For eight days the Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead! On this Wednesday within the Octave in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear the continuation of St. Peter's Pentecost sermon. We turn to the upcoming celebration of Pentecost during the celebration of Easter Day because the two are intimately linked.
Yesterday we said that Pentecost is a direct application of the merits and graces wrought by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Today when Peter gives the crippled man the healing power and strength of Jesus Christ – we see another kind of direct application. The death and resurrection of Christ were filled to overflowing with the power of the Holy Spirit to enlighten, to give grace; to make strong and to heal, even physically!
The man – at Peter's bidding and with his help – jumped up and started walking around – praising God all the while – then went into the temple with Peter and John! We must remember that – as baptized Christians – we have something of greater value than silver and gold to give people – especially the poor and the needy: we have Jesus himself to give them, by means of our care and concern; our love and our service. But we must not only remember it – we must also do it – or else Jesus will have died and rose for nothing!
God's people need to be helped and he has chosen us to help them – after we have connected with him by means of the sacraments of the Church.
In the gospel passage we see the great type of the Eucharistic celebration: the Mass – enacted for one of the first times – with Jesus as main celebrant – as he always is, even to this day! Jesus walks and talks with the disciples – he explains the words of Scripture that pertain to him; then he breaks bread with them – and they recognize him as Risen Lord and Savior. They eat the bread and drink the cup and thus strengthened go forth to tell his brothers what they experienced – as we are indeed called to do every day of our lives! There is nothing like beginning any day with the celebration of Holy Mass!
This is the day the Lord has made!
We rejoice and are glad in it!
Thank you, Jesus, for speaking your words to us, and for being our food!
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