Following is the prepared text from Bishop Olmsted’s homily from Mother’s Day, the fifth Sunday of Easter.
May 10, 2020
“The word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).
This brief portrait from the Acts of the Apostles shows how people were drawn to Christ by the Word of God. No matter what was happening, whether good or bad, the first disciples of Jesus kept listening to His word, then praying for one another, caring for the needy, and worshiping God. Even when complaints arose about the distribution of food, they found a way to attend to the complaints without taking their eyes off Jesus.
The complaints arose due to differences of culture and language. One contingent spoke Hebrew; the other spoke Greek. The Hebrew-speaking widows were well provided for, but the Greek-speaking ones were neglected. So the Apostles convened the community to deal with the food problem, but first they said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.”
The Apostles insisted that their first duty was to hand on God’s word, listen and put it into practice, then celebrate it in the Sacraments. After reminding everyone of this priority, they told the Greek-speaking community to choose seven of their own men to distribute food to the widows. Notice what qualifications they gave: “Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task.”
People needed God’s word more than they needed tacos and tamales. So these seven, though not called to be Apostles, still needed to be faithful witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This decision to keep fidelity to Jesus and His Word as the priority above all else, proved to be successful. “…the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.”
Recall that the priests, mentioned here, were Jewish priests of the Old Covenant, who at one time had been among the most outrageous opponents of the Apostles; now, God’s word was even winning them over. “The word of God cannot be chained” (2 Tim 2:8-9). The coronavirus may continue to spread, it may continue to take many lives, but it will never be as powerful as the word of God. “Heaven and earth will pass away,” Jesus says, “but my words will never pass away.”
The amazing power of the Word of God in Jerusalem 2000 years ago continues to transform lives in our own time, especially in homes where Christians put their faith into practice. On this Mother’s Day 2020, then, I think with gratitude of all the families who are keeping the word of God alive in your homes, even when it has not been possible to attend public Mass. My thoughts go out to all of you, but especially on this Mother’s Day to our Catholic Moms, including my own dear Mother back in Kansas.
Dear Catholic Moms, thank you for saying “Yes” to life. Thank you for saying “Yes” to love. Thank you for your “Yes” to the living God. What Saint Peter wrote in his First Letter is certainly true of God’s plan for all Christian homes: “…like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house… to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Thank you, dear Catholic Moms, for being “living stones” within the Church that is your home. You become “living stones” by making a gift of yourself, day by day, to every member of your family.
In this regard, St. John Paul II said, “Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own.” Every one of us is created in the image of God, God who is love. And thus, “no person can understand himself/herself until he/she learns to make a sincere gift of self to another” (Gaudium et spes, 24). This self-gift is expressed in different, yet complementary ways by a man or woman, by husband or wife. In either case, the gift must be total and free, faithful and fruitful.
The great example of motherhood for all women is the Blessed Virgin Mary. All history changed and the Redemption of the world began, when Mary accepted God’s plan for her life; “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
St. John Paul II said that a mother’s love is seen particularly in her capacity for being attentive to others, in the way she listens to each person with undivided attention. This is evident in the way that Mary listened to the Angel Gabriel, listened to her husband Joseph, listened to Simeon and Anna at the Presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple, and so on down through the years. We are told that, as Jesus grew, Mary had the habit of pondering His words in her heart, even when she did not understand.
Children learn to love by the way their mother listens to them with such attentiveness and patience. So, dear mothers, know that we give thanks to God for you and your listening hearts. We ask the Lord to pour out His abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones.
Before concluding, dear brothers and sisters, dear sons and daughters in Christ, I cannot fail to call attention to the words of Jesus found in the first line of today’s Gospel (John 14:1), “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is testing our patience and trying our faith. Recall Jesus’ words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Many hearts are frightened and deeply disturbed. But you are not alone. “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Jesus is with us. Remember, when Jesus first spoke those words, it was only hours before His Passion and death on the Cross, when the Apostles’ faith was so greatly tested that all but one withdrew in fear. But His words are true. No matters what happens today or ever, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” He tells us, “…have faith in God. Have faith in me.”
