Power in praise

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to review our reluctance to live large in the Spirit of brothers and sisters of Jesus.

Living Large

The proclamation of the basic truths of Jesus life, “the kerygma,” is described in the passage from the Acts of the Apostles.

* [2:14–36] The first of six discourses in Acts (along with Acts 3:12–26; 4:8–12; 5:29–32; 10:34–43; 13:16–41) dealing with the resurrection of Jesus and its messianic import. Five of these are attributed to Peter, the final one to Paul. Modern scholars term these discourses in Acts the “kerygma,” the Greek word for proclamation (cf. 1 Cor 15:11).

The Gospel from Matthew tells of the witness of the women to Jesus resurrection and the plot of the authorities to counter their declaration.

* [28:11–15] This account indicates that the dispute between Christians and Jews about the empty tomb was not whether the tomb was empty but why.

Amy Hoover notes we may be asked to choose love and joy over fear everyday in our relationships with others.

How were the Marys able to choose joy so easily?  I think the answer to this question is that they were in relationship with Jesus.  They had open hearts to him and what he taught. They knew him intimately. They spent time with him.  They had faith in his message and the God he revealed to them. We are invited into this same relationship.  We are invited to choose joy over fear. We are invited to choose the perspective of love over despair. We are invited to see with the eyes of Christ.

Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D, on the Easter Alleluia whereby we experience the power of praise of God.

"Our thoughts in this present life should turn on the praise of God, because it is in praising God that we shall rejoice for ever in the life to come; and no one can be ready for the next life unless he trains himself for it now. So we praise God during our earthly life, and at the same time we make our petitions to him. Our praise is expressed with joy, our petitions with yearning. We have been promised something we do not yet possess, and because the promise was made by one who keeps his word, we trust him and are glad; but insofar as possession is delayed, we can only long and yearn for it. It is good for us to persevere in longing until we receive what was promised, and yearning is over; then praise alone will remain." (excerpt from commentary on Psalm 148, 1-2)

Friar Jude Winkler notes the Pentecost courage of Peter as he adds details to the references in the speech from Acts. The culture of Jesus time did not usually accept the witness of woman. Matthew tells of the choice of women as witness to Jesus Resurrection.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, considers incarnation and our deepest fears using the words of Marianne Williamson. Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, considers incarnation and our deepest fears using the words of Marianne Williamson.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. . . . You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. [3]

We are reminded by Thomas Merton to make ready for Christ.

Make ready for the Christ, Whose smile, like lightning,Sets free the song of everlasting gloryThat now sleeps, in your paper flesh, like dynamite. —Thomas Merton (Thomas Merton, “The Victory,” The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton (New Directions: 1977), 115.)

References


(n.d.). Acts, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/2

(n.d.). 28:20. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew28.htm

(n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/