If these fifty days of Easter could be summarized into three themes they would be as follows:
These three themes are brought out powerfully in today’s three readings. Starting with the growth of the Church; we have the privilege of hearing much of the book of the Acts of the Apostles which is read as the first reading for many of the weekday Masses of Easter and then as the first reading of the Sunday Masses. Today’s passage from Acts recounts the trials and tribulations Paul and Barnabas encountered while traveling and proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles. Nevertheless, they “made a considerable number of disciples… strengthened spirits… appointed elders…reported what God had done with them… (and) opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” We too must be a part of this growth of the Church. The Church has grown, is growing now, and must continue to grow. Let us be strengthened in our spirits so as to persevere in the faith despite the hardships we have to face as we proclaim the Gospel of Life with our lives in the world today.
Second, Easter reveals to us the end for which we are created, namely, unification with God along with all of the saints in the eternal heavenly liturgy. The Book of Revelation, which we read as our second reading through much of the Easter season, can take on a reputation of doom and gloom. However, for those who do persevere in faithfulness despite the persecutions and hardships, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race… God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.” Do we trust the Lord that He will bring about this new order even when we are suffering or in pain?
Third, all of the accounts of the resurrection which we hear in the readings of the Gospels during Easter reveal to us the transformational love of the Trinity. God is love and God’s love is the life that has broken the chains of death. To receive the love of God, as we do through the Eucharist and the other Sacraments, is to receive eternal life which is the transformation of our mortal nature into the divine nature. In other words, through the resurrection, we humans are transformed into God’s very self. As Jesus says to his disciples and to us today, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Let us embody this transformational love.