FIFTH SUNDAY OF RESURRECTION Homily Help

THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF RESURRECTION

Fifth Sunday of Resurrection Season
Peter is Chosen to Guide the Flock

Ephesians 2:1-10
You were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

Praise be to God always.

I. Biblical Exegesis

[2:1–10] The recipients of Paul’s letter have experienced, in their redemption from transgressions and sins, the effect of Christ’s supremacy over the power of the devil (Eph 2:1–2; cf. Eph 6:11–12), who rules not from the netherworld but from the air between God in heaven and human beings on earth. Both Jew and Gentile have experienced, through Christ, God’s free gift of salvation that already marks them for a future heavenly destiny (Eph 2:3–7). The language dead, raised us up, and seated us…in the heavens closely parallels Jesus’ own passion and Easter experience. The terms in Eph 2:8–9 describe salvation in the way Paul elsewhere speaks of justification: by grace, through faith, the gift of God, not from works; cf. Gal 2:16–21; Rom 3:24–28. Christians are a newly created people in Christ, fashioned by God for a life of goodness (Eph 2:10).

[2:1–7] These verses comprise one long sentence in Greek, the main verb coming in Eph 2:5, God brought us to life, the object you/us dead in…transgressions being repeated in Eph 2:1, 5; cf. Col 2:13

[2:2] Age of this world: or “aeon,” a term found in gnostic thought, possibly synonymous with the rulers of this world, but also reflecting the Jewish idea of “two ages,” this present evil age and “the age to come”; cf. 1 Cor 3:19; 5:10; 7:31; Gal 1:4; Ti 2:12. The disobedient: literally, “the sons of disobedience,” a Semitism as at Is 30:9.

[2:5] Our relation through baptism with Christ, the risen Lord, is depicted in terms of realized eschatology, as already exaltation, though Eph 2:7 brings in the future aspect too.

II. Patristic References

Ephraim, Apapphrat 2121

\IDemonstration XXII.\i—Of Death and theLAtter Times.
2122
1. The upright and righteous and good and wise fear not nor tremble at death, because of the great hope that is before them. And they at every time are mindful of death, their exodus, and of the last day in which the children of Adam shall be judged. They know that by the sentence of judgment death has held sway, because Adam transgressed the commandment; as the Apostle said:—Death ruled from Adam unto Moses even over those who sinned not, so that also upon all the children of Adam it passed,1 even as it passed upon Adam. And how did death rule from Adam unto Moses? Clearly, when God laid down the commandment for Adam, He warned him, and said:—On the day that thou shalt eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt die the death.2 So when he transgressed the commandment and ate of the tree, death ruled over him and over all his progeny. Even over those who had not sinned, even over them did death rule through Adam’s transgression of the commandment.

2. And why did he say:—From Adam unto Moses did Death rule? And who is so ill-furnished with knowledge as to imagine that only from Adam to Moses has death had dominion? Yet let him understand from this that he said:—Upon all men it passed. Thus, upon all men it passed from Moses until the world shall end. Yet Moses preached that its kingdom is made void. For when Adam transgressed the commandment whereby the sentence of death was passed upon his progeny, Death hoped that he would bind fast all the sons of man and would be king over them for ever. But when Moses came, he proclaimed the resurrection, and Death knew that his kingdom is to be made void. For Moses said:—Reuben shall live and not die, and shall be in number.3 And when the Holy One called Moses from the bush he said thus to him:—I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.4 When Death heard this utterance, he trembled and feared and was terrified and was perturbed, and knew that he had not become king for ever over the children of Adam. From the hour that he heard God saying to Moses:—I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, Death smote his hands together, for he learned that God is King of the dead and of the living, and that it is appointed to the children of Adam to come forth from his darkness, and arise with their bodies. And observe that our Redeemer Jesus also, when He repeated this utterance to the Sadducees, when they were disputing with Him about the Resurrection of the dead, thus said:—God is not(God) of the dead, for all are alive unto Him.5

3. And that God might make known to Death that his authority is not for ever over all the progeny of the world, He translated Enoch to Himself, because he was well-pleasing, and made him deathless. And again He took up Elijah to heaven, and Death had no dominion over him. And Hannah said:—The Lord maketh to die and causeth to live; He bringeth down to Sheol and raiseth up.6 Furthermore Moses said as from the mouth of God:—I make to die and I cause to live.7 Again the Prophet Isaiah also said:—Thy dead shall live, and their dead bodies shall rise again; and the sleepers of the dust shall be awakened, and shall glorify Thee.8 When Death heard all these things, amazement seized him, and he sat him down in mourning.

