Our First Reading has a story quite relatable to today. We are huddled together, sheltered, and in small familial groups without much outside contact, although today we have technology for connectivity with the rest of the world. This current situation we are in will not last and I hope that we have all been able to realize the important aspects, values, or cherished things we might have forgotten in years past. Reconnecting with family and those we love is a much-needed change from the hectic, full throttle pace of life. How fitting that we are afforded this “reconnecting” during Easter. Soon it will be time to return and recover from our sheltering and social avoidance. When we do, it would be wonderful to continue that connection with Jesus and profess His word like Peter. What a
gift of renewal that would be.
Our Psalm repeats the refreshing of our spirit, our soul, and our new life again with Christ! How wonderful to connect and finally understand all of the past prophesies and feel this love from Him! The weight of life and all our burdens is now gone; Jesus destroyed death and we can only rejoice by turning all of our focus to Him! Springtime is upon us and in us because of Jesus. Can you feel this refreshing joy within your heart? Will you share His love by professing the good news like Peter and the disciples in your own ways?
Our Second Reading today recalls Jesus’ passion in a slightly different way, certainly not to change the context, but to detail the gravity and weight of what occurred. God sent His Son to destroy death and be sacrificed for me, my children, and the yet unborn families of my children. Jesus died 2,000 years ago for those alive at that time, for us, and for more generations yet to come until the end of time. That’s pretty heavy and brings me to pause. How am I inspired by knowing this? Especially in our current situation, when the rest of the world seems bleak and dark, how much brighter is His light? Will I let His light shine to others through me?
Today’s Gospel of Luke Chapter 24 has one of my favorite passages. How amazingly similar we find ourselves today to those two disciples walking to Emmaus? These days I hear and see many people discussing the seeming abandonment of God in our lives, the endless peril we hear of in the so-called news and, even worse, in social media. From every angle, we hear doom, dread, and gloom. It brings us all down and I think it is natural, in some instances, where we may have brought our own faith into question. I know I have done so more than once. Yet when I see this passage, it helps me shake that negativity and solidifies my faith, allowing me to reassure myself and grow even stronger in faith than I was before. Has your faith been renewed with these passages? It is still Easter; how will I continue this joy of the season and share His resurrection with others?