Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
In the first reading, Peter is on fire with the Holy Spirit. His preaching in the Spirit brings 3000 people into the Church in a single day! We only have the highlights, but what strikes me today is his saying, “The promise is made to you… and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” In those days where it took months to get a message across the Roman Empire, every city and region had their own religious traditions; to adopt the traditions of some other area was to loose your cultural identity and independence. But Peter here is saying that Jesus matters to all people, near and far. The promise extends to the whole world.
There is a level of mystical reality in today’s readings. For the Christian today, it is very helpful to cultivate a level of mysticism (mystical spirituality) about the oneness of all people before God our creator. We live in a time where science and education are so readily available, so it is easy to focus on the things we can prove we know. This is also true of the Catholic Church, which has such a rich intellectual and philosophical tradition. But there is another side to our Church and our faith: the mystery of God’s love and its mystical impact on the world. Getting in touch with this mystical reality is another way of ‘knowing’ Jesus; it can more deeply change our hearts to love as Christ loved. It transcends location and space, as Pete pointed out in the first reading. It is for everyone.
Jesus also gives us a window into the mystical reality of God’s Love in today’s gospel, when he says, “I am going to my Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God.” Of course, this isn’t saying we have divine DNA. We can’t take a paternity test to prove it. But it is mystically true. Jesus has brought us into the divine family. Our blessing cup is a communion with the Lord. We have the same Dad.
So what? We are brothers and sisters. We are family forever. Now, in this Easter season, let us love our brother and sisters, in the Church and the world, with joyful hearts. Let us welcome all people with love and mercy, guided by the Holy Spirit. We are truly a family, and nothing will ever change that. Amen.
- Chris Nieport