Acts 6:1-7; Ps. 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; 1Peter 2:4-9; Jn. 14:1-12

What is the mystery of faith?  We say it in every Mass after the consecration.  It is the real presence of Christ in the bread and wine as Christ’s body and blood, a reality accepted in faith more than by reason.  Many do not believe even among some Catholics that the Eucharist is the real presence of Christ because it sounds too cannibalistic.  It is seen with only human understanding, reduced to mere symbolism.   

Easter is the revelation of Jesus resurrected yet maintaining the capacity of being in body and blood.  It is the divine body and blood that we are now receiving in the Eucharist.  How can this be?  In the same way that he reveals to us that to see him is to see the Father, he is in the Father and the Father is in him adding to the mystery of faith.  Not only that but to complete the mystery of faith, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are one God. 

To add to the mystery of faith, Jesus does not “cancel” the priesthood so that we may all be led by a good pastor of the sheep.  This is what the reformation tried to do in separating itself from the Catholic church.  It claimed by our baptism we are all priests, prophets and kings so no need for as priest.  In doing so however no more consecration of bread and wine so it had to be a mere symbolism. The first reading tells us that “even a large number of priests” became obedient not by giving up their priesthood but by joining the priesthood of Jesus. 

The first Apostles are revealing to us today in the scripture the priesthood of Jesus.  The community was growing and they found themselves having to ensure that the community was being taken care of for basic needs.  They saw this as “neglect” of the word of God and of the priestly role to “serve at table”.  This was their first obligation to proclaim the word and consecrate the bread and wine into the daily Eucharist.  The solution was to appoint “seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom” who they laid hands on them to assist in the care of the church and thus was created the first deacons.   

The origins for the call to the diaconate was to serve the needs of the people.  In being “reputable”, they were trusted with the resources of the church and not prone to scandal.  In being filled with the Spirit and wisdom they served as a channel of grace to minister to the needs of the people as the hands of the church.  Deacons are called apart out from the people but not to the priesthood become the bridge living “in the world but not of the world” uniting church and people as a visible Christ.  The diaconate is to go forth as a voice for our times in our homes, work places, and in the community. 

Jesus is our cornerstone “the way the truth and the life”.  This is our invitation today, just as the Father dwells in Jesus and Jesus in him, we are invited to dwell in Jesus and “offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”.  The complaint we hear from people is that they come to church to “get something” by being here.  Jesus is here waiting to receive what we are ready to offer him, our worship and praise, our fruits even our very selves.  It is in giving that we receive.  If we come to church with the idea of “Jesus show me what you got, show me the Father” not ready to empty ourselves to his love and mercy then we leave just as we came in.

In our times it is often repeated “the church is the people” who share in the one priesthood by baptism.  This focus on the people is meaningful and part of Vatican II’s effort for the people to be more engaged in the church.  It is not meant to deny Jesus his institution of a church to lead the people in his divine plan of salvation. 

The mystery of faith is also the church.  The church is born in the one priesthood of Jesus Christ!  Ecclesiology is the study of the nature of the “church” and traditionally Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension as the birth of the church.  These are the priests set apart to lead the people.  Pope Leo last Sunday, also called the Good Shepherd Sunday ordained a group of men to the priesthood in which he told them “You are a channel, not a filter.”  The good shepherd leads people to Christ with an open gate to add to a “holy nation, a people of his own” with love and mercy as we place our trust in him. 

The mystery of faith rises and descends from the Eucharist as the source and summit of the church. Can there be church without the Eucharist or the Eucharist without a priest?  Let us continue to pray for the priesthood and the call for vocations as the cornerstone that Jesus left us as his way to remain with us.