May 1, 2011

"A NEW AND EXCITING IDEA, A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND UNITY"


It's Sunday!


May 1 - Second Sunday of Easter


What was your initial reaction when you heard about the Institute and then, understanding better, began to appreciate the gift the Lord had given you? Did you feel that a new and exciting orientation had entered your life and given it a purpose, a consistency and a unity which had never been there before?


If you did, then you will identify with the early Christians in the First Reading. Here are people living a life of faith, hope and charity as they a) listen to the teaching of the apostles, b) share in a brotherly (sisterly?) communion, c) partake in the "breaking of bread" ( = the Eucharist) and d) join in common prayer. These elements are all to be found in the Institute in a slightly varied form and they are also the basic elements of the larger Church. If one of these is missing - and surely today in the Church the first one is - then we have disorder and disunity where the, exact opposite should prevail. On the other hand, these characteristics are very much part of present-day Institute membership and we want to believe that they always will be.


The Responsorial Psalm mentions "shouts of joy and victory,"expressing (the amazed realization of these first Christians that Jesus had kept his word, had done the impossible, had risen from the dead, no less. Suddenly a new insight on how to live, a new awareness of how meaningful and joyful their everyday occupations could become, a new vision of themselves and of each other, took them over and, as we might say, put a permanent song on their lips. In the "breaking of bread" they felt again the mysterious power and presence of their great Friend - "the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornet stone."


The Second Reading again refers to the Resurrection, the great feature that sets Christianity apart from all other religions because our Founder is alive while theirs is dead. There is a reference to a "new birth" in Baptism and the beginning of a new and faith-filled life which, however, will inevitably be "plagued by all sorts of trials." After the pure joy of the First Reading, the practical Peter introduces a more sobering note.


There will be suffering even in this great new existence but fortunately the pain will produce a gain: when our faith is tested we will have everlasting praise and glory. The final sentences are very worthy of Peter: we believe, we are sure, we are filled with joy because our faith is not in intangibles but in the only event worth having: the salvation of our souls. How useful it would be to keep these words in the forefront of our minds as we face the challenges and stresses of everyday life.


The Gospel is the same for all three years of the Sunday cycle and, highlights the experiences of St. Thomas (not so much "doubting" as "hard-headed," determined to sift the evidence and arrive at his own independent conclusion; an honest man, therefore, with an inquiring mind which, once enlightened, can never doubt again). His beautiful words - "My Lord and my God!" will be on the lips of fervent believers till the end of time but the Lord has the best line: "Blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe."


~May 2011 Concord

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