May 18, 2014 – Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 6: 1-7; Ps 33: 1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1 Pt 2: 4-9; Jn 14: 1-12
“Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house.” These words from the second reading from St. Peter’s first letter have additional meaning to us as American Catholics. Of course, the reference to “living stones” connects us to Jesus, the Cornerstone. Jesus is the foundation, but we are called to place ourselves and our lives on that foundation. One might also say that God wants us to build this holy house, our lives, His way. Too often we may wish to build it our way.
The reason this image has special meaning to those of us who live in the United States is that many of the first Catholic churches here were built by the people. Since many pursued lives of agriculture, they would transport field stones from their farms to a central location and with them build their churches. That adds an extra element of meaning to the term “living stones.”
Just as we, as part of the Church, are one body with Christ at the heart, we also are this structure with Christ at the foundation. Stewardship calls us to identify our strengths, where we fit into the building so to speak, and to use those strengths to serve and support the whole. Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” We need to seek that same relationship so that we are one with the Lord.
