Homily for Monday, 18 May 2015– Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Readings of the day: Acts 19:1-8; Psalm 68:2-3ab, 4-5acd, 6-7ab; John 16:20-23

How many of us have ever taught? How many of us are parents; grandparents; perhaps great-grandparents, and if so have been teachers in your own right? When teaching children (and sometimes adults), have you ever been in a situation where you did not know where to begin your teaching? How much do the people you are teaching know about the topic at hand?

I imagine St. Paul in our first reading, from Acts, in a situation similar to this. From Corinth he travels to Ephesus, which today is a region in western Turkey. In Paul’s time, imagine a remote area. Some people in Ephesus have heard something of Jesus; believe in him; have heard of the “baptism of repentance” offered by John the Baptist. But they have not had the same opportunities for instruction in their faith that people in larger cities (Corinth, for example) have had.

And so St. Paul encounters these Ephesians and asks them a question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers”? Their answer is not what Paul expects: “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” But Paul does not get discouraged by the Ephesians’ answer. He does not judge them. He leads them; teaches them, question to question.

In this way St. Paul discovers that these people of Ephesus have a strong faith, but one that needs refining; instruction through a supportive and universal faith community, the Church. St. Paul discovers that these Ephesians have been baptized “with the baptism of John”; that they already understand something of repentance and the mercy of God in their lives. And St. Paul is able to determine what they will still need and want: Baptism “in the name of the Lord Jesus”; the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s presence through the laying on of hands.

Paul shows himself a great teacher of the faith. And yet he is a great teacher precisely because he is a great learner. Paul learns the needs of the Ephesians; listens to them so that he is able to strengthen the faith they already have.

All of us are called to become teachers of our faith like St. Paul. We do not need to be trained educators; parents; ordained priests; belong to a religious order to teach our faith. But we are all called by God through our Christian baptism first to teach by example: To lead lives marked by kindness; gentleness; mercy. And, like St. Paul, we are invited to listen to one another’s needs; to ask questions and not to become discouraged or even scandalized by unexpected answers: What do you ask of God? What do you ask of the Church? What are some of your joys; your struggles with your faith? We are invited not to judge those of weaker faith; different faith than our own; people of no faith. Listen to them: They, too, have truths to offer us!

St. Paul shows us today that the best teachers, of faith or otherwise, are usually the best learners. And so many we become ever-better learners of our faith; listeners to one another’s joys, sorrows, knowledge, needs. We will be open to the Holy Spirit, who teaches us as we teach and learn from one another.