Monday of the
Octave of Easter
(Acts 2:14.22-33; Matthew28:8-15)
Cardinal Walter Kasper used to head the Vatican’s
Secretariat for Christian Unity. Many
times he dialogued with Orthodox and Protestant churches to increase the understanding
between them and Catholicism. He tried
to begin these meetings by listing the many values and practices which the disparate
churches hold in common. He said that
the differences would eventually surface but in the beginning all need to
appreciate the many similarities. Peter
uses the same tact in the first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles.
The disciples have just been inundated with the Holy
Spirit. Neither fear nor confusion will
now keep them from proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. But how can they make the message credible to
the people in Jerusalem? Peter appeals
to their knowledge of the Scriptures to show that Jesus’ rising from the dead
can be traced in the Jewish tradition. He
cites a psalm attributed to King David that says God will not allow His holy
one to suffer corruption in the grave.
Like the women at Jesus’ empty tomb we also must tell
others of Jesus’ resurrection. But how can
we make the message credible today?
There is no common knowledge of the Scriptures, but there is universal
approval of works of charity. When we
listen to the person who is hurting and share with those who lack necessities, people will eventually ask what makes us do it. Pope Francis proclaimed the resurrection of
Jesus never more eloquently that when he took the face of that horribly
disfigured man in his hands and blessed it.
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