Before the Mission, There Was Communion

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Ascension has happened. Jesus is no longer physically with the disciples. And what do they do? They don’t scatter, panic or start building strategies. They pray. The first reading says the disciples returned to Jerusalem and “devoted themselves with one accord to prayer.” That line matters. Because the Church was born not first from activity but from unity. And in the Gospel, Jesus prays to the Father before His Passion: “They are your gift to me.”

Think about that. Jesus looks at weak, confused, imperfect disciples… and calls them a gift. Peter who denies Him. Thomas who doubted Him. The others who ran away. Still, Jesus says: “They are your gift to me.” That means Christianity was never built on perfect people. It was built on imperfect people who stayed close to Jesus even while they were still becoming saints.

From our readings today, I think Jesus gives us three directives.

Stay in the Room

The apostles stayed together after Jesus ascended. They remained in the upper room even when they didn’t fully understand what was next. Here is the thing: Most people leave too early. They leave prayer because they feel nothing. They leave the Church because life gets difficult. They leave relationships because healing takes time.

But growth often happens in rooms where nothing dramatic seems to be happening. Some of you are one act of faithfulness away from breakthrough but you keep walking out too soon. Stay in the room. Stay in prayer. Stay in the Church. Stay with Jesus. Just … stay.

Let Jesus Pray for You

In the Gospel, Jesus prays for His disciples before they ever preach a sermon or perform a miracle. That means your identity comes before your mission. You are loved before you are useful. Some of us think God only cares about us when we are productive, successful, or spiritual. But Jesus intercedes for His disciples while they are still weak. And He does the same for you. Right now, Christ is not waiting to condemn you. He is praying for you. Imagine what changes when you actually believe that.

Choose Unity Over Ego

Acts says they were “of one accord.” That doesn’t mean they agreed on everything. It means they chose communion over division. The devil loves isolation. He loves resentment. He loves when Christians turn against each other over pride, politics, preferences, or personalities.

But the Holy Spirit descends upon united hearts. The Church changes the world not when Christians win arguments but when they love each other radically enough that the world cannot explain it.  And maybe the hardest question today is this: Do people encounter peace when they encounter me? Or just my opinions?

Before Pentecost came power, there was surrender. Before there was preaching, there was prayer. Before mission, there was communion.

And maybe that is where Jesus is calling us today – back into the upper room. Back into prayer. Back into unity. Back into Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to remain with You even when I feel uncertain, tired, or afraid. Give me the humility to stay in communion, the courage to keep praying, and to believe that You are still interceding for me. Make my heart ready for the Holy Spirit not through perfection, but through surrender. Amen

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko