Thursday of the
Second Week of Easter
(Acts 5:27-33; John 3:31-36)
A couple of years ago a florist in Seattle was sued by a
patron. The florist refused to provide
flowers for her patron’s “marriage” to another man. She did not harbor personal dislike for the man. Rather she believed that homosexual marriage
violates God’s law. Furthermore, she thought
providing flowers would make her an accomplice in an evil act. In a letter to the Seattle Times the florist wrote:
“Rob (the patron) was asking me to choose between my affection for him and my
commitment to Christ. As deeply fond as
I am of Rob, my relationship with Jesus is everything to me.” The florist expresses the same sentiment as
the apostles in today’s first reading.
The Jewish authorities have told the apostles that they
are not to preach the name of Jesus. But
they cannot not do it. They have been
commissioned by Jesus and charged by the Holy Spirit to witness to him as the
world’s salvation. Obeying the
authorities would be defying God’s will.
We need to ask ourselves whether our relationship with
Jesus means as much to us. Do we love
him above all because of who he is and what he has done for us? He is God who became human. He created us, shared our struggles, and then
died to free us from sin’s tenacious grasp. More than anyone or anything, he is worthy of our allegiance.
