Claire Smith

Scripture:

Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7b-15

Reflection:

The resurrection really matters. It makes a difference. Life is different because it happened.

We spend a lot of time during the Easter Season watching and learning about the early Christian community revealed in the Acts of the Apostles. They had so much to figure out, so much to understand. How was their encounter with Jesus to matter, if at all? And especially, what difference was their encounter with the Risen Jesus going to have in their lives?

Today’s first reading from the early chapters of Acts of the Apostles highlights their growing sense of community. Phrases like “the community of believers was of one heart and mind” and “they had everything in common” reveal a deepening understanding of being connected, bound together. In the ordinary lives they lived, these early believes knew they had to live differently.  “There was no needy person among them.” And for those who had more than they needed, it was “distributed to each according to need.”

Our cultural tendency toward individualism is a challenge to living our faith. Our political and social differences become exaggerated, driving us farther apart. We self-protect more than we reach out to help. But what so often captures our imaginations are news stories of valiant volunteers responding to neighbors in need, or of communities of sisters, brothers and priests living a common life in communities of faith. We are inspired by them because they tap something fundamental inside us. We know we are our better selves when we are in community, caring for others. The early believers understood this…even if they did not perfectly live it. And we understand it, also. We just need to find simple ways each day to live it.

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and was the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Acts 4:23-31
John 3:1-8

Reflection:

Nicodemus’ question gets right to the point: Can we be born all over again? Easter answers resoundingly, “Well, yes, we certainly can!” That’s what Easter is all about—being born again, passing from death-in-life to true life; passing from fear to trust and anxiety to peace; passing from small mindedness to a love that never stops expanding; and surely passing from old world sadness to superabundant joy. That may sound outlandishly farfetched, but Easter is nothing if it is not a total re-creation of ourselves and our world in justice and love, mercy and forgiveness, healing and peace.

Jesus’ nighttime encounter with Nicodemus testifies that an Easter way of life is not at all continuous with what we knew on the other side of the tomb. Easter is not about making everything just a little bit better; it’s about making everything dazzlingly new. To enter into Easter is to be part of a world that we never knew existed, but one so rich in promise that in light of it everything in our old world seems to be dying. In today’s gospel, Jesus calls this Easter world the “rule of God.” The rule of God is a new way of life marked not by violence and animosity and retaliation, mistrust and betrayal, but by harmony, forgiveness, and peace. It is a world that thrives not on the power of domination and coercion, but on the creative power of mutual service and generous love. To be part of this new life, Jesus tells us that we must be begotten from above, born not of flesh, but of the Spirit. It is to take our bearings not from a world that is passing away, but from the risen one. It’s saying yes to a love that’s been calling to us since the day we were born.

The trouble with Easter is that we don’t hold onto it. We celebrate it and then slide back into the tomb. Like Nicodemus, Jesus invites all of us to embrace Easter as a feast that ought to be a way of life. It is not one day to celebrate and then quickly forget, but the exultant life Jesus’ death and resurrection make possible for us, one in which no hope is too wild and no dream ever foolishly farfetched.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the Passionist Family of Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Acts 2:42-47
1 Peter 1:3-9
John 20:19-31

Reflection:

Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. John 20:20

Today, the second Sunday after Easter, we celebrate what we have come to name, Divine Mercy Sunday. Our readings for this Mass continue to remind us how God’s Divine Mercy is a beautiful expression of God’s Divine Love. The reason why this is so meaningful and important for us is because all of us are in need of God’s Divine Mercy. We all have sinned. We all are in need of forgiveness and absolution.

For today’s reflection, let us focus on the first words and gesture that Jesus spoke and gave to his disciples in the upper room after he rose from the dead, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

These were very important words that he spoke and a very significant gesture that he gave. What he said was very much in character with the Jesus of Nazareth who forgave sins and welcomed sinners into his company.

And he offered this gesture as proof of his Resurrection.

Jesus carried the scars of the crucifixion on his body. The visible wounds of his torture and death on the cross would always be noticeable for all to see. Crucifixions during the time of Jesus were not rare. The Roman authorities would often leave the bodies hanging on a cross for days, visible for all those who would pass by. Crucifixion was not only meant to be a punishment and an execution, but also a reminder to all of who had the power over life and death in this society.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he choose to appear to his disciples and loved ones with the healed wounds of the crucifixion. This was the ways that Jesus had of telling his disciples that the Jesus of Nazareth had truly risen from the dead. His scars was a reminder of the consequences of our sins.

Later, St. Peter would say in his second letter, He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. In this way, Jesus shows us what forgiveness of sins looks like.

Every time we are tempted to believe that the Risen Lord is not alive and unable to forgive our sins, then he invites us to do what he invited Thomas to do, stick our fingers into the holes where the nails were driven and our hands into his pierced side. The Resurrection had healed them completely.

