Acts 2: 14.22-33,
Psalm 16: 1-2a and 5.7-8.9-10.11,
Matthew 28:8-15 Full Readings
Saint Vincent Ferrer
Where is your Galilee?
Brethren, today is Easter Monday in the Easter Octave, meaning it is Easter once again, we celebrate this for eight consecutive days which is culminated by Divine Mercy Sunday (hope you are praying the Divine Mercy Novena). During these days we encounter the Risen Lord meeting various groups and commissioning many of them at once when he meets them. Are you prepared to meet the Risen Lord? Today in a particular way, he meets the women and behold, he tells them "Don't be afraid, go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee, they will see me there"
As we saw from yesterday's reflection, the disciples where in Jerusalem, closed in doors because of fear, as we are closed today because of this pandemic Corona virus. It was the courageous women, whom I call perfect Apostles who first brought the good news of resurrection. Apostles had even forgotten that He said he would rise on the third day. When these women met Jesus, they bowed down and worshiped the Risen Lord. These women give us perfect example of what we are supposed to do this Easter, to bow down in adoration, worship the Risen Lord, who has conquered death and gave us such a great mystery of New life, stay some time in prayer to meditate on his resurrection and let it make meaning to you.
There is still one more thing we are expected to do: to proclaim the Risen Lord. The women were, right from there, commissioned to go and tell the disciples that Jesus is Alive. It's our duty now to proclaim to the world that the Lord is risen, let's not keep quiet, let us be joyful, no more anxiety and sadness, but we find joy in proclaiming the Risen Christ in both deeds and words.
What are we to proclaim? As Jesus told the women, “Don't be afraid…” we are also going to proclaim to all the people not to be afraid, the Lord is alive and is among us. This phrase is often used in situations where things are not going well or where God is going to do a great miracle, or reveal his Glory. In the resurrection narratives it shows that people were sad, fearful because of the death of Jesus. But Risen Lord gives hope again as he tells them Don't be afraid, I am He and alive. It is the word of Hope we need to hear in this pandemic attack, Don't be afraid for the risen Lord is with us, if he can defeat death, other illness including Corona virus has no power on him. We shall be healed in Jesus Precious Name. We only need to have hope and believe in the Risen Jesus Christ.
Leave for Galilee. Galilee has a significance in Jesus' mission as it is where he was baptised and then started his mission. Telling his disciples to leave for Galilee means that where the mission is where it must be accomplished and restarted by the Apostles by commissioning them by the Holy Spirit as he was at his baptism. That's why we see Peter speaking boldly before every with the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ indeed who lived among us did great works, taught many things, was killed, and buried and today he lives again raised by his Father in heaven. It's our commissioning too, we are also invited to go back to Galilee, that is where we were first called and renew our mission, correct what we have done wrong and strengthen what we did well and ask the Holy Spirit to accompany us in this mission. Where is your Galilee?
Let us therefore reflect today, upon how prepared we are to meet Risen Lord, in various experiences of our lives and how ready we are to proclaim the message of hope to our people in this pandemic that the risen Lord is among us and he will not let us down. We are people of Easter and we believe in it not like the Jews who even today don't believe in the resurrection(that's why we pray for them on Good Friday so that they may also come to believe in it as they were the first evangelised and who saw the works and heard the words of the Lord.) We pray also for those among us who don't believe in him. Let us then walk in that light of Risen Christ and take it to others. May God continue to us now and forever.
Let us Pray
Lord, I desire to go back to my Galilee, where you commissioned me to go and proclaim the good news of resurrection to everyone. May you help me to live always in the light of resurrection. Amen
Blessed Easter.
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