50 Days of Rejoicing

In Lent we had 40 days in the desert. Now we have 50 days of rejoicing. ~ from this morning’s homily by Fr. Miranda

Can you imagine being so afraid that you lock yourself in a room and stay there for days? The eleven apostles and their companions may have been in this state—afraid that they might be next now that Jesus was crucified. In today’s Gospel, we read how the two men who were met by Jesus on the road to Emmaus had returned to Jerusalem with the good news of having seen the Risen Christ when Jesus himself suddenly appeared among them, greeting them with the words, “Peace be with you.”

For some in that room who had already encountered Christ Risen, there must have been some rejoicing. For others, it must have been slightly unnerving. We face that option too—to accept something with joy or reject it in fear. Jesus invited them to touch him—to feel that he was indeed human. He asked for food so that they could see he could touch and consume it to prove he was not a ghost. He reminded them of the words that he had spoken while he was still with them before his crucifixion. Their minds were opened to understand and accept what they saw then. They were among the first witnesses.

A witness does not only see; they must also tell. Oftentimes, they choose to do as well. Fr. Miranda used the example of Hannah Taylor, a local young girl, who when she was eight years old witnessed a homeless man digging through a dumpster. When she learned that this man had nothing to eat, she told people about what she had seen and then she chose to do something to change what she saw. From that experience, Hannah has started the Ladybug Foundation and has gone on to raise funds for and awareness on the issue of homelessness. What surprised me is that many of the young people gathered around the priest for the children’s homily seemed to know what the Ladybug Foundation is and what Hannah has done. As I reflected on this, I could see the power of being a witness.

We each have the choice of accepting with joy or rejecting in fear. In these 50 days of Easter, may we choose joy and may we be a witness to the Risen Christ in our world, reaching out to those most in need.

What will you do to be a witness to the power of Good?

Peace,

Suzanne