Homily by Maria McClain, RCWP, Pastor

What a rousing group of readings!  What do you think of that last paragraph of the Gospel?  "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven.  If you retain anyone's sins, they are retained."  Was Jesus speaking about the Sacrament of Reconciliation?  Was he exaggerating?   Was he saying that the Holy Spirit would make the disciples infallible?  What was he saying?
 
Think of the phrase "body and blood" we use for the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?   We mean "the whole Jesus Christ" all of him - his mind and heart, desires, intentions, humanity, divinity."  The same is true with the opposites that John uses: "forgiven" and "retained."  They mean the whole authority of a leader or judge - "forgive, " "retain" and everything in between.  Like what?  What about negotiation,  setting priorities, boundaries, choosing leaders, trading, sharing?    In other words, Jesus gave the disciples complete authority to carry on his mission with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
 
That was the evening of the Resurrection.  Then Jesus left them, coming back occasionally for 40 days.  By that time Jews from all over the known world were starting to arrive for the festival of Pentecost (50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread)- - one of the three main holydays.  The disciples hid in someone's upper room because they were afraid that they would be killed like their leader, Jesus.
 
When Pentecost arrived, the power of the Holy Spirit, appearing in wind and flame, banished all their fear.  They began to understand that they were being called to embody the ministry Jesus had begun, to internalize it and carry out! 
 
 And by the way, who are you picturing was there?  Just a group of 11 men and Jesus' mother, Mary?   What about the women disciples, like Mary of Magdala and the other Mary?  The other disciples?  One account  (Acts 1:15) indicates that there were about 120 people.  Later in Acts it says that there were  only the eleven Apostles and all were men.
 
What did the power of the Holy Spirit bring?  Obviously joy, enthusiasm, knowledge, understanding, courage.  Some had the power to heal the sick, speak in tongues, travel to the distant parts of the Roman Empire to teach people about Jesus and his mission.  Did they understand everything all at once?  Apparently not.  We read later in Acts they that had arguments, some stole from the general fund and did other things that showed that they didn't get it completely.
 
One thing they did feel was the need for community.  They needed to get together to pray -  to worship God as Jesus had taught them, to pray for guidance, to eat the Bread of Life and drink the Cup of Salvation.  That naturally led them to a love so great that they would die for what they believed and for each other.   It led them to open their eyes and have empathy for those around them, their own community and those outside.  That empathy led them to actions.  That was what Jesus had done.  That's what they would do.
 
We are direct descendants of those disciples.  We have received the Holy Spirit!  We also need community.  We also need to worship God as Jesus taught, eat the Bread of Life and drink the Blood of Salvation.  We need to pray for guidance and show great love for each other and those beyond our community.   We also need to do what people everywhere do when they come to a gathering of family and friends.  We need to have a leader who calls the group together, a group of people who plan liturgies and recruit people carry out the various tasks: from setting up to cleaning up, and everything in between.
 
We're going to be personally recruiting more of you to be an active part of keeping this community alive and healthy, part of the ministries of lector, Eucharistic minister, hospitality ministry, usher and  more, part of visioning the future.  You already tell  others we are available for those who want to be part of an inclusive Catholic community.  We want more people to  know that this is a spiritual home for all people searching for inclusive leadership, language and ministry in the sacramental tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.   We want to be a community that is listening for and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
 
Pentecost calls us to gather around the table of Jesus Christ.  Like those Christians at the first Pentecost, we, too, can have our faith enflamed by  the Holy Spirit!   Let's go there together!
 
Maria Thornton McClain, RCWP
5/18/2013

Homily by Maria McClain, RCWP, Pastor
 
"There are some truths that will never change, and the Church is including within the deposit of faith the fact that it cannot ordain women as priests."  This statement was made by Fr. Ronald Lengwin, Spokesperson for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, in the documentary film, "Pink Smoke over the Vatican."
 
A response to that statement was given by Bishop Patricia Fresen who said: "The Deposit of Faith has not been closed off.  The Church has had to admit it was wrong many times.  Think of Galileo."  Another responder mentioned slavery which the Church didn't say was against its teachings  until the late 1800's.  Another responder spoke of the change in the teaching that "money was evil and lending money was a mortal sin."
 
Looking back at the early church we see that strong differences of opinion have always been present within Christianity.  In the early days the important marker was community.  The fact that different cultures had their own theologies was known, but charity was most important.  There was little distinction between clergy and laity.  All were followers of the Risen Christ.  All elected leaders, including the Pope. 
 
About the year 1000 the picture started to change.  With the Western church headquartered in Rome, its goal and image was that of a perfect society, perfectly ordered and, recently, even infallible.  A major separation between clergy and laity began to be enforced.  Laity had no power in decision-making.  Clergy began dressing in elaborate attire like high Renaissance nobility, scandalizing many Christians who were trying to model their lives on Jesus of Nazareth, poor, persecuted and executed on a cross.
 
Today cracks in this system are becoming more and more prevalent.  Even the new pope seems to be in step with breaking  from the past and is making it clear that he is a pope of the people. 
 
But what about the core beliefs, the conditions for membership, that were the problem in the infant Church?  In the chapter from the Acts of the Apostles from which our first reading is taken, there is a discussion among Paul and Barnabas, Peter and James about whether Gentiles were eligible to be members.  Their conclusion was based on Peter's statement that "Just as we believe that we are saved through the grace of Jesus Christ, so are they," and the report from Paul and Barnabas recounting all the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them. This was how Gentiles were spared having to be circumcised to be Christian.
 
Do we, as members and supporters of St. Mary of Magdala Catholic Community, still hold to those core beliefs that we are saved through belief in Jesus Christ, and carrying on Jesus' healing ministry?   Are we true members of the Church, or are we outside the Church? 

Let's look at our Creed:

We believe in God who is creator and nurturer of all.

We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who is our love, our hope, and our light.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia, who energizes and guides us in building caring  communities and in challenging oppression, exploitation and injustices.

We believe that God loves us passionately and forgives us everything.

We believe that we are radiant images of God who calls us to live fully, love tenderly, and serve generously.

We believe in the communion of saints, our heavenly friends, who support us on life’s journey. 

We believe in the partnership and equality of women and men in our church and world.

We believe that all are one in the Heart of God.

Here we live our prophetic call of compassion and equality for all.

Amen

What do you see is the same as what would be said in a parish church?  ……….
What do you see that would not be said there?  Why are we different?  ……….
Then there's the rest of the liturgy, the Mass, what is the same? ……….
What is different?  Why?.......
How do we participate in Jesus' healing ministry? ……...
 
The next time we meet to celebrate the Eucharist we will go deeper into this understanding of we, Church, as the Body of Christ.  For now let's remember the words of Pope John XXIII, "Let there be unity in what is necessary, freedom in what is doubtful, and charity in everything."
 
We are forming a community by being here, giving up our own plans to cut the grass, go shopping or Skyping our family.   But becoming one Bread, one Body will take another step: real communion happens when we let go of our demands in order to lighten another's burdens.  That's when Christ's love shines in the Church.  Let's celebrate Christ's love now as we share in the gift of the Eucharist!
 
Maria Thornton McClain, RCWP
5/4/2013