Listen Carefully

Most of us do not like being told what to do. We like making our own decisions, so one of the keys of leadership is not to tell people what to do, but encourage and form people so that they are equipped to make the right decisions. In the Christian life this decision making process is crucial.

As a consequence of this, I don’t tell people that they have to come to Mass, even though I know it is good for them. I don’t tell people not make up their own religion, even though it foolish to do so. I try to help people discover these things for themselves, for if this happens, the lesson far better than being told from above.

Jesus does not tell us we must keep the commandments, but he makes it very clear that his followers are drawn from among the people that firstly and fore mostly keep the commandments. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds his disciples that he is not going to be physically present to them for much longer. He prepares for the time when he is not with them by reminding them of how they can stay strong to follow him throughout their lives.

St Peter challenges us to always have a reason for the hope you hold in your hearts. Today is the perfect example of why to do that and the effect that it can have on others. We have among us here this evening young people who are fired up in preparation for receiving their First Holy Communion. What will you say when one of them asks you why you follow the teaching of the Church, or come to Mass, or why you receive Holy Communion, or why it is important to you? What is the reason for the hope that you have I your heart? When people who are not motivated by such noble ideals as these young people ask us or attack us, how do we, as St Peter asks, courteously and respectfully defend our faith and hope.

Jesus gives us a reason to be faithful, happy and hopeful. He wishes us to be part of his body, the church. He knows that the best way of achieving and maintaining that is to follow the commandments and his teaching, which today is given to us through the magisterium (the pope and bishop’s and the Church). 

I know that the hope of Christ in which I share has never been dashed if I follow the commandments and the teaching of the church. My times of unhappiness and sadness have always been when I have not embraced that teaching, when I have strayed, made up or changed church teaching to suit myself, or not given my heart to God. 

The word obedient comes for the Latin, obedire, to carefully listen. Jesus does not tell us we must believe, he asks us to carefully listen, and points out to us the consequences of failing to listen. Let us then be obedient to the teachings of our Lord and Saviour.

Homily,OLQP 29th May 2011, 6th Sunday of Easter