Sunday the 3rd of May 2026 - The Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 6:1-7/ Ps 33(32)/1 Peter 2:4-9/ John 14:1-12

Today the corner or foundation stone is often just a plaque on the wall. In ancient times the cornerstone was critical to the construction of a building. All subsequent stones were aligned on that first stone. If the laying of that first stone was faulty, the entire building could eventually crack, divide, and collapse. That is the context in which we should hear Saint Peter's words in the second reading today. He challenges us to be "living stones" being built into a spiritual house, with Jesus as our cornerstone. If we as a Church try to align ourselves with anything else, our own opinions, our political factions, or our personal preferences, we can end up divided, cracked, and in danger of collapse. When we align every part of our lives with Jesus our cornerstone, we become united and unshakeable.

In the Gospel passage today, Jesus speaks directly to our hearts with some reassuring words, He looks at His disciples, and He looks at each one of us, saying, "Let not your hearts be troubled." He tells us that He has gone ahead to prepare a place for us. The Creator of the universe desires that we dwell with Him for eternity. Jesus assures us that there are many rooms in His Father's house. He is personally making a place ready for us so that where He is, we also may be. Thomas, who is always willing to ask the tough questions, admits that they do not know the way. He wants to follow Jesus, but he needs directions. Jesus responds with one of the most powerful and life changing declarations found in Scripture, saying, "I am the way and the truth and the life." He does not just show us the path to God, He is the path. He does not just teach us facts, He is the living truth, the Word of God.

God the Father is so far outside of our human comprehension. His majesty and glory are beyond anything our human minds could ever fully grasp. The only way we could possibly draw close to Him is if He became human Himself. God did exactly that in the person of God the Son. Jesus lived, suffered, and died as one of us, making us his brothers and sisters and children of God. He did this so that He can empathise fully with every joy, sorrow, and struggle we experience. We can approach Jesus as one of us. He is someone we can intimately relate to and understand. When we see, hear, and talk to Jesus, we see, hear, and talk to God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one and the same God. Jesus is the perfect image of the Father. To see the Son is to see the Father's own goodness and love pouring out on us. We are invited into that love today. Jesus deeply desires that we share in this incredible union. We, the Church on Earth, must strive for the same unity that Jesus describes between Him and the Father. This is how we transform the world through the Holy Spirit.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear how the growing Christian Church faced some major disputes and challenges. It can be reassuring to know that even in those early days, there were arguments between various sections of the Church. They faced real friction. The Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected. It is no different today. We will always face disagreements and logistical challenges. We need to look at how they dealt with these challenges. They did not split apart or turn their backs on one another. Through prayer, discussion, and an unshakeable trust in the Holy Spirit, they settled their disputes in a way that led to growth rather than division. They ordained the first deacons of the Church. Through the laying on of hands, Stephen and his six companions were commissioned to assist in the everyday needs of the community. This allowed the Apostles to continue in the vital task of preaching the Word.

The Church moved forward into growth rather than backwards into division. It is in being completely united that the Church will continue to grow. It is through our unity that the Word of God will be heard, believed, and spread throughout the world. Division and internal arguments only serve to damage the propagation of the truth of the Gospel message. We cannot perform the wonders God desires to perform through us if we are split by arguments and disagreements about details. We must be one united Church under Christ. We are called to stand firmly together under the successor to Saint Peter, who was appointed by Jesus to govern the Church on Earth until He returns in glory.

Saint Peter himself tells us in the second reading who we are called to be. He challenges us to be living stones. We are being built into a spiritual house, meant to be a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices. This spiritual house must be founded on the ultimate cornerstone, that unshakeable foundation stone which is Jesus. When we build our lives and our parishes on Him, no force on earth can shake us. It has been said that the peace of the Church depends on our joyful unity with the successor of Saint Peter. When we are bound together in love and obedience, we become a formidable force for the Kingdom of God.

To move forward today, we must be united, eagerly seeking the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit that so powerfully drove the Church in those early days. That awesome power and guidance is still available to us today. God has not stopped pouring out His Spirit. We must be listening for it and act on it when the Spirit moves us. Are we ready to be living stones? Ready to let go of division and embrace the task of building God's Kingdom together? God is calling us to a life of unity and purpose.

Let us decide today to follow Jesus with everything we have. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let us embark on the greatest journey of our lives and become the united Church that God created us to be. Let us confidently step forward in faith, unity, and joy.

God Bless Brendan.