6C Easter homily - The gifts of the Spirit and Peace (25 May 2025)

 

6C EASTER HOMILY, JOHN 14:23-29, MAY 25, 2025

1. STORY

John, a diamond expert, received a small box from a farmer containing nine small diamonds of various colors.  The one that caught his attention was a red one, no bigger than a cherry, which is very rare and very expensive.  He could not believe that such a valuable diamond was kept in a box on a shelf in a farm.  After carefully studying it, he estimated that it was worth over 7 million Hong Kong dollars.  It sold for that price at an auction.  When John informed the farmer by phone of his good fortune, the farmer thanked him and hung up.  The farmer had no idea of the worth of his small red diamond.  We too are often not aware of the great gifts of the Spirit and peace. 

 

2. GOSPEL, JOHN 14:23-29

A. THE FATHER WILL SEND THE SPIRIT

The first gift God the Father will send us is the Spirit.

i) He will teach us new things.

ii) He will remind us of all that Jesus had taught us. 

B. PEACE I LEAVE YOU

Jesus leaves us his peace.  Peace means “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”

 

3. APPLICATION TO LIFE

A. THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit will teach us many new things as well as remind us of what Jesus has taught us.

i) He will teach us that Jesus is always with us to help us as we walk on the road of life.  We are never alone.

ii) He will teach us what is right and what is wrong and what we should do and what we should not do in this very complicated world.

iii) He will teach us that, at the end of the road of life, death is but a change and not the end.  The end will be to enjoy eternal life and happiness with God in heaven.

B. THE GIFT OF PEACE

Peace means to live without being troubled or afraid.  This is possible because Jesus lives with us. 

i) Jesus is the Good Shepherd who guides and protects us as we move along the road of life.  We have no fear of going down the wrong path or being attacked by the devil.

ii) Jesus is the Bread of Life who provides us with spiritual strength through the Eucharist.  We have no fear of being spiritually hungry and weak as we go forward in life.

iii) Jesus is the Light of the World who keeps us from walking in the dark.  He helps us to see the path so that we will not stumble or fall.

 

4. CONCLUSION

i) John was amazed that the farmer had no idea of the worth of the red diamond.  We may also not be aware of the precious gifts of the Spirit and the peace that we have been given.  

ii) God will give us the Spirit who will teach us new things and remind us of what Jesus has taught us.  We have the gift of peace which makes it possible for us to live without being troubled or afraid.  We thank Jesus for helping us know and appreciate the precious gifts of the Spirit and the peace we have received.  We ask Jesus to help us to follow the guidance of the Spirit and to live a life of peace.

5C Easter homily - Love one another, as I have loved you (18 May 2025)

 

5C EASTER HOMILY, JOHN 13:31-33A,34-35, MAY 18, 2025 

1. STORY

After a severe earthquake, John volunteered to go to the north of the country as a rescue worker.  Shortly after he arrived, there was a second devastating earthquake.  He was working at an orphanage helping children to evacuate from their building.  He made several trips in and out of the orphanage bringing the children to safety.    Disregarding his own safety, he continued to help the children when he was hit by falling bricks and was killed.  John showed his love by sacrificing his life to help others.  He carried out the command of Jesus to love one another.

 

2. GOSPEL, JOHN 13:31-33a, 34-35

A. LOVE ONE ANOTHER

i) This is a very important command as it sums up the other commandments.

ii) Jesus demonstrated this command by the example of his life.

iii) By loving us, Jesus gave us the strength to love others. 

B. AS I HAVE LOVED YOU

Here are three ways Jesus loved us.

i) He humbled himself and came down from heaven and became a man to be with us.  This was a great act of humility.

ii) He spent his whole life helping others.  He gave us a model of how to love others.

iii) He died on the cross and rose from the dead so that we may have eternal life.  He sacrificed his life for our sake. 

 

3. APPLICATION TO LIFE

Love others as Christ loves us.  Here are four suggestions as how to love others as Jesus loves us.

i) Put in your mind that all of the people you meet, you want them to be happy.  Whether the person is a stranger, a friend, a neighbor, a fellow worker, or even a person you do not like, the thought in your mind is you want them to be happy.

ii) Most people have good and bad points.  Make an effort to see their good points and to appreciate them.  Accept the fact that we all had characteristics that may not be so good.  No one is perfect.

iii) Be willing to forgive others who have offended you.  As we hope others will forgive us if we have offended them, so do others hope we will forgive them.

iv) Finally, help others as much as you can within your ability.  A smile, a kind word, or a listening ear, even though you may think they are very small things, they are ways you can love others.  We also love others by praying for them.

 

4. CONCLUSION

i) John volunteered to help the needy.  He gave his life to save others. ii) Jesus gave us a most important command to love others, that is to help others.  Jesus helped us and gave his life as a model for us to follow.

iii) We love others by wishing them to be happy, appreciating their good points, forgiving them, and helping them in any way within our abilities.  We thank Jesus for this very precious instruction and ask him to help us carry out his command to love others as he loves us.

4C Easter homily - Jesus is the good shepherd (11 May 2025)

 

4C EASTER HOMILY, JOHN 10:27-30, 

MAY 11, 2025 

1. STORY

One day John lost a sheep.  A search party was about to set out when John asked his neighbor, Peter, to help out.  Peter replied, “With only one sheep lost was it necessary to have so many people involved in the search?”  “Yes,” John replied, “as there were so many paths in the area, the sheep could have gone in many different directions.”  After awhile, the search party returned.  Peter asked John if they had found the sheep, John replied that they had not found the sheep as there were so many paths that they did not have enough men to explore each path.  In life there are so many paths that we too can get confused and lose our way.  We are safe when we follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

 

2. GOSPEL, JOHN 10:27-30

A. MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE

i) Jesus loves us, his sheep.  He gives directions so that we will stay on the right path in this very complex world.  It would be very easy to get on the wrong path causing us much suffering and sorrow.

ii) It is imperative that we listen to his advice.  We must obey Jesus.  We must not listen to the advice of others who would lead us astray. 

B. I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE

i) Where will we end up if we follow Jesus?  We will not have wealth, power, and fame which will perish someday.  We will have the greatest gift possible.  We will have eternal life, a life of happiness, joy, and peace with God in heaven.

ii) These blessings will never perish.  They will last forever.

 

3. APPLICATION TO LIFE

A. LISTEN TO AND FOLLOW JESUS 

i) Jesus speaks to us through the Church, when we read the bible, when we hear the homily during Mass, or when our parents, a teacher, or a doctor speak to us.

ii) We follow Jesus by obeying him, imitating his good example, and by being merciful towards others.

B. JESUS GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE

i) Our life’s journey has a beginning at birth, an ending on this earth at death, and a beginning of a new life in heaven.

ii) Life in heaven with God will be one of joy, happiness, and peace.

 

4. CONCLUSION

i) John made every effort to find the lost sheep but failed as there were far too many paths in the area and not enough men to explore all of them.

ii) Jesus is our good shepherd who guides us on the right path in this complicated world.  When we obey Jesus, he will lead us to eternal life, a life filled with joy, happiness, and peace.

iii) We must listen carefully and obey the voice of Jesus.  This is our way to arrive at eternal happiness.  We thank Jesus for being our good shepherd and for guiding us to a life of happiness.  We ask Jesus to help us to listen and to obey his voice.