Gospel Reflection – 6th Sunday of Easter

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings.

By the time we were welcomed into the Church, Jesus had already said goodbye. Yes, there’s still a fragrance of His presence, the echo of His words, the memory of His actions. But the truth is, Jesus has been gone for a long time. We don’t see Him in our churches, we can’t hear His voice or feel His touch. He said farewell.

While He was in the world, when something went wrong, Jesus would fix it. But after He left, problems began to appear. As the Gospel spread among the Gentiles, a major question came up: What about the Law of Moses? Do all its rituals and rules still apply after Christ? Since Jesus was no longer physically present, the Church had to start answering these deep and essential questions about its life and mission.

For Christians, circumcision was no longer needed. External rituals had no value if they didn’t reflect justice and the merciful love of God. In Christ, men and women are equal, and through Baptism, we all become children of God and members of the Body of Christ, which is the Church. What matters is a “circumcision of the heart” (cf. Deut 10:16)—a purification from selfishness, hatred, lies, and anything that pulls us away from God.

There’s a powerful line in today’s first reading:
“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…”
Just like the cardinals said during the recent conclave, it’s the Holy Spirit who truly guides the Church. Differences and tensions are overcome through open and sincere dialogue, where everyone can speak and listen, always attentive to the Spirit, who leads the Church forward.

When facing complicated questions like this, one simple guideline might help:
A baptized Christian must leave behind everything that clearly goes against the Gospel—like revenge, adultery, abortion, or polygamy. But things that are not against the Gospel can remain, even if they seem strange or illogical in another culture. We must also be careful not to judge as “anti-Gospel” things we don’t understand just because they don’t fit into our cultural mindset. Above all, we must trust in the Holy Spirit, the living and final guide of the Church.

I said at the beginning that Jesus has left us, but that doesn’t mean we are alone. The believer is not an orphan. God is not far away—He is close. We are the temple and dwelling place of God. We cannot live as if nothing has changed. Everything changed with Jesus—even if it’s still hard for us to fully understand it.

And not only that—the death of Jesus opened the door for the living presence of the Spirit, who now dwells in us, teaches us how to live in truth, and guides us into new life. That’s the Spirit who helps us live with deep conviction.

But maybe we should ask: Is the Holy Spirit really part of our daily life as believers? Sadly, the greatest gift of Jesus—the Holy Spirit—has become “The Great Unknown” in Christian spirituality. What a shame! We’ve forgotten His most precious gift. We don’t call on Him nearly as often as we should.

And without the Spirit, we are bound to fail. We shrink back, hiding in our “castles of safety,” losing our fire to be joyful, bold witnesses. In tough times, we tend to fall back on rules and defenses, trying to “protect the truth” at all costs—until we’re simply holding on, and we lose the freshness of the Spirit, and of Jesus Himself.

But Jesus encourages us: His peace brings calm, and the courage to face challenges. May we live each day in hope for His return, and may His peace fill our hearts, driving away fear and anxiety. Amen.

Your brother in faith,