V Sunday of Easter:[A]:Acts 6:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:4-9; Jn. 14:1-12

V Sunday of Easter:[A]:Acts 6:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:4-9; Jn. 14:1-12

Introduction:  Jesus invites us to let go and trust in him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through him. A first reading helps us to understand the priesthood we all share and that leads to the responsibilities of total surrender.

Exegesis: The word priesthood is traced to the descendants of Levi, the third son of Jacob by Lia. The whole tribe of Levi by the command of God was set apart for the service of the sanctuary. Therefore in the apportionment of the land of Chanaan, the tribe of Levi received no tribal territory [Jos.13]. In lieu of land they received the tithes and also four cities with suburban pasture lands from each of the other tribes of Israel. As most of their duties required a man's full strength, the Levites usually entered active service at the age of 30. At the exodus from Egypt the male descendants of Levi from a month old and upward numbered 22,000. In the journey through the wilderness the number of the Levites from 30 years up to 50 years, the year of superannuation, was 8580. [Numb.4]

In Exodus 40:12-15, we read that God commanded Moses to set Aaron and his sons apart and to anoint them so that they may serve Him as priests, going from generation to generation. Their anointing would admit them to a perpetual priesthood. From this, we learn that those who belonged to the priesthood, a class that had been set apart in society, had been personally chosen by God to serve Him in a perpetual priesthood. When combining both words, "royal" and "priesthood," we learn that those who possess that title are persons of royal blood who have been personally chosen by God to serve Him in a perpetual priesthood that enjoys a different status in society.

Turning to the Gospel of John, we learn that Jesus commanded the Sacrament of Baptism as a condition to being admitted into the Kingdom of God. He said, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."[Jn. 3:5] Turning to the First Letter of John, we read that the seed of God abides in those who are born of God. [1Jn.3:9] From this additional knowledge we learn that those who have been baptized and admitted into the mystical Body of Christ that forms the spiritual Kingdom of God on earth, their royal blood is traced to the seed of God. They are set a part from the society for the welfare of the society.

Joke:  As a lead-in to today's Gospel, I would like to begin with a humorous story: It's about a man who falls off a cliff. On the way down he manages to grab a tree limb. With both hands grasping the limb, he looks down into a deep canyon. He cries out, "Help, please. Is anyone up there?"

After an unbearable silence, a voice answers, "Yes, I am here."

"Who are you?" the man shouts.

"It’s me, the Lord!"

Greatly relieved, the man says, "Oh, thank you! Have you come to rescue me?"

"Yes," says the Lord. "But you will have to trust me and do exactly what I say."

"Anything!" the man says.

The Voice says, "Let go. I will catch you.”

The man thinks for a second, looks down into the canyon, then asks, "Is there anyone else up there?"

Explanation: Well...the story indicates the dilemma we face in today's Gospel. Jesus says clearly, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father, is the only Way. Jesus himself is God. There is no one else up there. He alone can rescue us. But there is a hitch: We have to let go, trust totally in Him.

Sometimes people hold back from Christianity because they fear that it is "exclusive." In one sense that is understandable - Jesus does make some absolute claims. Jesus himself, however, is perfectly inclusive. He includes in Himself the entire Jewish faith. He also includes the monotheism and surrender of Islam, as well as the self-abnegation of the Buddha. He even embraces what is good and noble in paganism.

As Christians we follow Jesus - the one way to salvation, who is himself the fullness of life and truth. This does not mean that we claim to be oracles of truth. Or that we know all the answers or are always right. No, our approach to the truth requires humility. Our royal priesthood is to serve without exclusivity.

Practical: Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Total surrender should be reflected through our true faith, which should be seen by others as all inclusive. Jesus’ all inclusive nature leads us to follow him through the true way to Eternal life.

Introduction:  Fifth Sunday of Easter

Message: We are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood” called to place our faith and trust in the Spirit of Jesus who guides the community of faith.

Saints and Events in this week: 20-Twentieth-Tuesday-Saint Bernadine of Siena, priest; 21-TwentyFirst-Wednesday-Saint Christopher Magallanes, priest, and Companions, martyrs; 22-Twenty Second-Thursday-Saint Rita of Cascia, religious;