4. And when Jesus, the slayer of Death, came, and clothed Himself in a Body from the seed of Adam, and was crucified in His Body, and tasted death; and when (Death) perceived thereby that He had come down unto him, he was shaken from his place and was agitated when he saw Jesus; and he closed his gates and was not willing to receive Him. Then He burst his gates, and entered into him, and began to despoil all his possessions. But when the dead saw light in the darkness, they lifted up their heads from the bondage of death, and looked forth, and saw the splendour of the King Messiah. Then the powers of the darkness of Death sat in mourning, for he was degraded from his authority. Death tasted the medicine that was deadly to him, and his hands dropped down, and he learned that the dead shall live and escape from his sway. And when He had afflicted Death by the despoiling of his possessions, he wailed and cried aloud in bitterness and said, “Go forth from my realm and enter it not. Who then is this that comes in alive into my realm?” And while Death was crying out in terror (for he saw that his darkness was beginning to be done away, and some of the righteous who were sleeping arose to ascend with Him), then He made known to him that when He shall come in the fulness of time, He will bring forth all the prisoners from his power, and they shall go forth to see the light. Then when Jesus had fulfilled His ministry amongst the dead, Death sent Him forth from his realm, and suffered Him not to remain there. And to devour Him like all the dead, he counted it not pleasure. He had no power over the Holy One, nor was He given over to corruption.

5. And when he had eagerly sent Him forth and He had come forth from his realm, He left with him, as a poison, the promise of life; that by little and little his power should be done away. Even as when a man has taken a poison in the food which is given for (the support of) life, when he perceives in himself that he has received poison in the food, then he casts up again from his belly the food in which poison was mingled; but the drug leaves its power in his limbs, so that by little and little the structure of his body is dissolved and corrupted. So Jesus dead was the bringer to nought of Death; for through Him life is made to reign, and through Him Death is abolished, to whom it is said:—O Death, where is thy victory?9

1 The beginning to this point is lost in the Syriac but has been preserved in the Armenian translation. We have borrowed it through the Latin translation of Graffin (Patrologia Syriaca, Tom. I)..
1 S. Mt 10,8.
2 (Jr 7,4, 5.
3 Lv 26,12.
4 1. Cor. 3,16, etc.
5 John, 14,20.
6 (1Co 3,10,
7 (1Co 3,11,
8 (1Co iii.16.
9 (Jn 10,30,

Gospel: John 21:15-19
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” (Jesus) said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

This is the Truth. Peace be with you.

I. Biblical Exegesis

[21:15–23] This section constitutes Peter’s rehabilitation and emphasizes his role in the church.

[21:15–17] In these three verses there is a remarkable variety of synonyms: two different Greek verbs for love; two verbs for feed/tend; two nouns for sheep; two verbs for know. But apparently there is no difference of meaning. The threefold confession of Peter is meant to counteract his earlier threefold denial (Jn 18:17, 25, 27). The First Vatican Council cited these verses in defining that Jesus after his resurrection gave Peter the jurisdiction of supreme shepherd and ruler over the whole flock.

[21:15] More than these: probably “more than these disciples do” rather than “more than you love them” or “more than you love these things [fishing, etc.].”

[21:18] Originally probably a proverb about old age, now used as a figurative reference to the crucifixion of Peter.

[21:22] Until I come: a reference to the parousia.

[21:23] This whole scene takes on more significance if the disciple is already dead. The death of the apostolic generation caused problems in the church because of a belief that Jesus was to have returned first. Loss of faith sometimes resulted; cf. 2 Pt 3:4.

[21:24] Who…has written them: this does not necessarily mean he wrote them with his own hand. The same expression is used in Jn 19:22 of Pilate, who certainly would not have written the inscription himself. We know: i.e., the Christian community; cf. Jn 1:14, 16.

