Scripture:
Reflection:
ALLELUIA! Jesus is Risen!!!!! ALLELUIA!
I always find so much hope in the scriptures during the Easter season, more specifically, the Acts of the Apostles. Discipleship in the early church has many parallels to Discipleship in the church of 2017!
The apostles had the experience of being with Jesus, but then he was gone! It was challenging and overwhelming to try and spread the good news and at the same time mourn the loss of their friend and savior! I’m sure they had regrets and frustrations and wished they had used the time with Jesus in a more serious and fruitful way. Now they were without him and it was hard to carry on! BUT, we hear in Acts of how joyous they were to suffer and serve, to teach and heal and tell the world about Jesus! FAITH alive!
Disciples in 2017!
What can we learn from our sisters and brothers of the early church?!
We can rejoice that we have been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And all day long, in our parishes, communities, families, nations, we must continue to teach and proclaim the Christ, Jesus! We must persist! The apostles set the bar high without even realizing it. Instead of seeing the bar as too high, why don’t we join them on the high bar! A favorite chant from the women’s march in Washington back in January comes to mind; “when you go low, we go high”! When the people of God are cranky, stubborn and overwhelming and bring us down and we find ourselves questioning our call to ministry, when our leaders in government, church or institutions seem unjust, hurtful or just plain inconsiderate, leading many to begin to feel used, abused and forgotten, we must lead them to higher ground! We must persist!
The higher ground can be attained through our relationship with the Risen Jesus!
Jesus died so that we may have new life and have it abundantly. So, Disciples 2017, let’s glory in the new life all around us and spread the good news that
JESUS CHRIST HAS RISEN, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!!!!!!
Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.