While many of us seek forgiveness, we still struggle with offering forgiveness to others. One of the many questions that we priests are asked is about our unhealed wounds we carry with us in life. Our sins leave many scars. The way that we know that we have been completely honest with ourselves, that we are contrite and remorseful of our sins, is if the scars that those sins left behind are truly healed. The more that we reflect upon the healed scars of the Risen Jesus, the more we are challenged to forgive as Jesus has forgiven us. When we are able to touch the healed scars that resulted from our sins and there is no more bitterness or rancor, then we know the Risen Jesus is alive. We will know true peace and true communion with God and with one another. We will know God’s Divine Mercy. Alleluia!

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P., is a member of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Acts 4:13-21
Mark 16:9-15

Reflection:

As I was reflecting on the readings for today, I was struck by what Peter and John say to the Sanhedrin in our first reading from Acts (4:13-21). After the Sanhedrin tell Peter and John to stop speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus, they respond, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

“It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” To have that faith and that attitude is remarkable to me. But we may say to ourselves, “Well, they were eyewitnesses to those things. What have we seen and heard like that?” I always need to remember, especially during this Easter week, that there have been times when I have experienced Easter. There were times when I was discouraged, or times when there was a crisis out of which I could not see a way, and somehow, I made it through. I didn’t make it through by my own power – it was by the grace of God. Those times were experiences of Easter! If you’ve had similar experiences, you’ve experienced Easter! There is something you’ve seen and heard!

And when we can recognize those times as signs of God’s love for us, perhaps we could find it impossible not to speak about what we have seen and heard. I think our most effective testimony is not quoting Scriptures or church dogma, but about witnessing to what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.

And may our testimony not only be in words, but in how we live our lives. The reason Peter and John came before the Sanhedrin, is that they healed a beggar in the name of Jesus. May our witness include acts of healing and service to others, so that what we have seen and heard in our own lives can be communicated in a way that everyone can understand.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

Acts 3:11-26
Luke 24:35-48

Reflection:

The theme for the readings today is fulfillment. Jesus’ resurrection completes the final piece in the plan of redemption. With the book of the Acts of the Apostles proclaimed between now and Pentecost, we are treated to many miraculous stories of the early Christian journey. Those were radical times to be alive, the work of the Holy Spirit seems to explode from the pages. For the disciples and followers of Jesus, so much had changed in a few short days. Today, we have the beauty of hindsight and can only hear these stories through the lens of 2,000 years+ of Christianity. A legacy of love, sacrifice, and service in faithful dedication to the Gospel message extends to us in modern times.

 Peter, who denied Jesus three times, addresses the people unafraid of the consequences. His desire is unquenchable, having received the Holy Spirit. In both the first reading and the Gospel, the history of God’s promise—his faithfulness—is emphasized. Moses, the prophets, the psalms, the ancestors, each one Jesus “breaks open” in their midst. The scene in the Gospel follows directly after the “Road to Emmaus” meeting between the two disciples and Jesus. Instead of continuing to walk away from Jerusalem (and their pain and sadness over the death of Jesus), they turn back to share the good news with the others. They had encountered the Lord!

What must the disciples have felt at seeing Jesus suddenly appear in the room with them? They had abandoned him during his crucifixion. Were they scared or embarrassed to face him? I would have felt uncomfortable in his presence knowing I had left him to suffer alone. Yet, his first words were, “Peace be with you.” And all their fears and anxieties disappeared as again he broke open the scriptures. What wonder, what joy, what utter glorious jubilation. He has risen! He is here! All creation sings out its praise—Alleluia, alleluia.

Yet, in the euphoria of Easter, Jesus breaks open the word among us today. The plan is still in motion, working its way to completion, and we now take up the earthly place of our risen Lord. We are his hands and feet, his heart, his mercy, and his compassion. The time of fulfillment is always upon us.

Mystically, Jesus still suffers in our world. We only need to open the newspaper and read the headlines, open our eyes, and look around—see. The difference for us today is the lens of Christianity; we are a people of hope. In recognizing Jesus in the breaking of the bread, we see hope in his promises. Can we be present to those who suffer today? Yes, we can! Can we vigil with them or relieve their burdens in any way?  Yes, we can! We can do all things through the Holy Spirit who inspires us and touches our hearts with the power of the love of Jesus Christ.

May this Easter season fill us with the joy of our risen Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jean Bowler is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the Office of Mission Effectiveness Board of Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Acts 3:1-10
Luke 24:13-35

Reflection:

“…Neither Silver Nor Gold…”
“…Hearts Burning Within Us…”

This Easter Season celebrates Life and Growth…and today we have two Scripture selections that powerfully proclaim the Life and Growth and Meaning that is ours in Jesus, Risen from the dead!

