The texts, today, Monday in the Octave of Easter, from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite contemplation of the gifts of the Spirit that enable our courage to proclaim the truth.
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| Proclaiming Truth |
The reading from the Book of Acts shows the courage of Peter who addresses the crowd.
* [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).1
Psalm 16 is a song of trust and security in God.
* [Psalm 16] In the first section, the psalmist rejects the futile worship of false gods (Ps 16:2–5), preferring Israel’s God (Ps 16:1), the giver of the land (Ps 16:6). The second section reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God (Ps 16:7–11).2
The Gospel of Matthew shares the report of the guard at Jesus tomb.
* [28:9–10] Although these verses are peculiar to Matthew, there are similarities between them and John’s account of the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene (Jn 20:17). In both there is a touching of Jesus’ body, and a command of Jesus to bear a message to his disciples, designated as his brothers. Matthew may have drawn upon a tradition that appears in a different form in John. Jesus’ words to the women are mainly a repetition of those of the angel (Mt 28:5a, 7b).* [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.3
Chas Kestermeier, S.J. comments that we believe that God exists, and that Jesus was incarnate in the world, a full human being right alongside the rest of us, but... would we know Him if we saw Him today? It would not be a matter of recognizing His face, of course, but of just “knowing” Him from the way He would look at us.
The question in my mind, then, is whether I am getting to know Him as well as I can right now, whether I am seeking to know Him in every guise He wears. Do I try to find Him in every person I meet, whether I like them or not? Can I find Him present and active in every situation? Can I believe that every moment of my life is an opportunity to find Him at work in me and in His world? Am I seeking not only to understand His teachings and to put them into practice, but more importantly am I yearning to let myself be formed by His loving heart? To deeply know and love the true God?4
Don Schwager quotes “The Easter Alleluia,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"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)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 2:14, 22-33 notes as Acts progresses, we will read how Peter and other disciples, like Stephen, preached the gospel in Jerusalem and the surrounding area of Judea. Then, the focus will shift to Philip, who spread the gospel even farther when he proclaimed Christ in Samaria. Finally, we will witness Paul bringing the message and the power of salvation throughout Asia Minor, then into Greece, and lastly to Rome and “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And in every scene, we can see the Holy Spirit working powerfully through these anointed messengers of God.
Stories like the ones recorded in Acts continue to happen today through the preaching and witness of Jesus’ disciples—and that means you. Like Peter, Philip, Paul, and all the others, you too have received the Holy Spirit. He is with you to help you witness to Jesus and build his kingdom here on earth. So as the Easter season unfolds, ask Jesus to fill you with his Spirit and to make you into his witness. He desires it and will surely help you to fulfill your calling.
“Father, you are looking for people to send out as witnesses to your Son. Here I am, Lord. Send me!”6
Friar Jude Winkler notes how the gift of being impetuous moves Peter to action to witness to Jesus on Pentecost. This is one of three pilgrimage feasts celebrated by first century Jews. Friar Jude notes that the very Jewish Gospel of Matthew presents two women as witnesses to Jesus Resurrection.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent a complete prostatectomy. The wisdom lessons that God offered him before, during, and after the surgery were pretty much constant. The experiences were initially disempowering, sometimes scary in their immediacy, and only in hindsight were they in any way empowering. Prayer was both constant and impossible for much of this period.
During that time, it was not the indirectness that hit me in this passage, but the directness! My best spiritual knowing almost always occurs after the fact, in the remembering—not seen “until God has passed by.” I realized that in the moments of diagnosis, doctor’s warnings, waiting, delays, and the surgery itself, I was as fragile, scared, and insecure as anybody would be. If I could stay with the full narrative all the way into and through, only afterward could I invariably see, trust, and enjoy the wonderful works of God (mirabilia Dei).
The foundation of faith is the ability to look at our entire salvation history and then trust that this pattern would never—could never—change! It is largely after the fact that faith is formed—and gloriously transmuted into hope for the future. Only after the fact can you see that you were being held and led during the fact. During the fact, you do not enjoy or trust your own strength at all, in fact, quite the opposite. You just cry out in various ways. Then God, for some wonderful reason, is able to fill the gap.7
The courage to speak the truth about our relationship with Jesus is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
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