The Language That Builds

Sunday | Easter | 5th | C
Ac 14 | Rev 21 | Jn 13

Vancouver, May 19, 2019

In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas returned to the cities of Galatia. Notice the text says: there they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them… This is in the context of persecution, and through persecution, in one form or another, we enter the kingdom of God. But what is the role of Paul and Barnabas? What is the example they set for the disciples, and what does the letter say? There, they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them. The situation is difficult, trying to build Christian communities amidst adversity and hostility.

​Paul and Barnabas could reproach the communities for their lack of courage, their fragile existence, perhaps even pointing out their weaknesses, he could find defects if he looked. The disciples are not soldiers, they defend themselves without weapons. Their sword is the Word of God. In a way, Christian disciples, are like lamb to be slaughtered, like Jesus was. But in this beautiful passage what surfaces is the sensitive humanness of Jesus’ disciples in these towns of Christian converts. The towns in Galatia deal with challenges and limits.

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Paul and Barnabas could take an authoritarian approach of correction and criticism, and in some instances, we know in his letters, St. Paul he does reproach and correct namely when there is division or immorality. Instead, the words in the Acts of the Apostles reflect the need to support the communities by offering themselves: There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them. How beautiful these words. I wonder how do we strengthen our relationships in our home with children, between spouses, in our community here at Church?
 
What are the words that we use, that we choose, that we offer, that strengthens each other, and encourages, people in our families, in our Church community? How do we build? How do we build up? How do we build up each other, to strengthen and to encourage? Or do we assume the role of critic, there is always something to criticise. Nothing is ever right. Nothing is ever good enough. Nothing is ever done properly.
 
Criticism has its place. As I said, there are times where we hear St. Paul and Jesus Himself reproaching and warning --immoral actions and division in Christian communities. But what about when criticism isn’t warranted. We know very well we can begin our day, from the moment we are out of bed, criticising and complaining, from the weather, to roads, to the transportation, to the food, and everything is just miserable. Right? That is what we call “negativity”: and there is difference between being negative and offering criticism that serves to construct, to grow, to build.
 
But I emphasise the words we hear in the Acts of the Apostles because it is easy to criticise and to find fault with others, a spouse, children, family members, a Church community member.  What about strengthening them and offering encouragement. By recognising how God is at work in your spouse, your children, members of the Church community.
 
So, what is Paul and Barnabas teaching us. Two thousand years ago, they are teaching us today, and in particular our context as a Christian community, that we need to reflect on how we strengthen and encourage our families and our Church community. I will not forget a hospital patient, who was dying, and she was in a room with five other patients. When I asked her how she was, she replied, I am so blessed. I am so well taken care of.
All the nurses look after me and the people are so kind.
 
In the Second Reading from the Book of Revelations, we have this rich language of hope and reassurance. The language of faith and trust. The words of strengthening and encouragement,
God Himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more… This beautiful language of hope. This is hope. We can see how the language of the Scriptures offered during a context of threats, persecution, what could be discouraging and frustrating, notice, the role of the Apostles, is to strengthen and encourage the disciples, the Christian communities, and each other.
 
We should think about this. We know the Catholic Church is continuously under attack. As long as we defend the Truth Christ taught, as long as we proclaim the Love Christ lived, there will be persecution. People do not want to hear the truth. People do not want true Love. So, the outside world portrays the Catholic Church in a negative light. This is deliberately done by the media. Why, is the media so hostile in its portrayal of our Church. Because the media is very liberal in its thinking, and its objective is to change how people think, so we no longer think as Christians, but how the media wants us to think, this includes the movie industry, the music industry and their first target is Catholic values.
 
The examples I could give are endless. From the deficient or inadequate coverage of persecuted Christians and missionaries who defend their faith, to the heroic work of religious, priests, and individuals, devout faithful committed Catholics – we hear little or nothing. The objective of the media is social reconstruction. And they are successful. Just think of how our laws change. And how laws have changed in Catholic countries becoming less Christian. If the Catholic Church has an influential voice in society, Christian values that endorsed and promoted by the Church, then, the strategy is to undermine the credibility of Catholic Church. So, what is our role – yours and mine. We follow the Apostles, and the disciples of Christ, in their examples supporting our community by strengthening and encouraging it.
 
How beautiful the Reading from Revelation that again, gives us the hope of something far greater than this world. We have the responsibility to build a Christian society – not any society – a society built on Christian values – a Pro Life Society. St. John Paul II often spoke of a culture of death that we need to reject. Our ultimate destiny is to be united with God – for all eternity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
 
In the Gospel of St. John Jesus addresses his Apostles, his followers, us, as His little children, teaching us a new commandment: that we love each other as Jesus has loved us. And Our Lord says, this is how He knows we are His disciples, if we love one another. We can refer once gain to the Acts of the Apostles: do we strengthen and support each other. Is that not an expression of love? Helping build our community because love builds, and love unites. Unity is the work of the Holy Spirit; this is why the Catholic Church strives to keep unity under the authority of the Pope and his Bishops. So, we love each other by living in the Truth which Jesus Christ teaches. Not human truths which are motivated by ideologies. The disciples of Christ show love in offering themselves for the good of the community – and the community is the Brothers and Sisters in Christ who share the same mission of salvation.
 
Let us ask the Mother of God, the Mother of Our Redeemer, to strengthen us so we might encourage one another to keep on his holy road of salvation. Amen.