II. Patristic References

Gregory Nazianzen (the Theologian)

Oration XLV. The Second Oration on Easter.
XXIV. If you are a Simon of Cyrene,76 take up the Cross and follow. If you are crucified with Him as a robber,77 acknowledge God as a penitent robber. If even He was numbered among the transgressors78 for you and your sin, do you become law-abiding for His sake. Worship Him Who was hanged for you, even if you yourself are hanging; make some gain even from your wickedness; purchase salvation by your death; enter with Jesus into Paradise,79 so that you may learn from what you have fallen.80 Contemplate the glories that are there; let the murderer die outside with his blasphemies; and if you be a Joseph of Arimathaea,81 beg the Body from him that crucified Him, make thine own that which cleanses the world.82 If you be a Nicodemus, the worshipper of God by night, bury Him with spices.83 If you be a Mary, or another Mary, or a Salome, or a Joanna, weep in the early morning. Be first to see the stone taken away,84 and perhaps you will see the Angels and Jesus Himself. Say something; hear His Voice. If He say to you, Touch Me not,85 stand afar off; reverence the Word, but grieve not; for He knoweth those to whom He appeareth first. Keep the feast of the Resurrection; come to the aid of Eve who was first to fall, of Her who first embraced the Christ, and made Him known to the disciples. Be a Peter or a John; hasten to the Sepulchre, running together, running against one another, vying in the noble race.86 And even if you be beaten in speed, win the victory of zeal; not Looking into the tomb, but Going in. And if, like a Thomas, you were left out when the disciples were assembled to whom Christ shews Himself, when you do see Him be not faithless;87 and if you do not believe, then believe those who tell you; and if you cannot believe them either, then have confidence in the print of the nails. If He descend into Hell,88 descend with Him. Learn to know the mysteries of Christ there also, what is the providential purpose of the twofold descent, to save all men absolutely by His manifestation, or there too only them that believe.

76 (He 13,15 and He 10,20.
77 (Mc 15,21,
78 (Lc 23,42,
79 (Is 53,12,
80 (Lc 23,43,
81 (Ap 2,5,
82 (Lc 23,52,
83 (1Jn 1,7,
84 (Jn 19,39,
85 Jn 20,11, etc.
86 Jn 21,17.
87 Jn 20,3-4.
88 Jn 20,25.

Sample Homily

Eusebius the first historian of the Church, tells us that at the Council of Nicaea many of the Council Fathers were also “Confessors” that is, those who had suffered torture and beatings for the faith, almost to the point of martydom. Now that the Emperor Constantine had decided to legalize and promote the Christian religion, they arrived at the Council nolonger in fear of the Roman government, but still bearing the marks of their persecution from when Rome’s policies were anything but tolerant to the followers of Christ.
While the conversion of Constantine and his mother St. Helena certainly ushered in a new era in the life of the Church, these Bishop/Confessors who arrived at Nicaea to defend the Trinitarian Faith, were a visible link to the beginnings of the persecuted Church, to blessed Peter and the other Apostles and disciples who suffered and often died in the midst of spreading the Gospel of Truth, the Gospel of Salvation. Like the great Bishop/Martyr St. Ignatius of Antioch the eloquence of their words was only surpassed by the witness of their sufferings and martyrdoms.
In our Gospel reading today Our Lord tells Peter to feed the sheep and that eventually he will be handed over and die for the sheep, for the Church, for the truth. Peter the first human being to profess that Jesus is the Christ, Peter the Rock upon which Our Lord promised to build his Church, Peter the repentent one, who feared for his life until he saw the Risen Lord and recieved the Holy Spirit. Peter who took the faith to Antioch and according to traditon was crucified upside down in the Vatican circus. This same Peter like those battered bishops who came to the Council of Nicaea remind us that the Apostolic Faith, and the Apostolic Ministry is also united to the suffering of the Cross. We are also reminded that the “royal priesthood” conferred upon all of us at baptism calls us to the same witness as those called to the Ordination of Holy Orders, the witness to the truth of Christ, which may entail suffering and for some of us even a martyrs death. Yes as Scripture remind us we are “victors” in all this, for we shall share in the vicotory of the one whom we preach and witness – Jesus Christ, Our Risen Lord.