Sixth Sunday of Easter 2025

Have you ever had to make a tough decision that you knew would shape the course of your life or the lives of others? 

Maybe it was a moment when you had to speak the truth, even if it was uncomfortable—or a decision you had to make as a family, with no guarantee of how things would turn out.

We saw a powerful example of this recently when the College of Cardinals gathered in Rome to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis. 

It’s a process steeped in tradition, yes—but more than that, it’s a process grounded in prayer and spiritual discernment. 

For days, the cardinals prayed, listened, and sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

They didn’t act as lone individuals; they acted as a body—trusting the Advocate Jesus promised to lead them. 

And when the white smoke finally rose from the Sistine Chapel, the whole world saw a visible sign that the Holy Spirit is still at work in the Church.

That same Spirit was at work in the early Church in today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. 

Here, the apostles and elders faced their first major doctrinal crisis: Should Gentile converts be required to follow the full Mosaic Law—including circumcision—to be saved? 

This wasn’t a small issue. It could have divided the early Church right down the middle.

So what did they do?

They came together. They prayed. They debated. They listened to one another. 

And most importantly, they trusted the Holy Spirit. And once they discerned what was essential, they wrote a simple, clear decision:

“It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities…”

Then, in true apostolic style, they wrapped it up with a confident and clear “Farewell.” 

I can’t help but smile at that. It’s as if they were saying, “Here’s the truth. We’ve prayed. We’ve listened. This is where we stand. Take it or leave it. Good luck to you.”

That clarity and trust—grounded in prayer and community—is exactly what we need today. And it’s not just for Church leaders or cardinals in Rome. This applies to families, too.

How many families in our parish right now are facing difficult decisions? 

Maybe it’s whether to take a new job, how to care for an aging parent, how to respond to a struggling child, or how to set new priorities. 

We don't have to navigate these challenges alone. The early Church provides a helpful approach for our families:

• Come together. Talk. Listen. Pray.

• Create a safe space where people feel heard and respected.

• Trust the Holy Spirit to guide not just individuals, but the whole family.

• And then—when a decision is reached—move forward with peace, not fear.

And all of this—the Council of Jerusalem, the conclave in Rome, the discernment families face at their own kitchen tables—flows from a promise Jesus gives us in today’s Gospel:

“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

That’s the same Spirit the apostles relied on in Jerusalem. The same Spirit the cardinals called upon as they chose a new pope. The same Spirit that lives and breathes in your family’s conversations and decisions.

And Jesus adds something even more beautiful:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.”

The world’s peace is fragile—it depends on everything going smoothly. But Christ’s peace is rooted in trust. Trust that God is with us even in our disagreements. Trust that the Holy Spirit still speaks when we stop and listen.

How can we apply all of this to our lives? Here's what it boils down to:

• Be clear. When you’ve prayed and discerned, speak the truth in love.

• Be together. The Spirit works through community—not isolation.

• Be confident. The Advocate stands beside you.

• Be at peace. You don’t have to carry the burden alone.

And when you’ve done all you can… maybe you too can end with a simple, confident, “Farewell.”