Fr. Oscar Hernandez Homily for May 7, 2023: Fifth Sunday of Easter

In today’s gospel we read Jesus’ farewell message to his followers and disciples. He said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God; have also faith in me.” Hearing these words, the disciples were greatly troubled and filled with doubt, because they had been counting on Him being around for a very long time. Yes. Trusting in God and in Jesus was a remedy and antidote for their troubled hearts.

So, he turned their attention to the joys and glories of heaven. Instead of focusing on bad things or negative things in life, he wanted them to look forward, to an eternity with God, the Father. He said, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” It was a guarantee from Jesus that He would not abandon them. But he must leave them so he could prepare a place for them and for all those who believe in him.

Jesus then comforted them by saying that they knew the way to the place where He was going.  Thomas complained that they did not know where Jesus was going, and how they would know the way. He said it because Jesus had told them already that where he was going they could not go for the time being. Only later did they realize that going to the place where Jesus has gone, would require them to take a step of faith and travel on a road that is long and rough.

And we can see of the first reading how the Apostles work with passion for the kingdom of heaven: imposed the hands on the 1st deacons so that they could carry out the preaching of the Word of God. But Faith in Jesus entails following him daily, in the simple actions that make up our day.

What lessons can we learn, and how can we apply them to our own life situation? Much like the disciples, we may all have troubled hearts today. But it’s a great comfort to know that our God is a comforting God. He comes down from his throne to hug us during our darkest times. We sometimes believe that if we do more for God, or if we give him more, or if we pray more, he will love us more. We think this way because we are prone to love others based on conditions. 

Sometimes we love those who love us; we love those who are kind to us; we love those who agree with us; we love those who view things as we do. We often work this way for the love of others which is conditional. Whereas the Love of God is unconditional. There is simply nothing, you, and I, can do to make God love us more, and there is nothing, you and I, can do to make Him love us less.

We are human beings. We all can be at times feel anxious, confused, and concerned by bad things and sad events happening around us. It can be also very scary not knowing where to go or what to do when someone who loves us and cares for us dies or goes away. However, today, the Lord tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Have faith in God; have also faith in me.” Yes. There is no reason to be troubled when we trust in God and when we trust in Jesus.

The thought of Heaven can help guard us from troubles of the heart, and it can illuminate our whole Christian life.  So, no matter how badly things may be going in our life today, such thoughts and beliefs can carry us through.

The way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ. It implies that there is no getting to heaven, the home of God, through Christ the Way. We must walk in the same way in which he walked. We must suffer in order to truly love. We must endure many hardships to enter heaven. We must give something up in order to have peace, joy, and happiness. We must die to ourselves or kill our own interests.

Don’t challenge God, demanding to reveal Himself to us so that we may truly believe in Him. Instead, we must believe that God has already fully and completely revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, through his teaching and miracles, and the Church, and they are more than sufficient for our belief in Him.