April 23: Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
Posted by Campus Ministry on Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 6:00 AM PDT
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As I read today’s readings, I am struck by the Apostles' courage. After a resurrected Jesus appeared to them, they were filled with a sense of tenacity and drive that inspired confidence in them, despite the many risks and uncertainties in their time. They were under watch by the high priests who sought any wrong move the Apostles might make. The high priests expected crucifying Jesus to be the end to their problems, yet instead, something had changed greatly. The power in seeing the resurrected Jesus gave the Apostles hope, trust and, more importantly, peace. No longer was the presence of Jesus restricted to his human body! The resurrection demonstrated to the Apostles a promise of liberation, a promise of a new life, and a promise that, no matter what, Jesus remained with them always. The Apostles’ transformation made me reflect upon the power of the resurrection for today. The Apostles demonstrate the great strength from God that comes in the promise of peace. This promise fills them with the sort of courage that is important to focus on in our present context.
How can we exhibit and inspire courage among those around us? How can we be inhabitants and deliverers of peace? There is much uncertainty, fear and distrust currently, but Jesus has risen from the dead, and his presence remains with us! We have received the same promise of liberation and peace as the Apostles, and there is proof of it present in the goodness that remains in the world, in the kindnesses of our neighbors, in the sunshine, in the small moments of peace. I feel that today’s scriptures are calling us in a special way to extend that peace to others, to bring the joy and hope of the resurrected Jesus to those who are in most need of it, even if we may not feel it very strongly on our own. It is crucial to depend on each other now, in a similar way to how the Apostles relied on each other for courage. The strength of community encourages everyone to share in the experiences of uncertainty and anxiety trusting that together, through the power of the resurrected Jesus, we can become agents of hope and liberation, just like the Apostles before us. It is reminding each other of the promise of the resurrection that brings us closer to God and each other during difficult times. Amid the anxiety in our time, there is the promise of joy. How can we be agents of peace and courage? How do we need the power of resurrection to be present in our lives and our world?
–Tayz Hernandez, Student Campus Minister for Liturgy, Class of 2021