Homily of Fr. Paul Panaretos, S.J.
Echoes
Peter’s Pentecost speech after Holy Spirit rushed on the disciples and emboldened them to speak of Jesus crucifed and risen to all who would listen is the context of the first readings from the Acts of the Apostles early in Eastertide.
The Acts of the Apostles is the second part of Luke’s writing. His gospel, part one, paints a portrait of Jesus. Acts of the Apostles, part two, paints a portrait of the early church. In both portraits some listeners were touched by what they heard. In his gospel Luke reminds us of many who responded to John the Baptizer’s call to repentenance. They asked him, What are we to do [now that we have heard you]? The same question echoes from many who listened to Peter’s proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection.
In both groups their question indicates a desire to transform the ways they lived their lives. In church lingo that desire and trying to act on it is called repentance.
To repent has twofold meaning. It means to turn away from sin and its way of living and to dedicate oneself to living a new way, the way of our risen Messiah Jesus.
Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to cling to him. In her grief and shock May examined him to see if it were really Jesus, really the body she had helped to anoint for burial.
Risen Jesus speak to us through her: we aren’t to cling to any childish notion of risen Jesus nor to what prevents us from living confidently that Jesus’ risen life courses through us.
We are to let go of such things and rededicate ourselves to proclaiming by our deeds that Jesus is risen from the dead. That way we demonstrate our Christian relationship with all people, including those who are far off. That’s not a geographical term. We Christians are especially related to all who are far off in their ways of living.
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