Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter

Fr. Stephen Verbest tells a story about a four-year-old girl who heard that Jesus lives in the hearts of those who love Him. Struggling to grasp what this could mean, she climbed into her mother's lap one day and pressed her ear tightly against her side. "What are you doing?" her mother asked. The child placed her index finger across her lips and whispered, "I'm listening for Jesus inside you." Enjoying her closeness, she let her daughter listen for a while and then said, "Well, did you hear Jesus within me?" "Yes, I did," she replied, "it sounds like he's making coffee." 

What a wonderful way to contemplate this remarkable mystery. While Jesus is not making coffee, this little girl has the right idea. His presence in our hearts is as natural as sharing a cup of coffee with someone we love or sharing a hug with them. The Book of Revelation expresses it this way: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me." Whether you liken intimacy with Jesus to sharing a cup of coffee, a hug, or a meal together, the reality is the true presence of Christ in the hearts of those who love Him.

Jesus made a profound promise to His disciples during the Last Supper in the large Upper Room: "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." This intimate gathering is a powerful symbol of Jesus' loving presence within our hearts. Similar to the Last Supper, our relationship with Jesus is intrinsically communal. At its core, it is a communion with the Trinity, as Jesus brings the Father and the Holy Spirit with Him, inviting us to partake in their divine love.

There is a second reason intimacy with Jesus is always communal, like the Last Supper: All who receive the Body and Blood of Jesus become one body with Him and with each other by the power of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us teaches us all things, especially to grow in greater and greater love for everyone. When God dwells in the upper room of our hearts, we become tabernacles for the world, bringing the loving presence of God wherever we go.