Homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter (May 3, 2026).
Acts 6:1-7; 1Peter 2:4-9; John 14:1-12
Home is Not a Place, But a Person
Friends, today’s readings bring us into the heart of a community in transition. It is the 5th Sunday of Easter, and the initial "Hallelujah" of the empty tomb has begun to settle into the gritty, daily reality of what it means to live as a Resurrection people.
We find ourselves caught between two worlds: the anxiety of the disciples in the Upper Room and the growing pains of the early Church in Jerusalem. At the center of it all is a profound question: Where do we go when the world feels like it is falling apart?
The Trouble of the Heart
In the Gospel of John 14:1-12, Jesus speaks to a room full of trembling hearts. Judas has left to betray him; Peter has been told he will deny him; and Jesus has announced his departure. Their world is shrinking.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled," Jesus says. This isn't a Hallmark sentiment. The Greek word for "troubled" is tarassestho—it means to be stirred up like a stormy sea, to be in a state of chaos. Jesus isn't telling them to ignore their pain; he is telling them to anchor it.
He makes a staggering promise: "In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places." For centuries, we have viewed this as a real estate brochure for heaven—mansions in the sky. But the word "dwelling" (monē) means a "staying place" or an "abiding." Jesus isn't talking about a destination we reach after we die; he is talking about a relationship we inhabit right now.
When Thomas—the patron saint of the literal-minded—asks for a map, Jesus gives him a person. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." He is saying: If you want to know where you are going, look at who you are with.
Chosen Living Stones
If Jesus is the "Way," then what are we? 1 Peter 2:4-9 provides the architectural answer. We are "living stones."
Think about that image. A stone is static, cold, and heavy. But a living stone is one that has been breathed upon by the Spirit. Peter tells us that we are being built into a "spiritual house."
Often, we feel like discarded stones—unfit, cracked by our past mistakes, or pushed aside by a world that values efficiency over soul. But Peter reminds us that the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. In God's hands, your "cracks" are exactly where the mortar of grace takes hold. You are not just a spectator in the Church; you are the very material God is using to build a home for the world.
The Ministry of the Table
We see this "spiritual house" in action in Acts 6:1-7. The early Church is facing its first internal crisis: a dispute over the fair distribution of food.
The Apostles realize that "the Way" is not just about high theology; it’s about who gets fed at the table. They appoint the first deacons—men like Stephen—to ensure that the "widows" (the most vulnerable) are not neglected.
This tells us something vital for 2026: The "Way" of Jesus is paved with service. We cannot claim to abide in the Father’s house if we are letting our neighbors starve on the doorstep. The "greater works" that Jesus promises we will do in the Gospel are not just miracles of healing; they are the miracles of justice, administrative integrity, and radical inclusion.
The Call to Abide
Today, Jesus looks at our "troubled hearts"—troubled by global uncertainty, personal loss, or spiritual dryness—and he offers the same invitation: Abide in me.
He is the Way: When the path ahead is obscured, we don't need a five-year plan; we need the next step in his footsteps.
He is the Truth: In an age of "alternative facts," his character is the only reliable North Star.
He is the Life: He is the energy that turns a heavy stone into a living one.
As we approach the altar today, remember that you are a "chosen race, a royal priesthood." You are being built into something grander than your own individual life.
Don't just look for the Way. Walk it. Don't just study the Truth. Inhabit it. Don't just survive this life. Flourish in His.
For we are no longer homeless. We have found our dwelling place, and His name is Jesus.
Have a splendid day!
