Homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter 2026
Readings: Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 33; 1 Peter 2:4-9; John 14:1-12
Listen at: soundcloud
Our first reading today is from the Acts of the Apostles written by Luke about 50 years after the death of Jesus. In his gospel, Luke focuses on Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem, on the ministry amongst the Jews, and on the apostles’ encounters with the risen Jesus in and around Jerusalem. In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke focuses on the mission away from Jerusalem – a mission to the world, culminating in Paul’s declaration: ‘Understand, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the pagans; they will listen to it.’ (Acts 28:28)
As this mission to the world gets underway, we are told that the number of disciples was increasing, and so too was the diversity of membership of the infant church. Two readily identifiable groups were the newcomers, the Hellenists (who spoke Greek), and the old timers, the Hebrews (who spoke Aramaic). They were living in community. And some very human problems started to emerge. The Hellenists started complaining that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. Scripture scholar Luke Timothy Johnson tells us: ‘The allusion to the “daily distribution” corresponds with what we know of organised Jewish charity in local communities. Each community would offer a daily “soup kitchen” for transients and the destitute, and a “chest” for meeting long-term needs.’[1]
The apostles were in charge. They called the community together and said to them: ‘It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’
The seven who were chosen all had Greek names. Luke goes on to tell us about the doings of two of them – Stephen and Philip. Like the apostles, these two did a lot of evangelising. We are not told anything further about what the other five did. Presumably they went on distributing the food equitably to the members of the community in need, and quite possibly they also did some evangelising.
It’s important to note that the seven were not chosen by the apostles. They were chosen by the community. The apostles then prayed and laid hands on them. This scene provides the seeds of the ministry of deacon in our church. You will be aware that Pope Francis instituted two commissions to inquire into the possibility of women deacons. The topic then arose at the Synod on Synodality. The topic was then taken off the table and referred to a study group in the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ was the Relator General of the Synod on Synodality. When the Instrumentum Laboris (the working document for the Synod) was released, a journalist put to Hollerich: ‘What comes through most strongly in the working document is both the request and the need to affirm women, to promote women, to bring them into decision-making, to recognise that they are fully part of the church.’ Cardinal Hollerich replied: ‘That is the most important point for the church today. If women do not feel comfortable in the church, we have failed our living as Christians.’ Hollerich was unequivocal: ‘Now the question is, if this full equality of women and men means that they must also be ordained ministers, I do not know. … So if women feel that their voice is listened to as much as the voice of men, but they still feel, let’s say, discriminated [against] by not being admitted to the ordained ministry, we have to think about it.’[2]
In March the study group on ‘The Participation of Women in the Life and Leadership of the Church’ released their final report.[3]
They said: ‘Reflection on the role of women in the Church is both necessary and urgent for the full recognition of the Church’s identity. Faced with a world as complex as ours, the first attitude to adopt is that of listening to women before any decision or position is taken.’[4] They warned us to ‘guard against the temptations of fear and haste’[5].
Let’s try a little thought experiment. Imagine that Jesus lived, died and rose again not in the 1st century but in our own 21st century. Imagine the gospel being spread through a diverse community, and not just in the community where Jesus lived and was raised. Imagine the leaders of the community being confronted with the practical problem of distributing food equitably to those in need. Imagine the leaders of the community then telling all of us to choose some delegates? Do you think the leaders would specify that only men could be chosen for the task? Do you think we as the believing community would choose only men? When it comes to practical matters like preparing and distributing food for widows and others in need, I think there is a fair chance that we would choose some women as well as men. I can’t imagine that we would deliberately choose only men.
Why do I raise this thought experiment?
The study group have said that we must ensure ‘that the question of women’s participation in the life and leadership of the Church is not reduced to a purely sociological, cultural, philosophical, or historical perspective, detached from an overall theological framework.’
The overall theological framework for the ministry of deacon undoubtedly took root with today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles when the community chose seven men to assist with the distribution of food to those in need.
You cannot develop an overall theological framework without taking into account the sociological, cultural, philosophical and historical aspects of the question. Performing our 21st century thought experiment, we need to ask whether we the community would choose women as well as men to assist with the food distribution, and would we license them like Philip and Stephen to evangelise just as the apostles did? If so, we need to ensure that our overall theological framework is consistent with our sociological, cultural, philosophical reality. You can’t erect or maintain a theological framework that is at odds with our lived reality. We believe in the Incarnation!
In today’s second reading from the first letter of Peter, we are told: ‘You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’
I can understand those women who say the time for listening is over. It is now time to put aside fear and concerns about haste. It is time for action – not for putting women on a pedestal, but for inviting men and women to the eucharistic table equal in all ways, being one in Christ.
As we wrestle with this difficult question of women’s place in our Church, let’s take heart from Jesus who says in today’s gospel: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.’ ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’
Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO, Adjunct Professor of Thomas More Law School at ACU and Adjunct Research Professor at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, is a former Rector of Newman College, University of Melbourne, and CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA). His latest books include Pope Francis: the Disruptive Pilgrims Guide (ATF Theology, 2025), and Gerard Brennan’s Articles and Speeches: Maintaining the Law’s Skeleton of Principle (2 volumes) (Connor Court, 2025).
[1] Luke Timothy Johnson, The Acts of the Apostles, Sacra Pagina Series (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1992), 106.
[2] https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/07/12/cardinal-hollerich-synod-248352.
[3] https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/process/implementation/10workinggroups/final-reports/sg5/SG-5_ENG_Final-Report.pdf
[4] Ibid, #11
[5] Ibid, #12
