Happy Second week of Easter to each of you! I hope you still cherish the reverberations of our worship last week. I was grateful that this week, when I felt troubled, my concerns were somehow reframed for me by echoes of the Exultet we sang in Saturday’s vigil.
I’m grateful, too, for the wisdom of the early church, which set apart these days bridging Easter to Pentecost as Mystagogy: Sacred time, to immerse ourselves in the mystery into which we were baptized.
These 2 final pages of John’s Gospel hold both the Resurrection of Jesus and Pentecost’s outpouring of the Spirit.
John gives us witnesses to the Resurrection, who confirm the continuity of the presence of one Jesus: It was he who lived among his disciples while proclaiming God’s reign, and the same he who recognizably returned to them after they had seen him crucified.
Mary, distressed not to find him in the tomb, recognized Jesus when he called her by name. How they all must have needed this assurance!
The followers hiding behind closed doors were also surprised by him. When they recognized Jesus in their midst, he breathed the Spirit into them (much as told of our creation, and of the Valley of Dry Bones when God commanded Ezekiel to breathe life into them). Thomas believed when he could touch the wounds of his crucifixion. Jesus graciously responds to this doubt by giving of himself once more to help them believe. The first community of believers was unequivocal in their message:Jesus rose from the dead; we saw him. Those followers and witnesses of the Nazarene numbered 120,
The Peace with which he greeted them empowered this group to overcome the fear that kept them hiding from the crowds.The fear and hate that led to Jesus’ crucifixion has not destroyed the Peace that he is. This is peace the world cannot give, and it turns the followers’ tears to joy. We are to remember that this same peace and courage are there for us each day.
That God raised Jesus makes it clear that it was the Creator who sent him. Seeing the same Jesus who had shared many meals with them, whose works and deeds they witnessed, confirms also that it was our Creator who gave him the authority to teach, to embrace, to heal.
Turning to the Act of the Apostles, we find Peter: a new paradigm of Spirit-powered witness! Previously known as betrayer-accused-by roosters on the night of Jesus’ arrest and interrogation .
Peter, who Jesus called his Rock, who cowered in fear at Jesus’ arrest, now stands before thousands, who gathered in the chaos occasioned by this gift of the Spirit in the wake of Jesus’ crucifixion – and the rumored blasphemy that he’d risen from the dead..
Dismissing charges of early morning intoxication, Peter proclaims – enthusiastically but deliberately– the history of God’s past liberating actions on Israel’s behalf. He does this so well that he makes the choice to believe in Jesus as Christ a logical conclusion for some of the Israelites, His sermon is pointed and very personal. sermon.
Peter tells the crowd that those who are open to his testimony, will see Good News fulfilled today! This urgency in Peter’s preaching mirror’s Jesus’ own (in Luke ch 9) when he said “Let me place the Word ‘into your ears’”.
In Peter ‘s vision, Joel’s prophecy bears fruit at Pentecost. He claims this present time as “the last days”; the time of our Redemption.
The Spirit of the Risen Christ, Peter preaches, reaches even broader than Israel, and is leading to a community of prophecy that embraces all: Even himself, a betrayer.Yet further, it will include everyone who believes, even those enslaved to service in your household will have a place in this community – and the gift of prophecy!
Peter’s sermon to this skeptical crowd- more of which we’ll hear on Pentecost -is so convincing that the number baptized into the community of believers swells by some 3000!
Maybe our circle will be graced with another baptism this year?! Living our own baptismal identity forward, as Christians we may feel like misfits, sojourners in this era convulsing with lies, violence and death. In our era “church” often conjures images so counter to the teachings of Jesus, and religion is often used to rationalize exclusion, white supremacy and a desire for wealth.
Commenting on the Acts of the Apostles Robert W Wall said “Without its prophetic awareness, churches’ ministry is corrupted by self interest, and its presence in the world ceases to matter.”
TODAY, then, it is on us to announce that death holds no sway on us anymore! The dominant have lost their power, the hierarchy has lost their hold; in Jesus all is made new. This season reawakens us to the power and mission that came with our baptism – however long ago -and still comes to us by the Holy Spirit..
Unlike Peter and countless other early Christians, unless we place our body as a human shield in a war zone- foreign or domestic– we are unlikely to suffer a martyr’s death. Yet often we will face a letting go: a loss through diagnosis, the death of a friend, a family member, or another person of our affection. We might have to let go of a cherished hope for ourselves, for a child or other loved one. For believers, each of these is a call to navigate the unknown, in trust and in grace. And each time that we do so,
we serve as witnesses: strengthening our own faith, and that of our companions.
Then may it come to us, in moments of pain, and of recognition. And may it fill our ears with each others’ voices: Christ broke the chains of the darkness! God’s Mighty Love is stronger than death!
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Let us pray:
For all who are drawn to embrace the Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth, that they find communities of truth and fidelity to his teaching in which to grow, we pray………
For all faith communities across the world, including those shaped around this Benedictine monastery: that our witness be clear, encouraging and bold, we pray….
For all who suffer from illnesses, physical, mental, and societal: may they find healing, compassion and hope, we pray…
Please lift at this time your own prayers,,,,,,,,,,,for these and all whose names are in our Book of Intentions, we pray.
Creator God, we thank you for Jesus who draws us to you by your Holy Spirit.
In confidence, we ask you to receive these prayers into your boundless love and mercy, Amen.
Although you have not seen Christ, still you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him. May you rejoice with indescribable and glorious joy in each of your days! And now, please offer one another a sign of Christ’s Peace .