Lectionary #261. Monday of the Octave of Easter

Scripture: Lectionary # 261. Acts 2:14,22-33. Psalm 16:1-2a, 5,7-8,9-10,11.
Matthew 28:8-15:

Peter is the first after Mary Magdalene to witness and experience the
Resurrection of Jesus. Today, in his earliest recorded speech by St. Luke
he preaches this event to those gathered outside the upper room. We listen
with the people from all over the world, "God raised this Jesus; of this we
are all witnesses." He is speaking of the other apostles and womend and
friends of Jesus who had gathered after his death in prayer. They are the
beginning of the Church and its witness and mission to preach Christ
crucified and risen from the dead. Christianity is born.

Other speeches by Peter, Stephen, and Paul will be given in the Acts of the
Apostles and they basically have the same outline and content--all
twenty-two of them, namely, Jesus of Nazareth after his ministry, suffered,
died, and is now risen from the dead. The Paschal Mysteries are to be
preached and witnessed to by us and somehow we must make them make the
needs of those thirsting for God around us or for some sort of peace and
harmony among us humans.

We then listen and meditate on Psalm 16 reading it,too, in the light of its
witness to Jesus from the Christian perspective. We see the down to earth
language of the psalm and how it leads us to think of the bodily
resurrection of Jesus. Fr. Brown, S.S., many years ago referred to the
resurrection of Jesus as bodily. He was concerned with those who make it
simply a symbol or who say they would not be disturbed if Jesus' body were
found today. "Rather, says Brown, "would the apostles have been disturbed!"
This shows the importance of the first witnesses of the Resurrection--the
apostles, the holy women, and the friends of Jesus who experienced it. They
have passed this event on to us through the gift of the Gospels, the
Acts,and Paul's testimony to this mystery that leads to our salvation and
eternal life. "Life is changed but not taken away."

Later in his life, Brown had accomplished two monumentatl biblical studies,
The Birth of the Messiah and the Death of the Messiah. After presenting
the latter in a Methodist Seminary, one of the professors asked the tired
Father Brown when he was going to publish a book on The Resurrection of the
Messiah. He paused, took a deep breath, smiled and then said, "I am
waiting to experience that." A perfect answer for the audience. Fr. Brown
died within a few years after that presentation. His words remain with
those who were present in the chapel. Yes, Christ is truly risen from the
dead. We believe this as our heritage as faithful Christians; now our task
is to live it, to experience it, and to witness to it. Amen.