Weekly HOMILY for May 29, 2011: Jesus and the Overcoming of Loneliness:

6th Sunday of Easter, Cycle A
St. Mark, Fallston
May 29, 2011

Jesus and the Overcoming of Loneliness
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato


LONELINESS STUDY

Two years ago, the University of Chicago released the results of a study on loneliness, which found that about 25% of the American population frequently feels lonely. It also found that loneliness is increasing.

Among the factors causing the increase are our longer life spans, more years spent in widowhood, and the rising number of single-person households.

One particular finding is that we Americans tend to feel lonely on special occasions, occasions when being together is the social norm, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, etc. Feelings of loneliness are more frequent at these times.

The study says that loneliness has more to do with the quality rather than the quantity of relationships.

Studies of college students show that incoming freshmen are particularly lonely during the first quarter of school. Interestingly, this is true even though they have roommates and are surrounded by other people.

Again, the finding is that it is not the number but the quality of relationships that determines whether we feel isolated or lonely.


“I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ORPHANS”

In today’s gospel, Jesus addresses this human reality of our loneliness.

He knows that he is about to suffer and die and leave the Apostles. He senses their anxiety about being left alone, without him. And so, Jesus says, “I will not leave you orphans. You will realize that I am in my Father (demonstrate) and you are in me (demonstrate) and I in you (demonstrate).”

Jesus promises to be with us through his Spirit, the Holy Spirit. In this way, he addresses very directly our feelings of isolation, abandonment and loneliness.

Furthermore, Jesus makes his presence through the Spirit concrete in two ways for us. They are: (1) Sacraments, and (2) Community.


1. THROUGH SACRAMENTS

First of all, our sacraments are visible, earthly, even physical ways for Jesus to be in direct contact with us through his Spirit and while the Spirit is unseen, its effects, its impact is very visible.

For example, we have the physical experience of Jesus’ presence through the water of Baptism that we feel as we are sprinkled. We also have a physical experience of the Holy Spirit through the imposition of hands pressed on the crowns of our heads and the anointing with oil at Confirmation.

And then, here at Mass, the Eucharist is the supreme tangible, physical experience of God’s presence. In the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest places his hands over the bread and wine.

And in the name of all of us he invokes the words: “Let your Spirit come upon these gifts so that they may become for us the body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.” The unseen Spirit enlivens and effects – through our experience of faith – the physical presence of Jesus in the now sacred bread and wine.

The result is that when we eat the consecrated bread and drink the consecrated wine, that same life-giving Spirit enters us and becomes one with us and we physically experience Jesus becoming one with us.

Thus we are drawn up into the life of God and God within us – all through the Eucharist. As Jesus says today, “you live in me and I live in you.”


2. THROUGH COMMUNITY

The second way that Jesus remains with us is through community. He says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst.”

Oftentimes we are tempted to go it alone or “slug it out” in life, to think that we do not or should not need others.

It is very important not to fall into this temptation. This path easily leads to isolation and loneliness.

Perhaps this is why God’s entire action throughout the Bible is always directed to us as a people, a community.

Jesus draws the first disciples together as a community and makes this his primary way to be with us. Remember he doesn’t appear after the Resurrection to individuals!

When we join with other persons of faith, either here at Mass or in the service of others, we are energized. And this happens because we are drawn out of ourselves – out of our aloneness or loneliness – and into relationship.

A key part of being in community is to reach out to those who may be alone or lonely – a struggling single parent, a grieving widowed neighbor, an elderly parishioner in a nursing home.

The idea is that we are empowered by Jesus’ presence here in the community and then we reach out to draw others into that same abiding presence.


CONCLUSION

So, Jesus touches a troublesome, maybe even a threatening human feeling today – loneliness.

He assures us: “I am in my Father (demonstrate) and you are in me (demonstrate) and I in you (demonstrate).”

And then he does this for us through sacrament and community – a great message!