Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year C

The election of Pope Leo XIV, an Augustinian monk and missionary, has brought the teaching of St Augustine back to the popular consciousness of the Church. And there's no doubt that is a good thing.

Of Augustine's confessions, one that has received renewed attention is "Our Hearts are restless, O God, until they find their rest in you."

Having been created in the image and likeness of a relational God, we are innately relational beings that can only fully realise our humanity if we welcome God (and other people) into our hearts.

Imagine an artist, shaping a heart with clay, and leaving the indent of their thumb. An imprint so unique that only the artist's own hand could ever fill that space - no matter where or to what else we turn to fill that void.

This Sunday we hear much the same message in Jesus' own words - if you keep my Word, the Father and I will make our home in you, and you will live in peace. In other words, our restlessness, the inner disquiet of the human heart, will be stilled.

On one hand it seems as if Jesus is setting conditions on a relationship with us. If you love me, and keep my Word, then I will come to you.

But this is not consistent with the overwhelming, reckless love of Jesus on the cross. Nor what St Paul calls the undeserved kindness of God.

What I hear instead are the words of the God in the Book of Revelation that says, 'I stand at the door and wait.' The words of the God who yearns to live beside us, and within us.

Looking again at the Gospel, Jesus is not issuing an ultimatum, but an invitation. Come, be whole. Rest in me, and I will rest in you. An extraordinary, open-ended, timeless invitation.

Returning to Pope Leo, and the prayer with which he concluded his first general audience in St Peter's Sqaure this week...

Lord, I pray that I will have the grace to always welcome Your Word into my heart.

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