Witnessing to the Resurrection

21 April 2009 Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Easter
Acts 4, 32-37; Psalm 93; John 3, 7-15

The readings in the Season of Easter still meditate on the Resurrection of Christ. The story of Nicodemus in the Gospel continues theme of movement from darkness into light. Nicodemus was an admirer of Jesus from a distance. He was a Jewish leader and a teacher of Israel (v. 1 and 10). And he was able to talk to Jesus even in the darkness. Nicodemus asked Jesus what he needs to enter the kingdom of God. And Jesus said that he has to be born from above; to be reborn through water and the Spirit. To be born again means to have a life that gazes on Christ alone as those who were healed in the time of Moses when he lifted up the bronze serpent on the pole (Numbers 21, 9). It means that we are to witness and to testify to Jesus.

The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles tell us how the early Christians witnessed to the resurrection: they were united in mind and hearts; they held possessions in common; whatever they have they sell it and the disciples would distribute them to those in need. Thus, there were “no needy person among them.” Among them was Barnabas who would be the future companion of Paul in their missionary journey to the Gentiles. Barnabas sold a piece of his property and put the money at the feet of the apostles.

Every year we celebrate Easter. We celebrate our salvation by Christ’s who was crucified, died and raised from the dead. We exclaim, Alleluia! But have we really lived out and witnessed to the resurrection in our practical lives? To live according to the early Christians is difficult and often it remains an ideal. To be one in mind and heart is a greater challenge to us who may have a mind of our own; who have set ways of doing things; who have different priorities and values. To sell everything that we have becomes much more difficult to those who have a lot. Our natural tendency is to latch on to whatever we have because we are afraid that when we give up everything, we would lose whoever we are. Many of us have been baptized and have been born again. But how changed we are according to the life of Christ remains to be seen and hoped for.