Homily: Sixth Tuesday of Easter
Sixth Tuesday of Easter (Acts: 16:22-34) “Don’t Try to Chain the Spirit”
The jailer that we meet in this section of the Acts of the Apostles probably thought he was going to have a quiet night. The prisoners he was watching were put in the inner most cell of the prison. Not only that but he had chained their feet to a stake. Not even Houdini could have escaped from such a predicament.
But then all hell breaks loose. First an earthquake rocks the jail. The door of the prison is thrown open and the chains fall from the ankles of Paul and Silas.
The jailer must have been warned that he would be severely punished if his prisoners got away because he was terrorized by what he was seeing. He undergoes a roller coaster of emotions. First, he is in shock at what he is seeing. Then he is ready to kill himself rather than face the embarrassment of losing his prisoners.
But Paul and Silas stop him. He is so relieved by the fact that Paul and Silas are free but did not run away he asks if he can learn about the force that has set the apostles free. When he learns about the story of Jesus he not only wants to be baptized, but he also wants his household baptized (men, women and children).
What did the man do with his new faith? Did he go out and preach? Did he become a great leader in the early Christian church? Was he eventually martyred for his faith? The jailer fades into history like so many other unnamed converts in Christian history. He never was named a saint. He was not given a feast day, but his story has been told and retold throughout the centuries. The jail keeper was moved by the Spirit and by the firsthand experience of the power of the Holy Spirit. The truth that is repeated in Acts is that God’s plan for the church was not going to be squelched by anyone or anything. The Spirit still moves in the church today and the plan of God is still unfolding?
Reflection Questions:
- Have I known an unrecognized Saint? Who was it?
- Is the Spirit of God still at work in the church today? What is the proof of that?
Dear Parishioners,
Tonight, we will be having graduation for our eighth graders. Junior High is always a special time in a person’s life. I remember this as being a time when I was excited by life’s possibilities, but was confused as to what direction to go in. I remember being asked for the first time what I wanted to do with my life.
I had no idea what I wanted to do and, in a way, resented the question. I was not ready to deal with such large issues. I was just trying to deal with the fact I was growing out of my clothes and my voice was changing. But I also knew at about this time that I might want to be a priest. That was certainly a scary thought. I was not ready for that possibility either.
Let’s remember our eighth graders in prayer today. May the eighth graders have the guidance they need as they move on to new adventures in the months ahead.
May our Lady of Peace pray for us.
Fr. Mark