March 30, 2008 SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
30 MARCH 2008, 5:15, 8:00, 10:30
READINGS: Acts 2:42-47; I Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
SAINT MARY PARISH, VIROQUA
Introduction: Each year this gospel is proclaimed on the Second Sunday of Easter. This passage is that important for us to hear; so important because it speaks to us of faith and its consequences.
1. So, here are the apostles, all but Judas who is now dead and Thomas. Suddenly, before them, stands Jesus. “Peace be with you,” he says to them. Then, he shows them his wounds. Next, the gospel tells us, “He breathed on them.” Here is an obvious connection to the story in Genesis of the creation of Adam. There we read “God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” (Gen 2) Then, a human being was created for the first time; now, this time, human beings become new creations; with the Holy Spirit we are indeed born again. Oh, we are still human with all the earthiness that word implies; we are still made of clay, but we are also brothers and sisters of Jesus. Baptism makes us children of God…new creations indeed.
2. Jesus tells his apostles, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” With new dimensions to our lives there come new responsibilities. One is surely to be witnesses on his behalf. The first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles tells of how they were witnesses. They devoted themselves to instruction and communal life; they shared all things in common; they went to the temple area every day; they took their meals in common – and in their homes they broke bread, that is, they celebrated the Eucharist. All these activities done in the early Church are important for us still today. We are called upon “to be Church.” These are ancient activities of the Church, and they are relevant today. We too should continue to study our faith, to share things with each other, to pray daily, and to celebrate Eucharist.
We know the apostles were not perfect specimens as disciples. We know of Peter’s denial, of Thomas’ lack of faith. Someone once said, “The Church is not a club of saints; it is a hospital for sinners.” Yet, we are sinners who look out for one another, who must look out for one another. Further, as the poet says, for all his faults “this immortal diamond is immortal diamond.”
3. A parable is told of a man in hell who prayed earnestly to be released from torment. At last a voice said, “Rescue will come,” and a carrot held by a slender thread was let down and he was told to grasp it. He did so, and seemingly thin though the thread was, it began to draw him up. But others, seeing his ascent, seized upon his garments that they also might be rescued, and the man kicked them off, crying, “The thread will break!” and break it did, alas! And again the voice spoke: “The thread was strong enough to save both you and your brothers, but it was not strong enough to save you alone.” Dear friends, nothing unites us with the power of the Eucharist. When we have intimacy here with Jesus, we have the potential for unity with everyone. Then, then, we will live accordingly.
Conclusion: Sunday is often called “the day of the new creation.” This Sunday let us be re-created in the image of Jesus; here we gather for the breaking of the bread. From here we go forth to live the consequences of our faith, to learn, to share and to love Christ and one another.