Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

4th Sunday of Easter (May 2, 2004)

Suggested Emphasis

"Remain faithful to the grace of God."

Salesian Perspective

Paul and Barnabas' advice to the Church in Antioch to "remain faithful to the grace of God" was sound advice for new believers living in the midst of religious ferment. But what did that pious exhortation practically mean for those who heard it and what does it mean for us today who seek to keep these words of scripture "real" in our lives?

It is a call to Salesian humility and gentleness.

Paul reminds us all that Christians are called to be faithful, not perfect. Living in truth about who we are reminds us that we are constantly in need of God's mercy and forgiveness. No one is perfect. We make mistakes and we need to be gentle as we forgive, not excuse, ourselves for them. Perfection allows for no mistakes; faithfulness does not allow us to be conquered by them.

It assumes an ongoing relationship with God in the first place.

How consistent and honest is our prayer life? It's hard to be faithful to someone we never talk to.

It demands a new vision.

Remaining faithful to God's grace calls us to see life, its things and its events, as gifts freely given by a loving, empowering God who is for us and on our side. Our God is a loving Father, a Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep, not an evil hired hand who does not have the flock's welfare constantly in mind.

It demands flexibility.

Grace, as a free gift, cannot be controlled. It can make demands on us and stretch us and lead us to places we never would have gone by ourselves. DeSales once said: "Blessed are those with flexible hearts for they shall never be broken." Perhaps we can add: "Blessed too are those of "flexible faithfulness" for the grace of God will always be there.

Paul and Barnabas's ministry described in today's first reading showed flexibility as they turned their unsuccessful preaching to the Jews towards the more responsive and Spirit-led Gentiles. They looked for and saw the grace of God at work even in the midst of rejection and abuse. On a more humble but no less important a scale, we are called to that same "flexible faithfulness" as we "preach" the grace of God by the way we live our lives with passion and precision. Paul and Barnabas were filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Our reward can be no less.

Rev. John A Hanley, OSFS, is Campus Minister at De Sales University in Center Valley, PA.