Acts 10:34,37-43; Colossians 3:1-4 or 1Corinthians 5:6-8; John 20:1-9
The theme of today’s Mass includes both proclamation and witness. In the first reading, we see Peter speaking after the baptism of Cornelius and his family, the first gentile Christians. He is speaking about his own experience and sharing that experience with the listening crowds. For the true disciple of Jesus, there is a close and indivisible relationship between experience and proclamation. Because of Peter’s experience of knowing with conviction that Jesus, who died on the cross, is now alive, he is so filled with joy that he simply must share that joy with others – so that it can be theirs, too.
We find a similar theme in both the second readings (there is a choice of readings) and the Gospel. Paul was a Pharisee, a dedicated Pharisee and a man of integrity. He persecuted Christians because he saw in them a dangerous deviation from the Jewish Law and Jewish traditions. Then he, too, had that sudden experience when the Risen Jesus revealed himself while Paul was on his way to Damascus to bring the Christians (whom he saw as heretical Jews) into line.
That experience, as we know, brought about a total change in Paul’s life. It gave him a totally new vision of things and especially of the meaning of Jesus’ life and message. For the rest of his life, he used all his energies, the same energies he once used against Christians, to help others – Jews and non -Jews alike – to know, love and follow Jesus, his Lord.
Easter is what makes us Christians. The life of Jesus is not put before us merely as a good example of someone who was true to his beliefs. Jesus is the Way, the truth and the Life and it is Easter that demonstrates this. In Jesus, God has taken on our life and transformed it. Through baptism we share in the very life of the crucified and risen Christ and so we are made new. It may be that at times we are like Peter, who on reaching the tomb just looks in and wonders, but there comes a point when we are asked to take the risk of faith of seeing and believing that God could indeed love us this much.
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director