Homily: Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 10, 2026

My dear brothers and sisters, in this sixth Sunday of Easter, we continue to see the farewell speech of our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciple before His ministry on earth came to an end. We draw much consolation from these last words of our Lord Jesus Christ before He finally left His disciples. He firmly promised them that though He would be ascending to the Father, but He would not leave them as orphans. He would send them another Advocate, the Spirit of Truth who would be with them forever.

In real life, especially in legal matters and in the court of law, we all know what advocates serve for their clients. These advocates give their friends the benefit of their personal presence and the aid of their judicious counsel. They advise their clients on what to do and what to say. Most times, the advocates spoke for their clients and make the cause of their friends and clients their own cause. They usually stand for their clients in their trials, in their difficult and challenging times. Contesting a case in the court of law without an advocate is to be lost because these learned experts might use all these their wisdom and intellectual gymnastics to bundle and consign you to Millhaven or Joyceville correctional centers.

While on earth, Jesus was the Advocate of His disciples. He counseled, advised, spoke for them and on behalf of them. They looked unto Him for help, comfort, truth and grace. He was ever at their side and most thoroughly identified with them. He taught them to pray, to preach and to work miracles. He explained to them the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He was now to leave them, His bodily form was to be removed from them. Yet with a sweetness of compassion that is particularly touching, He says: “I will not leave you as orphans, I am coming to you. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever.” Jesus further promised that He would forever love his disciples.

However, from this gospel reading, it is seen that access to these Jesus’ promises had some conditions attached. The promises are for those who love Jesus, the promises are for those who keep His commandments. Just like when Jesus resurrected from the dead, it was to those who love Him and seek Him that Jesus appeared to and revealed His glorious body and not to the Scribes and the Pharisees and the hostile Jews. Mary Magdalene was frequenting the Tomb of Jesus out of love, even desiring to secure the dead body of Jesus. When the light of Christ shined out, she became the first witness of the glory of the risen Savior. We too shall become witnesses of the glory of God and possessors of the divine promises and blessings when we love Jesus and the litmus test of our love of Jesus indicated in this gospel reading is our obedience to the commandments of God.

On a day like this that the gospel reading stresses obedience to the commandments of God, it is good we refresh our mind on the traditional understanding of the commandments of God we learnt from our catechism. First beginning with the ten commandments of the Decalogue from the Old Testament, the first requires loving God with all our heart, the second prescribes not taking the name of God in vain, the third reminds us of our Sunday obligations, the fourth talks about the respect and honor we owe to our parents, the fifth forbids murder and any willful killing, the sixth and the ninth focuses on living life of chastity, the seventh prohibits stealing and actions that are fraudulent, the eight dwells on false witnessing and offences against truth and finally the tenth disallows a life of covetousness and envy. In the New Testament, Jesus called love the summary of the commandments. When the motivation of actions flows from sincere love of God and love of neighbor, the love of Jesus will locate us. It is obedience to these commandments that will open the door of God’s love, blessings and heavenly promises for us.

One area that Catholics are gradually forgetting in these modern times are the five mandatory precepts of the Church: attendance to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation, confession of ones sins at least once a year, reception of the Holy Eucharist at least during the Easter season, observing the days of fasting and abstinence and finally helping to provide for the needs of the Church according to one’s abilities. Brothers and sisters, our sincerity with these commandments and precepts will keep us very close to the heart of Christ.