Once, a very wise and practical Bishop was humbly forthcoming in his response to a question on how he handled the reality and complexity of diversity in his diocese. He responded: “I am not big in policy, but I try to be at every policy meeting, and I listen attentively. At the end, I would always ask two simple questions. How would this policy benefit the poorest in my diocese? And who is missing at the table?” By implication, the good bishop believes that the Church in his diocese would be better off when everybody is at the table than when many people are missing from the table. There is wisdom in his conviction, and leaders of every organization, spiritual and temporal could learn and benefit a lot when they are mindful of such questions like: who is at the table? Who is missing from the table? Does it even make any difference at all? In other words, should we care at all?

 On this issue, it appears that the Church of the Acts of the Apostles (the early Church) learned from their mistakes and as a result it benefited from it. The first reading (Acts 6:1-7) shows the realistic internal difficulties that often characterize communities of faith, especially as they become larger and more diverse. The first believers in Jesus were Aramaic speaking Jews from Jerusalem. But as persecution against the followers of the Way increased, believers left Jerusalem. They spread the Gospel and shared their faith wherever they went. The Hellenists, the Greek speaking Jewish Christians from outside Jerusalem who embraced the faith would return from time to time to Jerusalem for religious feasts and celebrations. There was complaint that their women, especially the widows among them were being overlooked and not getting their fair share during the Jerusalem feasts.

So, the Apostles had to wrestle with how to solve the problem. They created the office of the diaconate by appointing seven deacons, Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch. With the appointment of these deacons, a community once dominated by monolithic Jewish Christians from Jerusalem, now included Hellenist Jewish Christians, and Gentile converts like the deacon, Nicholas of Antioch. At the table of policy making for distribution of food and care of the widows, the Greek speaking Jewish Christians could be confident that they have someone who knows and understands their plight; the culture of exclusion embraced the insight that inclusion offers

While the creative insight of the apostles to appoint deacons from the communities to serve at table; to care for widows, orphans, and immigrants was helpful for the Christian communities, Jesus himself invites us into more profound way of thinking and caring for others. In the Gospel Jesus shares an image of the Father’s house where there are rooms for each person; where all have a place; where all belong, and where all are welcome. Jesus’s model of care and concern is neither based on race or provenance. It is a model of care based on Jesus’ self-definition of himself. Jesus says he is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn 14:1-12). As “the Way and Truth,” Jesus is not merely the answer to the intellectual questions that we ask or the deliberations that we make. No, Jesus is also and above all “the Life” to all these.

The unique way we can learn about Jesus as “the Life” is when we intensively live through the ordinary human events; our pains and sorrows, our love and joy et al. Beloved brothers and sisters, a heart that allows itself to feel will more easily relate to Jesus as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” When we do so, we will not just believe, but we will be living all circumstances of our daily life through Jesus, with Jesus, and in Jesus. We will live knowing that God not only knows us, but God cares as well. And even when we are rejected as Christ was rejected by humans, we will still be secure in that knowledge that we are “precious and chosen in the sight of God” (1 Pt 2:4-9). This is why he has gone to prepare a place for us. Therefore, on this fifth Sunday of Easter, year A, we have an opportunity to create a community where all belong in the Church. May we not waste this opportunity.

Dear Jesus, you reveal yourself as our Way, our Truth, and our Life. May we experience this fullness of your life in ours, as we come to a fuller understanding of who you are. Amen