Author: admin

“The high priest rose up, and all his companions filled with jealousy laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail” (Acts 5:17-18).

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Throughout the Easter season, we read from the Acts of the Apostles, which in many ways could be re-titled: The Early Church Meets Trouble.

For example, this is the second time the Apostles have been arrested by the religious authorities for preaching the truth – and they don’t seem to care!

What a change!

Within a matter of weeks, they’ve journeyed from being cowards to heroes for one reason only: They’ve seen the Risen Christ.

Now they see their own destiny caught up in Jesus.

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We might say these earliest Christians exhibited three important qualities, qualities we all can emulate:

(1) They had courage. They knew they were putting their lives in their hands by preaching openly about the Lord – but they did it anyway.

(2) They were obedient. They never seemed to ask, “Is this particular choice going to get me in trouble or even killed?” No. They only asked themselves, “Is this what God wants me to do?”

(3) They knew their destiny. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, they knew they would rise, too. That knowledge gave them the courage they needed to wake up each morning and fight the good fight.

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That’s the type of faith that moves mountains.

It’s the same faith that Christ offers us – a faith that is courageous, obedient, and resurrection-centered.

It is ours if only we open our hearts and believe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Throughout the Easter season, our first reading is often taken from the Book of Acts, which describes the life of the early Church, answering questions like:

How did they pray? How did they worship God? How did these direct descendants of Christ’s teachings put them into practice?

For example, today we hear, “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own” (Acts 4:32-33).

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“No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own.”

For example, Barnabas sells his property and lays the profits at the feet of the Apostles so that others who are poor, thirsty, and hungry might have a meal that night.

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In many ways, the Church has continued that call to deep generosity throughout the centuries.

We as an institution have started more hospitals, schools, orphanages, soup kitchens, and universities than any other group on the planet.

And you and I are challenged today to continue that tradition.

We don’t have to sell our property like Barnabas, but we do need to fight the temptation to be selfish; we must seek out ways to give ourselves away instead.

The only question is, how will you do that? How will you be generous today?

 

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Why are scary movies so popular?

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For example, how many of us remember Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds? Or maybe a young Christian Bale in American Psycho.

Then there was the classic film, Silence of the Lambs.

It still gives me the chills.

I remember, in particular, the basement scene, when Buffalo Bill turned on his night vision goggles and began his slow pursuit of Clarice, the young FBI agent.

Haunting.

But Stephen King’s thrillers take the cake.

Perhaps you’ve seen It or the newly released, Pet Sematary.

Not me. No thank you.

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Again, why do these movies consistently top the box office?

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Perhaps it’s because they play on a fear we all have – the fear of being pursued – pursued by someone stronger than we are.

Even kids play innocently on this fear when they’re on the playground.

For example, how many of us remember playing “hide-and-go-seek” or “tag, you’re it”?

That feeling of knowing someone else is in hot pursuit of us is chilling, making our heart pound.

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Conversely, there is no better feeling than knowing you’re safe.

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We see that age old fear of being pursued at work in the Gospel.

Thomas and the other disciples are hiding in a tiny room in Jerusalem, because they believe they’re being pursued.

“If the secular and religious authorities banned together to put Jesus to death, then they must be out for us,” they must have thought.

“Why not stomp out this newly formed Christian movement while it’s still small? The powers that be will crush us like an ant.”

And they were right.

Someone else is pursuing them.

Only it’s not who they expect.

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It’s the Risen Christ.

“Peace be with you,” Jesus says. “Do not be afraid, it is I.”

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For forty days and forty nights, Jesus pursues his disciples, appearing behind their closed doors, showing them he is not a ghost; their lives have not become some scary movie with a horrible ending.

Rather, they are safe – and so is Jesus. He is alive! He is risen from the dead!

But seeing the Risen Christ has come at a cost. They must share this good news with the world.

“Tag, you’re it,” Jesus says. Get to work.

The disciples are now the pursuers.

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And so are we.

Like the Apostles, we’ve have all had some experience of the Risen Christ, an experience that we must share with the world.

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I say this, in particular, to our young people who are going to receive their First Holy Communion.

Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, Jesus is present.

That’s why Holy Communion matters so much – Jesus enters your life – never to leave you again.

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But such an incredible gift comes with great responsibility.

Jesus is calling us no less than the twelve Apostles to share this good news of his resurrection – and the hope of our own – with the world.

That can be done anywhere from the playground to the dinner table. Wherever we go, we can speak of Christ’s victory over death.

It is his – and it is ours!

Tag, you’re it!