Our selection from the Acts of the Apostles relates the ministry of Peter and John as they went to the temple area to pray…after the Resurrection of Jesus.  They meet a crippled man begging for alms that would help him make it through the day.  Peter looks intently at him and speaks to him:  “…I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you:  in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”  Peter helped the man stand up, and he started to walk around and even leap…cured!!!  Jumping and praising God!!!  New Life…in the name of Jesus!  We can hardly imagine the intensity of feelings experienced by Peter, John, and the cured man.

The Gospel selection is a classic Easter story:  the disciples meeting the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus.  The story unfolds:  two disciples walking along, trying to make sense of Jesus’ death and the “tale” of his body missing from the tomb; unknowingly they meet Jesus on the road, who senses their dejected spirit and asks them what they’re discussing as they walk along; the conversation builds and Jesus shares with them “the rest of the story”; the excitement builds, Jesus is invited to stay with them, and the disciples eyes were opened as Jesus breaks bread and says the blessing – it’s Jesus!  Their “hearts were burning” and they set out at once, running to tell the other disciples the Good News:  “The Lord has been raised!”  Again, what intense feelings must have coursed through their beings as they met the risen Jesus and then ran to tell the others!

The Risen Jesus meets us on the road of life this day…as we wander our streets and shopping malls, trying to make sense of life today – with the prejudice and violence that 50 years ago today led to Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination and still plagues our streets, the selfishness and lack of respect for all life, the sufferings of today’s sick and marginalized, etc.  We too seek meaning and fresh encouragement — and the risen Jesus shows us His sacred wounds and reminds us that there is more to life than suffering and death, that His death on Good Friday didn’t spoil the weekend, that nothing is more powerful than God’s all-encompassing Love.

With the depth of feelings shared by those early disciples and the man cured of his disease, we too can proclaim:  We are an Easter People – and “Alleluia” is our song.  And, as the theologian Fr. Eugene Maly once said:  “…at the same time we belong to a Pilgrim People whose ‘alleluias’ are still a bit off key…”  Alleluia…anyway!

Fr. John Schork, C.P. serves as the Province Vocation Director and also as Local Superior of the Passionist Community of Holy Name in Houston, Texas.  

Scripture:

Acts 2:36-41
John 20:11-18

Reflection:

In 2004, Oscar Solis was ordained an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Loss Angeles, the first Filipino-American bishop ordained in the United States.  Shortly thereafter, Bishop Solis accepted an invitation to have lunch with the leadership of my parish, St. Rita’s, in Sierra Madre, California. As it happened, I was seated next to him.  During our conversation, I noted what a great honor it is to be ordained the first Filipino American bishop in the United States.  I then asked him what kinds of qualifications are required to become a bishop.  Without hesitation, and with touching sincerity, he replied, “I wasn’t qualified.  But God does not call the qualified.  God qualifies the called.”

This episode brings to mind today’s gospel.  There is something similarly touching, even lovely, about Jesus making his first resurrection appearance to Mary Magdalene.  One would have expected Jesus to grant this honor to one of the disciples of his inner circle.  But no.  He picked Mary Magdalene.  “Go to my brothers,” Jesus said, and announce that I have risen. 

Jesus chose Mary Magdalene, even though her testimony would not be accepted because she was a woman, to make the greatest proclamation in the life of the church. 

This is the beauty evident throughout Scripture.  For some mysterious reason, God has a peculiar habit of choosing the unlikeliest of people to partner in his work.

• God chose Joseph to save God’s people from famine, even though he came from a family so dysfunctional that his brothers sold him into slavery.
• God chose Moses, a stutterer, and a murderer, to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage.
• God chose Rahab, a Gentile prostitute, to aid the Israelites in conquering mighty Jericho.

The list goes on.  God has a habit of choosing broken, messy, sinful men and women to serve him.  And don’t forget the disciples, this ragtag bunch of feuding, uneducated, uninfluential, and hard-headed men.  Yet, Jesus called them – by name – to join him in his ministry.

Jesus called them by name.  In the same way, Jesus called Mary Magdalene by name.  And in that moment of grace, she recognized Jesus.  Since earliest times, the Eastern Church appropriately began calling Mary Magdalene the isapostolos, the one equal to the apostles, the apostle to the apostles, the first envoy, called to proclaim the resurrection.

Easter is the time when we are exhorted to join Mary Magdalene in the garden, and to encounter the Risen Jesus.  And by our baptism, Jesus calls us by name.  Despite our failings, our flaws, our faults, and our brokenness, we too are called to rise to new life and to testify to the Good News.

Admittedly, we are clearly, plainly, definitely, obviously, not qualified for such a ministry. 

That’s okay.  God will qualify us.

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.