Texts: Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 33:4-5.18-20.22; John 20:11 - 18
The gift of God is for all; those who have received it are mandated to share it with others. In today’s first reading, St. Peter made the people realise that the gift of baptism and Holy Spirit was not for the apostles alone but for them and their children and the generations to come. In his words: “Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” We are not to hoard the gift of God, they are meant to be shared. As we have witnessed resurrection through our baptism, confirmation, and repentance during Lent, we are to call others to repentance, baptism and confirmation.
We must note that the people were attracted to the apostles because of the manifestation of God’s gift in their lives. Let us, therefore, show forth in our lives the life of resurrection, that people might see the life of Christ in our lives. Seeing the life of Christ in our lives, they will draw close to us and ask, ‘what has happened to you’. Then we will tell them about Jesus who has risen and become both Lord and Christ. Being Christ is the One anointed by God for our salvation. Being Lord He is to be obeyed and worshipped. With resurrection we now know that Jesus is our salvation; we are saved by following Him, having faith in Him and living by His words. The people realised this and were sorry for not believing in Him, they were sorry for what they had missed. It is said of them thus: “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ’Brethren, what shall we do?’” The message of resurrection touched them and they were cut to the heart and felt sorry for their unbelief, their sin. Let us take far and near the message of resurrection. However, we need to ensure that we are also touched by the experience of resurrection.
Jesus Christ, in today’s gospel reading, saddled Mary Magdalene with the message of resurrection. She was saddled with the message after her encounter with the risen Christ. Those of us who exercise faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ are to go out to share our faith with others, in words and in deeds.
O God, who have bestowed on us paschal remedies, endow your people with heavenly gifts, so that, possessed of perfect freedom, they may rejoice in heaven over what gladdens them now on earth. Amen (Collect).
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
Posts
0 Comments