Homily: Wednesday - 5th Week of Easter 2016 - Joy amidst controversy

Ever come home from a long hard day of work, and find the kids bickering?  Well, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, from a thousand mile journey, much of it by foot, where they had drawn thousands of Gentiles to Christ, had been stoned nearly to death, and they find some of the Christian converts from Judaism were instructing the community that “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” 

In the Old Testament, Gentiles could become part of God’s people through circumcision. Adult circumcision, however, is not entirely pleasant, and so this claim, we read, caused “no little dissension and debate.”

This topic really became the Church’s first serious controversy.  In the Old Testament, Gentiles could become part of God’s people through circumcision. The first followers of Christ were circumcised Jews, Jesus himself was a circumcised Jew, Paul was circumcised. And so the question arises: do the Gentiles essentially need to become Jewish first, and preserve the tenets of the Mosaic law, in order to be a faithful disciple of Jesus?  Is circumcision necessary for salvation?

So Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others journey to the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem to discuss this topic at what is known as the Council of Jerusalem, the first Official Council of the Church.  Over the next few days we’ll hear how this issue is resolved.

But one of the most important aspects of this reading today is that while they were making their way from Antioch to Jerusalem, through Phoenicia and Samaria, Paul and Barnabas shared the stories from their first missionary journey, he told of the conversion of the Gentiles, and this brought great joy to all the brothers.  They did not allow this church controversy to get in the way of the work of God. You don’t see Paul and Barnabas demonizing the opposition, belittling the other side in the debate, in the midst of controversy he continues to spread authentic joy.

Paul gives the modern church, riddled with many controversies, a power example of authentic Christian living. We have to be very careful when controversy arises, within our church and our families, that we do not blow our differences out of proportion, that we do not demonize others, but that we continue to act in charity.

A second important insight, is that when this controversy arises, Paul doesn’t make an authoritative claim about Church policy, Paul turns to the authority of the Apostles, and points others in that direction as well.  Whenever we don’t understand a Church teaching, or have a disagreement with Church policy, we are to submit to the Apostles, who offer teaching consistent with the Gospel and Sacred Tradition.

No, Jesus never spoke directly about issues of In Vitro Fertilization, Gay Marriage, contraception, or human cloning. But the Pope and the Bishops faithfully apply the Gospel to these issues, and we are to form our minds according to their authoritative apostolic teaching.

By not allowing controversy to rob us of our Christian joy, and to subjecting ourselves to the rightful authority of the Church, we remain united to Christ, as branches to the vine. Through faith, obedience, and charity, may our earthly work bear fruit that will last unto eternity, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.