Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We continue with the missionary theme of St. Peter from last week: always be ready to give an answer for the hope you have inside of you. Do it with reverence and grace, but do it. The Church is always missionary even right here in East Rutherford and Carlstadt. When it ceases to be missionary it dies. You and I need to rekindle our missionary fires among ourselves and come to know that it is not only by going to Africa that I become a missionary, but it is a spirit that God wants to give me now. The new evangelization of the Church is crucial now! Not in twenty years where many churches will be closed.
The Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1: 1-14) can help us to see this missionary spirit in the early Church, which we also heard on the Ascension. The apostles still with a human outlook ask when the restoration of Israel will take place. And Jesus before he ascends to heaven tells them that it is not for them to know the times or the dates. Salvation history will be unfolded over the centuries. These are times where God will act in his Church, and also in our parish. I hope that you can see his actions already in rebuilding our church physically and spiritually.
Through the efforts and conversations of a few parishioners many in their family have returned to the Church. This is the reason why the Church exists as Jesus said before he ascended to the Father: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” We have many nations represented right all around us. Spend some time with them. Get to know them. Some churches use the saying: invest and invite. Invest time with others. Everyone texts today or makes phone calls, how much better is it when we speak to someone face to face, especially when you go out of your way to see someone. And when the time is right invite them to come to church with you! It’s a piece of cake!
Jesus when he ascended said he would return in the same way, coming down from a cloud, perhaps. It may be a million years from now. And he promised to send his Holy Spirit to stay with us until he returns. The Holy Spirit will remind us of everything that was told to us by Christ. He will be our Advocate, the one who stands by our side and helps us. The Holy Spirit is a power sent by God through Jesus Christ, and gives us gifts: wisdom, knowledge, strength, understanding, counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord.
He gives one the ability to proclaim Jesus Christ as the Messiah in spite of persecution; a Christian always gives witness, at times even by speaking. This is the primary function of an apostle: to bear witness, not only to the resurrection of Christ but to his public life as well. The apostles were called to preach not only in Jerusalem but Samaria, of all places, and the earth’s remotest parts. Jerusalem was destined to receive the good news and be the center from which it will be proclaimed.
The mission of the first disciples follows this pattern: they leave from Jerusalem and from there the Word of God will spread to the whole earth, even Rome, where it arrives by the end of the Acts of the Apostles, and where Peter and Paul will be witnesses by giving their lives. Let us ask the Lord to give us one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and not be afraid to give others a reason for our hope.