There are several Mass going on this weekend, so I have modified the homily to accommodate those occasions. This homily is for the first communion Mass on Sunday morning, May 7.
There are 37 men and women who have been designated as Doctors of the Church, a very select group of men and women from the history of the Church. The most recent Doctors of the Church, Gregory of Narek from the 10th century and Irenaeus of Lyon from the 2nd century, were named during the pontificate of Pope Francis. A person is designated by the Pope as a Doctor of the Church for having lived an exemplary holy life of faith and for having preaching, writings, & teachings that have deepened the Church’s understanding of Catholic faith and spirituality. One such Doctor of the Church is St John Chrysostom. Though he once spent six years living in a cave in the desert as a hermit in the 4th century, he eventually became the Archbishop of Constantinople, the main centers of Christianity in the East in the era of the Early Church. John lived a very austere life. Social justice was a main theme in his preaching and in the way he lived out his life of faith. When he preached against the depravities and extravagance of the Emperor Arcadius and the Empress Eudoxia, he was summoned before the Emperor, threatened with banishment and exile. John responded to the Emperor: “You cannot banish me, for the world is my Father’s house.” The Emperor angrily replied: “Then I will kill you!” “No, you cannot,” John replied back, “because my life is with Christ in God.” “Then I will confiscate your treasures,” threatened the Emperor. “Sir, you do not have the power to do that, because my treasures are in heaven, as my heart is in heaven as well,” said John. “Then I will drive you from your people and you shall have no friends left,” shouted back the Emperor. John replied: “That you cannot do either, Sir, for Christ, my friend in heaven has said to me: ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ I will never be without his friendship.” John’s dialogue with the Emperor illustrates what is communicated in the Gospel today: Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. The life we have in Christ cannot be taken away from us by any man, for Christ has prepared a dwelling place for us.
As we reflect upon the significance of the risen Christ in our readings during the Easter season, we see how the Early Church responded to the reality that faced the growing Christian community. The Christian community tried to emulate Christ’s example of love and service when they realized that some community members were being discriminated against and not having their basic needs met, so the Early Church established the office of deacon as a ministry of service in order to help meet the needs of the people. Throughout our Church’s history, we have responded to the needs and the reality around us by developing different offices of service and social institutions that would provide outreach. In service, in word, and in sacrament, the Church is the Body of Christ here on earth, Christ’s presence here on earth.
Today, as we commemorate the 5th Sunday of the Easter season, as we celebrate the presence of the risen Christ in our lives, we also celebrate the first Sunday in the month of May, the month of Mary, the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and the beloved Mother of our Church. The May crowning of Mary is a long-standing tradition in our Church, in which we honor Mary as the Mother of Christ, as the first disciple, as the one who always points us to the Son and brings us closer to the Son. Mary is always there to lead us and guide us. As I think about the children and youth of our parish, Mary is the best example of humble love and service that we can give them as we all grow together in our faith.
In our Sunday Mass this morning, we celebrate with our first and second grade students as they received first holy communion. I know that this is a big day for all of you that you have been anticipating for a long time. The Body and Blood of Christ you are going to receive for the first time today is a very important part of our faith. Each weekend when you go to Mass, you will receive Jesus into your life in a special way. Receiving the Eucharist will be an important part of your life from this day going forward. And not only is it something we receive, it should also be something that is the main influence as to how we live out our lives. What we say and what we do in our lives should be influenced by the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ we receive in our lives in a special way. As we celebrate the risen Christ this morning during the Easter season, he is with us in a special way as our children receive first communion.
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