(For the audio version of this blog, please visit: https://brothersinchristcmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Mass-Blog-for-the-6th-Sunday-of-Easter-2026.mp3)
Imagine geography being redefined for us this Sixth Sunday of Easter. The visible world is no longer a planet, but a soulless state of mind. Its cities are boundaries in search of something worthy to fill them. And the populations claiming those boundaries embrace their empty world, mistaking it for the ultimate source of fulfillment. But in truth, the Spirit this world’s slaves crave can only become visible and attainable once their world’s delusion of grandeur is diminished to reveal the real thing.
Even Philip, the disciple who in John’s Gospel asked Jesus to show him the real thing in the form of God the Father, had to be chastised into realizing that he was already in His presence. Then, through God the Son’s power, he and his brothers in Christ would share God the Spirit with the world via words and works that Samaria’s boundaries could never contain and the evil spirits haunting it could no longer bear.
“With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing,” our first reading from Acts tells us (Acts 8:5-8, 14-17). “For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.”
Peter gives this process a name in our second reading (1 Peter 3:15-18): Sanctification. It happens within the boundaries of one’s heart then bursts through it to reveal the otherworldly truth of God’s Word to this World.
“Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,” Peter advises. “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.”
But the truth can hurt, as proven by the exodus of the unclean spirits exposed to it in the cities and towns through which Peter and the apostles traveled. That’s why Peter reminds us to be ready to face those evil spirits who stick around to inflict the same suffering on us that they once did on Jesus during his passion and death.
Once.
“For Christ also suffered for sins once,” Peter concludes, “the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit.”
Jesus sent his Spirit to the apostles so they could rise above a world whose capital is death. That Same Spirit is offered today to this world’s citizens—many of whom couldn’t find eternal life if they had an Atlas. That’s because the only Atlas that will show it to them is called a Bible—a reference book they can’t understand. If they did, they’d joyfully accept the promise Christ gave his apostles in John’s gospel (John 14:15-21):
“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you.”
Within you is God’s capital: His Kingdom. It’s invisible to a world that worships facades—artificially beautiful surfaces hiding truths it finds ugly. It’s up to us to replace our world’s facades with the face of God. The more of us who do that wherever we go, the more familiar God will become to this world and the faster His Kingdom will replace it. How will we know when we’re there? When God’s will is the will of the world.
Jesus concludes:
“On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.”
Look to your heart. Has his Kingdom come?
–Tom Andel
It is miraculous in a way how we humans can go on this world constantly feeling unfulfilled by all its offerings, yet continue to disbelieve or accept Christ.
In your closing, you mention Gods will becoming our own. I like the analogy of a goldsmith refining raw gold in a furnace, representing the final purification of a soul before entering heaven.
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand firm when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like fullers’ lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the Levites. Refining them like gold or silver, that they may bring offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Malachi 3:2-3
Mike, part of The Lord’s Prayer has always made me feel it requires our participation. It states, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” In teaching us this prayer, the Lord seemed to imply God’s will WAS ALREADY BEING DONE on earth. When reciting it these days, I feel the need to say, “MAY your Kingdom come and your will be done here as it is in Heaven.” Doing God’s will is a choice, and in choosing to do it, we participate in bringing about God’s Kingdom on earth. We must present ourselves for refinement so that as we are forgiven, we may also forgive those whose trespasses against us are cries for refinement. We should pray The Lord’s Prayer as if we are apprentices in God’s refinery.
We are all called to be salt and light in the world. We do this in imitation of Christ, but we the imperfect struggle to imitate the Godman.
But he recognized the struggle this would be for us, so he sent us the “helper, the advocate” the 3rd person of the Holy Trinty that can illuminate the way forward and give us the ability to imitate and follow Jesus as he taught us.
Yet, we still do this imperfectly as our faith can be weak and our belief insecure. The more we believe what Christ has given us, the better witness we can give.
Lord, show us the way!
He tells his disciples and us that we will do the work he did, and even greater. Maybe the greatest work we can accomplish is conquering doubt within ourselves, then going to work. The rest is in God’s hands.
Yes, conquering doubt within ourselves may really be where the greater works begin. The apostles were imperfect too, yet Christ still entrusted them with carrying His Spirit into the world. So our task is not to wait until faith feels complete, but to keep moving forward despite weakness and uncertainty, trusting that the Advocate supplies what we lack. The stronger our trust becomes, the clearer our witness to others can be.
Makes me think of Peter, inspired by Christ to walk on the water, then faltering in faith, starting to sink. We need to remember to always extend our hand in times of doubt.