to God. The narrator of our first reading tells us that after Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the Word of God in the city of Derbe, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. These are the cities where people had previously tried to stone them. They returned there to strengthen the disciples' spirits and exhort them to persevere in their faith. They chose leaders from each community and appointed presbyters to guide each Church they established (see Acts 14:23). We, too, clergy and laity, from our baptism, have been appointed to minister to God’s people in our local Churches and families. There are still many sheep that Jesus wants us to minister to and bring to him. Let us transform our families, parishes, neighborhoods, cities, and wherever we live into mission stations by inspiring people and inviting them to God as Paul and Barnabas did.

I have an assignment for each of us. The assignment contains three easy questions. Question #1: Let us reach out to our former Church members who, for some reason, have stopped attending Church, exhort them, and encourage them to rejoin us. Question #2: Let us reach out to people we know who do not attend any Church (our family members, relatives, friends, and neighbors), exhort, and encourage them to join our Church family. Question #3: Let us strengthen the faith of our existing Church members by ministering to and praying for one another. Let us all become “the Paul and Barnabas” of our time.

While we are on our mission to reach out to old, new, and existing Church members and minister to them, we should remember that we may experience hardships (contradiction, rejection, persecution, and suffering) as Paul and Barnabas did in our first reading. When we go through these trials, we must strengthen ourselves with the words of Paul and Barnabas: “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Paul and Barnabas exhort us to persevere in our faith and mission.

In vv. 33a-35 of our Gospel, Jesus gives his disciples and us a new commandment: we should love one another as Jesus has loved us. The commandment to “love one another” is not new because it is found in Lv 19:18: “Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your own people. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (NABRE). Why does Jesus make it new? This commandment becomes new because we are instructed to refer to the model of Jesus’ love for us when we love one another. We know that Jesus’ love involves self-sacrifice. Jesus adds that through this type of love, people will recognize us as his disciples. Therefore, when we love our brothers and sisters with the same love Jesus has for us, we will certainly not abandon our faith or relinquish our mission of ministering to our former, new, and existing Church members, regardless of rejection or any trials we encounter.

While we persevere in our faith and mission works and love one another as Jesus has loved us, our Holy Mother Church calls us to keep our hope in eternal life in God’s kingdom. The sacred author of our second reading reveals that in his vision, he saw the kingdom of God, which he calls the “Holy City” and “New Jerusalem,” coming down out of heaven from God. He says that God’s dwelling place is among us, the people, and that God will dwell with us. We will be God’s people, and God himself will be with us and be our God. He will wipe every tear from our eyes, the tears caused by the hardships we are enduring now in our mission as Jesus’ disciples. He reassures us that in the Holy City and New Jerusalem, there will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain (see Revelation 21:1-5). Keeping our hope in eternal life in God’s kingdom gives us the courage to persevere in our faith and mission works, and to love one another using the model of Jesus’ love for us.

May the liturgy of this Mass empower us to persevere in our faith and mission works, love one another as Jesus has loved us, and maintain hope in eternal life in God’s kingdom. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

4th Sunday of Easter - May 11, 2025

4^th Sunday of Easter - May 11, 2025

Acts 13:14, 43-52; Revelation 7:9, 14b-17; John 10:27-30

 

Theme: Jesus is the Good Shepherd

 

A.   A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Jon 10:27-30

 

1.       Historical and Literary Contexts

Chapter 10 of John’s Gospel, from which our text is taken, serves as a commentary on Jn 9, which details the dispute between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus regarding the healing of the blind man (9:1-41). In the first part of chap. 10, the Good Shepherd Discourse (10:1-21), Jesus continued to respond to the Pharisees’ question of “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” (9:40-41). He polemically identified himself as the “gate for the sheep” (10:7) and “the Good Shepherd” (10:11), while viewing the Jewish religious leaders as the “thieves and robbers” (10:8, 10). This discourse caused a schism among the Jews: some began to believe in him, while many others did not, as they still considered him to be “possessed and out of his mind” (10:19-21). Three months later, this topic resumed during the celebration of the Feast of the Dedication, as reported in 10:22-40. Our Gospel passage is part of this debate, now focusing on Jesus' Messianic status.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

This Gospel passage is an allegorical discourse. Jesus first describes his relationship with his sheep (vv. 27-29) and concludes with a note on his relationship with his Father (v. 30). 

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

In vv. 22-26, which immediately precedes our text, the narrator locates the scene in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon in wintertime during the feast of the Dedication (see vv. 22-23). This feast (Hanukkah in Hebrew) is an eight-day festival of lights. It is held in December, three months after the Tabernacle feast (see Jn 7:2). In the Feast of the Dedication, the Jews celebrate the Maccabees’ rededication of the altar and reconsecration of the temple in 164 B.C. after their desecration by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (see Dn 8:13; 9:27; 1 Mc 4:36-59; 2Mc 1:18–2:19; 10:1-8).^[1]

During this feast of the Dedication, the Jews gather around Jesus and question him about his divine identity: “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” (Jn 10:24). In his answer, Jesus speaks about the basis and purpose of his messianic status. First, he evokes the works he accomplishes in his Father’s name as a testimony to his claim. Then, referring to the image of the Good Shepherd he developed previously in 10:1-18, he affirms that the Jews do not believe in him because they are not among his sheep (vv. 25-26). Our passage continues from here, extending Jesus’ response to the Jews.

