Our first reading this weekend talks about the famous Jerusalem Council, as related in the Acts of the Apostles. I will focus on this episode, since I think it reflects something of the image of the American Church today. The apostles and all who first came to believe in Jesus were Jewish. They did not see themselves as part of a new religion; thus they continued to follow their Jewish laws, customs, rituals and traditions. However, there were problems when Gentiles started to believe in Jesus. Many Jews who believed in Jesus insisted that the Gentiles had to adopt Jewish ways if they wanted to consider themselves followers of Jesus. This conflict arose especially in Antioch, in Syria, because it was a large city and racially quite diverse. To solve the problem, the leaders of the Church at Antioch, including St Paul, went to Jerusalem to meet with some of the other apostles. Their decision was sent back to Antioch. It was a major decision, affecting how the Church would grow, including how we would be living it today.
Notice how the apostles introduced their decision: “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit, and ours too.” This has always been the belief of the Church whenever the bishops gather in council together with the Holy Spirit. It is an important concept, especially today when so many people think they can make up their own rules and do not need the Church to tell them what’s right or wrong.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus says “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” The word “teach” really jumped out at me, as I know it will to many others. To their credit, I’ve met many people who want to be close to God and they want to experience God, but they want it almost instantaneously. They are looking for a shortcut to help them avoid the effort of learning and growing into what God wants of us. They want it all right now. But like the leaders of the Church in Antioch, this word “teach” by Jesus tells us that growing in knowing and loving God and our neighbours, growing in praying and holiness, takes patience and time and effort. The Holy Spirit and the teaching authority of the Church will support us if we don’t wave them off.
Fr. Gabriel Wankar
Priest-in-Residence