Sunday, May 10, 2026
As we traverse Eastertide, journeying towards the Ascension of the Lord this Thursday and Pentecost in two weeks, the lectionary lets us encounter a community of early Christians, transitioning from seeing the Lord with their eyes to possessing Him in their souls through the gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift given to the community of believers after the Resurrection changes how they speak, suffer, and testify because the Holy Spirit is active, personal, and directed toward missionary works.
We read in Acts that the Church is no longer stationary. After being persecuted by Saul, believers are scattered into Judea and Samaria. Paradoxically, the Holy Spirit turns the scattering of the Church into its expansion beyond Jerusalem. The Samaritans felt a collective great joy when they heard Philip and saw the signs he was doing. This joy is not a simple sentiment; it is a joy brought about by announcing the Gospel and the lived reality of Jesus’ resurrection. After the Samaritan believers were baptized, the reading tells us that Sts. Peter and John were instruments of God as they “laid hands on them and they received the holy Spirit.” — v.17. This is the scriptural foundation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, and what baptized Catholics encounter as bishops of the Church, acting as instruments of God, lay hands on the confirmandi so they might receive the Holy Spirit.
In the second reading, St. Peter coaches us to “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” — 1 Peter 3:15. Is there anything about us that would make someone ask us to explain why we’re hopeful in our faith? Perhaps people in religious orders are asked this question because of their commitments or by their attire, but what about the rest of us? By consistently attending Mass and partaking in the sacraments, by showing compassion for the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized, or by abstaining from cruelty, gossip, and degrading language, have we piqued the curiosity of others around us about our faith? Do we stand out as a “new creation” in Christ, loving and serving God and neighbors?
Jesus, in today’s John’s Gospel, ties obedience to love: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” — John 14:15-16. This is not a form of emotional manipulation, coercion, or conditional love. Jesus is simply stating that our love for Him leads us to obedience, not as a burden imposed on us, but as a natural consequence of love. Love and obedience naturally lead to Jesus’ promise of another advocate to be with us forever. The word “Advocate” suggests that the Spirit of God is not only for inner comfort but also one who walks alongside us, especially in moments when we’re called to witness to Him.
Let us pray for clarity and for Christ’s promise to be active in us and to become evident. May the Spirit of truth make us witnesses until “great joy” is not just something we read about in Acts but something our own community recognizes as the fruit of the risen Christ.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.