Homily: Friday of the 4th Week of Easter - Blending in or Standing Out

In their first of three missionary journeys, Paul and Barnabas traveled over ocean, river, mountain, and bandit ridden lands, to reach this city called Antioch in Pisidia. 

Yesterday we heard how Paul stood up in the synagogue of Antioch and began to preach.  He gave an account of salvation history, beginning with God freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, the establishment of the Davidic kingdom, and how John the Baptist heralded the coming of the Messiah.

Today, Paul continued this exhortation, focusing  on Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection.  He explains that Jesus was the innocent lamb who was put to death on a tree and placed in a tomb and raised by God from the dead, and how he appeared to his disciples and made them his witnesses.

Throughout the book of Acts we can read about how the Holy Spirit was challenging Jesus’ disciples to witness in ways they never could have imagined.  Peter, the Galilean fisherman, was thrown in jail for witnessing to Jesus; yet through his efforts he drew thousands and thousands of people to the Lord.  Paul, risks his life over and over again to bring the Gospel throughout the known world.

Their examples show us that the purpose of being a Christian is to witness to the saving events of Jesus Christ with your whole life.  God wants to save souls through the witness of Christians.  As we heard in the Gospel today, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  All Christians are given the great commission to bring others to God through Jesus Christ.

What often hinders us?  Fear of suffering for Him.  Fear of going out of our comfort zones for Him.  

Christians in modern times hide by imitating the pagan culture instead of imitating Christ.  Jesus didn’t die for us that we might blend in by imitating the Pagan culture, but that we might stand out by imitating him.

I love the season of Lent because it is so counter cultural: to fast, to restrain our impulses to indulge every desire, is so counter-cultural.  Just because Lent is over doesn’t mean it’s okay to blend in again.  Easter isn’t about blending in, but standing out with greater courage.

May we be attentive and faithful to those ways God is calling us to witness to Christ today, in our speech, choices, and attitudes for the glory of God and salvation of souls.