ANCHORED IN CHRIST IN A TROUBLED WORLD

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Acts 6:1-7; 1 Peter 2:4-9; John 14:1-12

A young man once said to me, “Father, I believe in God, but I do not always know where my life is going.” That simple confession captures the anxiety of many people today. We make efforts, we strive, but we still feel uncertain about direction, purpose, and stability. It is precisely into this human restlessness that today’s liturgy of the word speaks.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus begins with a deeply consoling command: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Notice, He does not deny that trouble exists; He addresses the heart in the midst of it. Unlike today’s prevailing gospel of prosperity, Jesus’ words teach us that faith does not remove life’s uncertainties, rather, it gives us a foundation that holds even when everything else feels unstable.

Jesus continues, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you.” This is not merely about heaven as a future destination; it is about belonging. Our lives are not random or meaningless. We are journeying toward a prepared place, a communion already willed by God. The Christian life is not wandering; it is a pilgrimage with a destination.

Then comes one of the most profound declarations in Scripture: “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.” Jesus does not say He shows the way; He is the way. Christianity is not primarily a philosophy or a moral system; it is a relationship with a Person. He is the way that guides, the truth that illuminates, and the life that sustains. To follow Christ is to walk a path that leads somewhere, to embrace a truth that does not deceive, and to receive a life that does not fade.

The first reading from Acts of the Apostles presents a practical challenge in the early Church: the neglect of some widows in the distribution of food. What is striking is how the apostles respond. They do not ignore the problem, nor do they abandon their primary mission. Instead, they discern, delegate, and establish a structure of service. Seven men are chosen, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, to ensure justice and charity. Here we see something important: the Church is both spiritual and practical. Proclaiming the Word and caring for people go together. Faith must touch real human needs. Growth in the Church is not just numerical; it is also structural and pastoral.

The second reading deepens this further. It tells us that Christ is the “living stone,” rejected by men but chosen by God. And we, too, are “living stones” being built into a spiritual house. This means the Church is not just a building; it is a living organism. Each believer has a place, a role, a dignity. Christianity is not a spectator religion. We are not passive members; we are active participants in God’s building project.

Taken together, today’s liturgy of the word offers a powerful vision: Christ is the foundation, the path, and the destination. The Church is the structure where faith is lived out in truth and charity. And each of us is a living stone with a purpose. So, the questions for us today are deeply personal: Do I anchor my life on Christ when my heart is troubled? Do I truly trust Christ as the way, or am I still trying to create my own path? Do I live as someone who has a place prepared by God, or do I drift without direction? Am I contributing as a living stone, or merely observing from a distance?

Dear friend, our world is full of uncertainty, but our faith is not. Christ remains the way in confusion, the truth in deception, and the life in a dying world. If we hold on to Him, our hearts will not be troubled, because our lives will be anchored in something and Someone eternal.