Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Today's Mass Readings

Today's readings are very important ones. In the first reading we see the importance of the one baptism in Christ. John the Baptist came preaching a baptism of repentance, but Jesus brought the Holy Spirit with baptism, which St. Paul likewise brings to these people in today's first reading from Acts. There are other lessons to be learned from today's readings, but I just want to focus on one for today, and it is one that sums up the end of Easter, the feast of Pentecost which we are about to celebrate this upcoming Sunday, and the beginning of Ordinary Time: be courageous. In today's Gospel reading, Jesus exhorts His disciples to "take courage" (John 16:33). He wishes them to "have peace" in Him (John 16:33). This peace does not exclude difficulties, sufferings, and other hardships; rather, Jesus is very clear: "In the world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). Nevertheless, Jesus tells them to "take courage." They may have peace even amidst such sufferings.

The reason for this is that Jesus Himself has "conquered the world" (John 16:33). No matter what hardships we face, Jesus still reigns as king. No hardships we face take Jesus by surprise. Yes, they may pain Jesus. Yes, He may suffer when we suffer. But Jesus has conquered the world, and so we too are fellow conquerors. Our very suffering may be a form of conquering.

This is the message of Easter: courage. We can have courage because we can have hope, and that hope is in Christ, who rose again from the dead, victorious from the grave, even though He suffered a gruesome death on the cross.

We are rapidly approaching the feast of Pentecost which celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. Pentecost is a time of empowerment, a transition from Easter to Ordinary time. It is a time of empowerment to live out the Easter joy of the resurrection within Ordinary time. So let us go forth courageously to live the resurrection joy in the world, not just today, not just the rest of this week, but throughout Ordinary time, the time between the seasons, the time filled with feasts, memorials, and Holy Days. Let us go with courage to face any difficulties we have in front of us, knowing full well that Christ goes before us as conqueror.

- Jeff Morrow