Homily: Easter Monday 2015 - "Do Not Be Afraid. Go and Tell"

For much of the secular world, Easter is now over. In the world there is more rejoicing that Easter Chocolate is on sale than the fact that Jesus, crucified for our salvation, has risen from the dead. For us, we continue to celebrate Easter for fifty days. And we begin to unpack it's meaning. For though the resurrection is the most important event in human history, we must personalize it, we must let it penetrate our hearts.

It wasn't until fifty days later, on that first pentecost, that Peter and the apostles began to witness to the resurrection. It took several times of Jesus appearing to them, telling them not to be afraid. And it took the Holy Spirit himself coming down upon the apostles like tongues of fire, to impel them out into the streets of Jerusalem.

During the Easter Season we will read extensively from the book of Acts of the Apostles. And today we hear, on that first Pentecost, Peter, giving one of the greatest sermons in the history of the Church. Three thousand people will hear his words and ask to be baptized.

Think about how much courage it must have taken for him. He speaks to the people of Jerusalem about fifty days after Jesus’ crucifixion. That’s not that long ago, about fifty days ago we were just beginning Lent. Jesus’ crucifixion would have been fresh in their minds.

He stands up, in front of all these people, some of whom, may have watched as Jesus carried the cross through the streets, they may have cried “crucify him, we want Barabbas, we have no king but Caesar” at the court of Pontius Pilate, they may have heard the nails being pounded into his hands and feet. Peter, stands before all of these people, and says, “You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs…This man...you killed...But God raised him up because it was impossible for him to be held by death.”

So powerful was this speech, that Luke tells us “it cut the audience to the heart”. But then they ask to be baptized.

If we are to convince people that they should believe in Jesus as follow Him, we must truly take the message of the Resurrection to the heart. We must have a missionary heart. Three quarters of Catholics don’t attend Mass. So we must hunger to bring them back into active relationship with Christ. We are hemorrhaging members. Why? Perhaps the Gospel message never truly “cut them to the heart” as it is meant to.

In Matthew's Gospel, the first commands Jesus gives to the first people who saw Him after His resurrection are: "Do not be afraid! Go and carry the news" of My resurrection (Mt 28:10)

The risen Jesus Himself commissioned his disciples to be witnesses of His Resurrection. Jesus speaks to the world through the witnesses He has chosen.

Some may sneer at the news, others might ignore it, some may even try to silence us. But, some will open their hearts to the Lord. There is no doubt someone in your family, or someone the Lord has put in your life, to whom you are called to witness. And the Lord says to us, just as he said to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in the Gospel: “Do not be afraid! Go and tell!” Carry the news, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.