No Partiality

May 13, 2012

The Sixth Sunday of Easter B

By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ

"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.  Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him."  Acts 10:34-35

In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.  In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.   1 John 4:9-10

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.  This I command you: love one another."  John 15:16-17

Piety

Our piety shines out in the ways we give our life for others.  Time and energy are the two biggest gifts we have to give.  Money and all the trappings of honor and glory are not ours to give.  They belong to the work of others.  Our piety shines out in what does not need the trappings of honor and glory.  It is not something we give to ourselves.  Our piety exists in the relationship we have with Christ in the ways we share that relationship with others.  Piety is God’s friendship with us lived in how Christ is our way, truth and life.  Christ is the truth of piety in us.

Study

The Holy Spirit falls on those that hear the word of the Lord from us or others.  God shows no partiality.  Anyone who fears God and acts justly is open to the gifts of the Spirit.  We study how we can better live our lives in Christ.  Christ takes us into himself each time we receive Eucharist.  We take Christ into ourselves and grow in his life in us every time we communicate.  It is God’s life that Eucharist brings us.  How to better prepare ourselves for the Eucharist of every day is the work of our study.  Eucharist of every day is the love we offer and receive from each other.  We study how to be more loving.

Action

We remain in the love of Christ by the good deeds of our lives.  What we do for one another is how God loves and is loved by us even as we are loved by God in each others’ good actions for our sake.  Christ calls us his friends and our love for one another is how his friendship grows in us.  No act of love is ever wasted in the divine order of things.  Christ shares all he learnt from the Father by his prayer.  We share what we learn from Christ in the genuineness of our love for one another.  Our action is not only seen in our choice of Christ.  It is also seen in how Christ chose us.  We are appointed by Christ to go out and by our actions bear fruit that will remain.  Our biggest action will always be what we ask from the Father in the name of Christ.  We have Christ’s voice in heaven activated by how we ask Christ’s blessings on our work.  Our prayer for one another is the best action of our lives.  Even as Christ prayed for all that would learn of him from his disciples, he prayed for us.  We pick up the action of his prayer in the way we intercede for each other.