Calling

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Calling

Unleavened Bread

Commissioned   Witness   Testify

Christ's Triumph Over Death

Truth

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures: Acts of the Apostles 10:40 and 41

Peter said, "God raised Jesus on the third day and granted that He could be seen, not by all the people, but by us.

We are the witnesses who were chosen by God beforehand; and we ate and drank with Him after His triumph over death."

1 Corinthians 5:8

Let us now celebrate the feast. It is time to celebrate not with the old yeast, which is the yeast of evil and selfishness. Let us celebrate instead with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Reflection

Jesus is risen!

Having the benefit of so many years and so much teaching, we are able to understand what this means. Still, we find it hard to comprehend.

Imagine how the apostles felt. They were devastated when Jesus died on the cross. After following Him for three years and dedicating so much time to listening to the Good News that Jesus was sharing, they were faced with the bad news of the arrest, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus. Was the calling that Jesus gave them leading to a terrible conclusion?

The resurrection showed that the mission of Jesus---to lead us to the Kingdom of God---was, as Paul says in his First Letter to the Corinthians, an invitation to a feast that we would celebrate with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Jesus showed what this feast would be like as He actually ate and drank with the apostles after the resurrection. They began to realize what an amazing miracle had taken place. Jesus had conquered death; Jesus had triumphed over evil; Jesus had shown us how deep and profound His Love for us was.

As the apostles had a calling, so to do we have a calling today. The apostles were called to witness to the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. They were called to share the Good News---the best news ever: Jesus is risen, and He has overcome death.

We are called to share that Good News today. We share it by our words but, more importantly, by our actions in reaching out to those who are most in need. Each one of us can help to transform our world by the warmth of our love.

The unleavened bread of sincerity and truth gives us the strength to do that, especially when we face discouragement at the extent of the evil and selfishness (that old yeast!) we face. We know it is not easy; but we also know that Jesus will be with us.

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

The Risen Christ will guide us!

1. Why is it so hard for people to comprehend the resurrection of Jesus?

2. How did the resurrection of Jesus affect the apostles?

3. What does the resurrection of Jesus mean for you personally?

4. When Jesus ate and drank with the apostles after the resurrection, what do you think the apostles were thinking?

5. What do you feel as you reflect on Kathy's photo?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)