The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate the consequences of our faith in the Resurrection for the message we announce to others through our lives.
Living in the Light
In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter addresses the crowd on Pentecost.
* [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 reaction of the women and the report of the guards on Jesus' Resurrection.
* [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
What struck Carol Zuegner first from today’s Gospel is the description of the reaction of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary – they were fearful and yet overjoyed. Christ had risen.
Many things can make us fearful. We can feel abandoned in a world where every day we might see some acts of terror or horror that shake us to our cores. We stray from the path of goodness ourselves. But God will not abandon us. We can do what we can where we are to stave off the sadness and fear. We can do small things to increase the joy in our lives and in the world around us and let that joy ripple out. We can make the decision now, today, to overcome the fear and welcome the joy. We can pray: Keep me safe, O God, you are my hope.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 comments that throughout the Easter season, we will read through the Book of Acts to see the difference the Holy Spirit made in the lives of the apostles. We’ll see how the Spirit changed them from fearful men hiding from the religious authorities into bold and fearless preachers of the good news.
This Easter season, try to be open to the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Each day pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!” Then listen, step out in faith, and persevere through any trials you may encounter. Remember, the risen Christ is in you! “Holy Spirit, I’m listening. Speak to me today.”6
Friar Jude Winkler notes the power of the Spirit that moves the kerygma proclaimed by Peter on Pentecost. Early Christians considered themselves as Jews and did not blame the Jews for Jesus crucifiction. Friar Jude reminds us that apologia like that of Matthew cannot be aggressive or high handed.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes about the early church’s belief in universal restoration and the eventual victory of Divine Love. A number of Church Fathers during the first four centuries of Christianity believed in what’s called apokatastasis, or “universal restoration” (Acts 3:21). [1] They believed that the real meaning of Christ’s resurrection was that God’s love was so perfect and so victorious that it would finally triumph in every single person’s life.
From my reading of the history of the Catholic Church and its dogma, universal restoration was never condemned as heretical. We didn’t have to believe in it, but we certainly could. Isn’t it interesting that we Catholics canonize saints, pronouncing them to be in heaven beyond a shadow of a doubt, yet this same Church has never declared that a single person is in hell or purgatory, not even Judas or Hitler? The Church might just be holding out for a possible universal restoration. The true meaning of the raising of Jesus is that God will turn all our human crucifixions into resurrection. This is a social, historical victory for God. Part of why we could not accept it is that we want individual people to “get their due.” But the real biblical message is that God is loving history much more than only loving individuals. This should have been apparent from YHWH’s relationship with Israel which was always corporate, both in its covenants and in its chastisements. We are all in this together, biblically speaking.7
Our witness to the fullness of life, prompted by the Spirit, is a response to the joy and awe of our participation in the Body of Christ.
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