Sunday, 3rd May 2026: A homily by Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi of the Fifth Sunday of Easter. Parish of the Annunciation, Balzan.
Homily by Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi
“Do not let your hearts be troubled” (Jn 14:1). The words we hear today are not spoken in a moment of comfort, but in a moment of deep unease. Jesus is gathered with his disciples at the Last Supper. The air is heavy with tension. Something is shifting, something is ending, and the disciples can feel it, even if they cannot yet name it. Their hearts are unsettled. It is precisely into that fragile moment that Jesus speaks: “Do not let your hearts be troubled”.
This is striking. Jesus does not deny the reality of what is coming. He does not pretend that suffering, confusion, or even loss will not touch the disciples’ lives. Instead, he speaks directly to their hearts. He knows that fear can take root within us, that uncertainty can paralyse us, that the unknown can disturb our peace.
And yet, he offers not an explanation, but a presence. Not a solution to every question, but a relationship that holds firm, even when answers are lacking.
A relationship of trust
Jesus immediately reveals the foundation of this peace: “Believe in God, believe also in me” (Jn 14:1). In other words, do not let your hearts be troubled, because your lives are held within a relationship of trust.
To believe is not simply to accept a set of ideas. It is to entrust oneself. It is to lean the weight of one’s life upon Christ. It is to allow him to be the solid ground beneath our steps, especially when everything else feels uncertain. This invitation takes on a particular depth today, as we accompany those among us who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Dear candidates, these words are addressed to you in a very personal way. Your journey toward Confirmation is not about reaching a stage where all doubts disappear or where everything becomes clear. Rather, it is about choosing to trust Christ, even in the presence of questions. In Confirmation, you will be strengthened by the Holy Spirit so that this trust may become more rooted, more resilient, more alive. You are not simply affirming something about God; you are allowing God to affirm something within you: to seal you with his Spirit, and to send you forth as witnesses.
In the Father’s house
Then Jesus opens before us a horizon that stretches beyond the present moment. He says: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places” (Jn 14:2). These words carry immense tenderness. They reveal the heart of God, not as distant or indifferent, but as a Father who prepares a home. A place of belonging, a place where each person is known and welcomed.
Jesus says: “There are many dwelling places”. This is not a narrow promise. It is expansive. It speaks of a God whose love is not limited, whose desire is to gather his children into communion with him.
And even more beautifully, Jesus says that he goes to prepare a place. Not a place in general, but a place for you. Your life is not accidental. Your story, with all its complexity, is held within God’s loving plan.
For those preparing for Confirmation, this is a truth to carry deeply within your hearts: you are not striving to earn a place in God’s house. You are responding to an invitation that has already been given. You are stepping into a relationship that has already begun. This gives dignity to your journey, and meaning to your choices. It reminds you that your life is oriented toward communion with God and, through him, with others.
The journey toward Pentecost
Between this moment and the day of your Confirmation lies a sacred path – a path that leads to Pentecost. It is not just a matter of time passing; it is a journey of transformation.
The disciples who first heard these words of Jesus were not yet the bold witnesses we encounter later in the Acts of the Apostles. At this point, they are still unsure, still hesitant, still learning what it means to trust fully. And yet, something changes. At Pentecost, they receive the Holy Spirit, and their fear is gradually replaced by courage, their silence by proclamation.
The same Spirit is being prepared for you. The Holy Spirit is not an abstract idea or a distant force. The Spirit is the living presence of God within you – guiding, strengthening, illuminating, and sending. As you approach Confirmation, you are invited to open your hearts more deeply to allow the Spirit to shape your thoughts and desires, give you courage, and lead you beyond comfort into mission
The journey to Pentecost is, therefore, a journey inward and outward. It is a journey deeper into God, and more fully into the world he loves.
Living as people of hope
The world in which we live is not unlike the situation of the disciples. There is much that troubles the human heart: uncertainty about the future, divisions within societies, a sense of isolation, a search for meaning that often leads to confusion. Into such a world, Christ sends his followers, not as people who have all the answers, but as people who carry a living hope.
To be a Christian is to live differently, not because life is easier, but because it is rooted in something deeper. It is to be a presence of peace in the midst of anxiety, a witness to love in the midst of indifference.
For you who are preparing for Confirmation, this is your calling. The Spirit you will receive is given not only for your own growth, but for the life of the world. You are called to be witnesses through your words, your choices, your relationships. Sometimes this will be quiet and hidden. At other times, it will require courage and clarity. But, always, it will flow from a heart that knows it is held by Christ.
Walking into the future
“Do not let your hearts be troubled”. These words are not a command that ignores reality; they are an invitation that transforms it. They remind us that peace is not the absence of difficulty, but the presence of Christ. When we believe in him, when we entrust our lives to him, something shifts within us. Fear no longer has the final word, uncertainty no longer defines us. The future, though unknown, is no longer something to dread, but something to walk into with trust.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, and especially you who are preparing for Confirmation, let this be your prayer in these days: “Lord, when my heart is troubled, remind me that you are near. Strengthen my faith, deepen my trust, and open me to the gift of your Spirit. Lead me to the place you have prepared, and help me to live each day with hope”.
Joseph Galea Curmi
Auxiliary Bishop