Second Sunday of Easter, April 19, 2009
 
During the Easter season, we proclaim the Acts of the Apostles, the first letter of John, and, except for next week, the Gospel of John.
 
It is important to remember that the Acts of the Apostles is not exact history.  It is a proclamation of faith that sounds like history.  Acts is the second volume of a two-volume work; the first volume is the Gospel of Luke.  Some scholars judge that this two-volume work was written around 85 C.E., though recently other scholars have suggested years later.  The names of the gospel writers were given even later in the second century; the unknown evangelists were not eye-witnesses of Jesus’ life.
 
Acts is a creative story about truth—the truth that the Spirit led the development of the early Christian community, the truth that the good news of Jesus is for all people, Jew and Gentile.  Of course, the first disciples had to speak and travel and touch people’s lives in order for the Gospel to spread.  Acts offers an idyllic account of this process, today describing community life.
 
Scripture scholars now judge that the author of the letters of John is someone different from the author of the gospel.  Neither is the apostle, and yes, both are unknown.  Today’s passage presents the basic themes of the letters: belief in Jesus as the Son of God and love shown in keeping God’s commandments.
 
Today’s gospel, proclaimed in all three liturgical cycles, describes two familiar post-resurrection appearances, the first on Easter evening, the second a week later.
 
Let’s listen to God’s word!
 
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Peace be with you!
 
The gift of the risen Jesus to his disciples—and now to us—is peace.  As Jesus said in his last discourse, “I do not give it to you as the world gives it.”  Jesus’ gift is not the empty peace of our violent world, but a peace overflowing with justice and compassion, forgiveness and love.  Our lives and vision and meaning are transformed.
 
Reflect for a moment on a very recent example.  Just last weekend the ship captain kidnapped by the pirates was freed. There was much admiration for the sharp-shooters, much talk about a happy ending.  No one in our media lamented that three people died. Jesus rejected the conviction that violence saves.  Jesus urged us to love our enemies.
 
Peace be with you!
 
Because of fear of the Judeans, the disciples gathered behind locked doors.  We too live in doubt and fear: global violence, recession, the “other.” We may be tempted to lock ourselves up in gated communities, whether literally or symbolically.  But Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  We are sent beyond locked doors into our world as disciples to live and proclaim Good News.
 
Peace be with you!
 
A week after this amazing encounter with the risen Jesus, a week after receiving the Spirit, the disciples gathered again—still behind locked doors!  Transformation takes a long time.  We may have been proud of the captain’s rescue; we may have failed to consider three deaths.  Transformation takes a lifetime.  Happily we are nourished on this journey.  In the people of grace and events of hope in our lives, we recognize the risen Jesus, especially here in the Eucharist as Jesus opens the Scriptures, breaks the bread, and gives us the Spirit, the breath of life.
 
Peace be with you!