Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Our celebration has now passed, and we are nearing the end of the season of Easter. In this final week, we turn our attention to the Holy Spirit, and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples at Pentecost. By this time in Easter, it’s easy to feel that the Easter spirit has fizzled out. Those Easter egg hunts and the newness of the “Alleluia” seem to have been so long ago. But we should not be led to complacency in these last days of Easter. We are called to march on in the joy of the risen Lord, looking forward to that great gift given to us after the risen Lord Jesus ceased to walk the earth and ascended into heaven. In our first reading, therefore, we have another story from the Acts of the Apostles.
Today we hear more of Paul’s missionizing activities. In particular, today’s passage features some disciples who have become believers with yet an imperfect, or incomplete understanding of the Christian faith. They soon learn that their baptism was that of John – a baptism of repentance. So Paul baptizes them in the name of Jesus and confirms them, bringing the Holy Spirit upon them. They now have the fullness of faith. They have the sacramental grace that comes from baptism and confirmation. They have the Holy Spirit to be their guide. How necessary these strengths are for us as Christians!
Every day we face challenges of everyday life, including those struggles with our own natures and selfishness. Left to ourselves, we would but make a mess of everything. With God, however, we can fight to become better and holier people, regardless of our own failings and challenges encountered. Jesus knew that his suffering and death by crucifixion would cause doubts and confusion for those who had become his followers. In today’s gospel passage from John, his disciples claim that they now believe Jesus came from God. But however certain they might be of this, Jesus knows that their faith will be challenged, and that they will succumb to their fear, leaving him alone. And yet he admonishes them to take courage because he knows that his death and resurrection will bring salvation.
For us, as for Paul and the early Christians, each day must be a struggle to take courage in knowing that Jesus has conquered the world. We are called to recognize that we do not have to do everything on our own; the battle has been fought and won. We are invited to share in the fruits of Christ’s victory. Again, this is not always easy for us, but Christ has not left us alone. We have the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, God who is always with us, even though often forgotten and neglected by us. Today, let us pray that God prepare us for the coming of the Holy Spirit that we celebrate at Pentecost. Let us continue to live the Easter joy with the confidence that something amazing is still to come. Let us open our hearts to receive the Spirit to help us live more fully as Christian witnesses in this world!
- Maria Morrow