Vv. 27-30. Jesus speaks of his relationship with his sheep, his believers. Three strong verbs (Hear, Know, and Follow) characterize his relationship with them. (1) The believers hear Jesus’ voice, meaning they believe in him and observe his teachings. (2) Jesus knows them all, which connotes a personal and intimate spiritual relationship. (3) The believers follow Jesus in the context of discipleship (v. 27). Jesus gives eternal life to his believers (v. 28a), who are the gifts he received from his Father (v. 29a). Since his Father is greater than all, his believers will never perish (v. 28b), and no one can take them from Jesus’ hands (v. 28c), which are also God’s hands (v. 29b) because he and God the Father are one (v. 30).

By asserting that he and God the Father are one, Jesus offers a new interpretation of the celebration of the Feast of the Dedication. The Jews view the temple’s structure as God’s presence among them. In celebrating this feast of the Dedication, the Jews “pride themselves on their consecrated Temple, the physical evidence of their belonging to God and, in some way, of God’s belonging to them.” Here, Jesus indicates that he replaces the Temple. They should no longer rely on the temple building to recognize God’s presence among the people. He himself is the visible presence of God among them. Anyone who believes in him belongs not only to him but also to God the Father because God the Father and he are one.^[2]

 

4.      Synthesis

In his response to the Jews’ question about whether he is the Messiah, Jesus previously asserted that the works he has accomplished in his Father’s name testify to his Messianic identity. If the Jews do not believe in him, it is because they are not among his sheep (10:22-26). Now, in our passage, Jesus describes his relationship with his sheep, who are his believers. They hear his voice, signifying that they believe in him and observe his teachings. Jesus knows each of them personally and intimately in a spiritual relationship. His believers follow him in the sense of discipleship. Jesus grants them eternal life. They are the gifts he received from his Father, and since his Father is greater than all, they will never perish, as no one can take them from Jesus’ hands, which are also God’s hands because he and God the Father are one. 

 

B.    Pastoral Implications

1. Liturgical Context

This Fourth Sunday of Easter is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood and religious life. It is also called “The Good Shepherd Sunday” because, in all three Liturgical Calendars, we read the “Good Shepherd Discourse” from chap. 10 of the Gospel of John (Year A: vv. 1-10; Year B: vv. 11-18; and Year C: vv. 27-30). In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, speaks of his Messianic mission: granting his sheep eternal life. The sacred author of our second reading confirms this eternal life when he reveals that in his vision, he saw a great multitude from every background before the throne of God, who will never suffer again because the Lamb will be their shepherd and lead them to springs of life-giving water. The first reading highlights the success of the mission of Paul and Barnabas, the “good shepherds” among the Gentiles. Today, we are the “good shepherds” of our time. Let us continue the mission of Jesus (Gospel) and Paul and Barnabas (first reading) so that the people of our time may also be part of the great multitude who will stand before the throne of God on the last day (second reading).

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

Unlike the Jews who did not believe in Jesus’ Messianic identity because they were not among his sheep, we today believe that Jesus is our Messiah, and we are his sheep. Jesus states that his sheep “hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10:27). Three strong verbs (Hear, Know, and Follow) characterize our relationship with Jesus. (1) We are called to “hear” Jesus’ voice when he speaks to us through the Scripture readings at each Mass we attend, and every time we read, study, share, and pray with the Word of God. We also hear Jesus’ voice through our priests, parents, schoolteachers, catechists, and brothers and sisters. We hear Jesus’s voice when we are attentive to the suffering of our brothers and sisters and come to their aid.

(2) Although billions of people exist in this world, Jesus knows each of us individually. He knows our joys and pains, strengths and weaknesses. Thus, let us continuously strengthen our relationship with our Lord through the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and Confession.

(3) From our baptism, we vowed to follow Jesus in the sense of discipleship. To follow Jesus means to respond to his invitation to partake in the liturgy of the Mass, read, study, and share his Word (Bible), and help the poor. This is what the people of Antioch did in our first reading. We heard that almost the whole city gathered to hear the Word of the Lord. We, too, should invite our family members, relatives, and friends to our Masses (especially on Sundays).  

God gave us to Jesus as gifts. Jesus grants eternal life to all of us who follow him and hear his voice (Jn 10:28a, 29a). He promises that we will never perish, and no one can take us from his hands (Jn 10:28b). We are in the hands of the one who defeated the devil and conquered sin and death. In Jesus’ hands, we feel protected, safe, and loved. There is no safer place we have ever been than in Jesus’ hands. To be in Jesus’ hands is to be in God’s hands because Jesus and God the Father are one, and our God is greater than all (Jn 10:29-30).

The sacred author of our second reading confirms the eternal life that Jesus grants us when he reveals that in his vision, he saw a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language that no one could count, standing before the throne of God. He states that this multitude will never suffer because the Lamb, who is at the center of the throne, will be their shepherd; his mission is to lead them to springs of living water (Rev 7:9, 14b-17). Jesus is that Lamb, the Good Shepherd, who guides us to springs of eternal life. Let us continue to hear his voice and follow him wherever he may lead us. Amen.  

 Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator       

---

[1] NABRE, note to Jn 10:22.

[2] Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 315-316.