Monday of the Octave of Easter
(Acts 2:14.22-33; Matthew28:8-15)
Abraham Lincoln proposed a new vision for a reunited America
in his Second Inaugural Address. Charity
toward all would replace the malice to sworn enemies. Slavery would end, but both sides would have
paid a terrible price. Lincoln used the
Bible -- both the Old and New Testaments – to impress on his readers his new
vision. Known by almost everyone,
Scripture provided common ground to rebuild America. In today’s reading from Acts, Peter similarly
finds in Scripture the basis of understanding Jesus’ resurrection.
Peter’s sermon directly follows the Holy Spirit’s descent on
the apostles. They prayerfully awaited
its coming and now almost explode with enthusiasm to tell others about
Jesus. Since Christ’s appearances to the
apostles were unique events, Peter uses the Scriptures to interpret them for
his audience. He references the psalm
which says that the Lord’s anointed would not know corruption in death. The body which would not corrupt in the tomb
could not be David’s because David’s tomb was marked. Peter says that the glorified body was that of
Jesus, David’s lineal heir.
Many in the contemporary world become uncomfortable with the
thought of the resurrection – both Christ’s and his followers’. They would rather have life end at death for
all so that people can pursue whatever gives them pleasure. But such a wish clashes with the experience
of the apostles’ and our own spiritual intuitions. We believe that the Jesus is truly risen
because like Lincoln we possess the living hope that charity will prevail and
malice will end.
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