May 25th, 2025: Sixth Easter Sunday Homily
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today’s Gospel / gives us a deep and comforting promise / from Jesus / as He prepares His disciples / for His departure. He tells them:
“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him / and make our home with him.”
… and later…
“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives / do I give to you.”
These words are part of Jesus’ farewell discourse – a loving and intimate conversation / with His closest friends before His Passion. These are words meant not just for the apostles, but for all us today.
- The Indwelling of God.
“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him…”
Here, Jesus promises something extraordinary: that the Father and the Son / will come and make their home / within the believer. Our God / is not a distant God. He does not merely visit us now and then. He dwells / in the heart / of the one who loves Him / and strives to live by His word.
This is a profound truth / of our faith-that our God / is not found merely in temples or holy places, but within the very lives / of His people. When we live in love, obedience, and humility, we become tabernacles / of the Divine Presence.
- The Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus also speaks of the Holy Spirit, “the Advocate,” who will be sent by the Father / in His name. The Spirit / will teach the disciples everything / and remind them / of all that Jesus said.
This is not just / a historical promise – it’s a living reality / in the Church. The Holy Spirit / is still active today: guiding, enlightening, and strengthening us / in our Christian journey. When we pray, reflect on Scripture, seek truth, or act in love – it is the Spirit / who moves within us.
How often do we forget / that the Holy Spirit is with us – He is our teacher, our comforter, our strength.
- Peace the World Cannot Give.
Jesus then says:
“Peace I leave with you; my
Peace I give to you. Not as the
world gives / do I give to you.”
We often seek peace in the world – in security, in control, in comfort – but the peace / that Christ gives / is something deeper. It is not the absence of trouble, but the presence / of God. It is the peace / that can remain / even in our suffering, loss, or uncertainly, because / it is rooted in the love / of the Father and the presence / of the Holy Spirit.
This peace is a peace of trust. When we believe / that God is with us / and in us, fear loses its grip, and anxiety / no longer reigns. “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” Jesus says -because He is with us.
Conclusion.
As we continue our journey / through Easter / toward Pentecost, let us open ourselves / more deeply to His promise:
- That God desires to dwell in each one of us.
- That His Spirit / is already at work / within us.
- And that His peace, unlike anything the world can offer, is available to those / who love Him / and keep His word.
- Let us ask the Holy Spirit today / to make us more aware / of this indwelling presence. That our hearts / may be filled / with Christ’s peace, and that we, in turn, may become bearers / of peace in our families, our communities and our world.
AMEN.