Word to the Wise
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
[Acts 2:36-41 and John 20:11-18]Peter said to the Jewish people, "Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." (Acts of the Apostles) Mary went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he had told her. (Gospel of John)
Question: Who was the first preacher of the good news of Jesus' resurrection from the dead? Was it Peter, or James, or John, or Paul or any of the apostles? Answer: No. It was Mary Magdalen. That is one important reason why we Dominicans regard her as one of our patron saints! It accounts for her name in tradition: apostle to the apostles! Anyone can determine this by a simple reading of all the accounts of the post-resurrection experience of the disciples! Hmmmmm! The subject doesn't stop there, and it is not exclusively a question of gender since church law is equally restrictive with regard to all non-ordained persons preaching, male or female! How can we be so encouraged to evangelize as Pope Paul VI exhorts in his magnificent Evangelii nuntiandi, and yet be told we can't do it in church? It's one of those nagging questions! How are we to evangelize? How do we get the good news of Jesus' resurrection to the world? Is the job restricted to the ordained folks? I hope not! But we Catholics are so conditioned to clergy-only preaching that we have until recently avoided any kind of faith sharing except to teach certain prayers to our kids! Shouldn't we teaching the Good News of the Jesus' resurrection? Even if the names, Peter, Paul and Mary, do remind me of a famous folk music trio from my college days, they also remind me of fearless preachers. Our baptism calls us to that ministry - all of us, male and female, ordained and non-ordained. We who are members of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) should be encouraging others to take up the task just as the Franciscan charism challenges others in the realm of materialism and respect for the environment! So, I take this small opportunity to encourage all my congregation, near and far, to announce the Good News in whatever way you can. Tell others WHY it is good news to you and should be good news to them! Don't be discouraged by initial resistance. Even Catholics will resist it if it isn't from a vestment-clad figure in a Sunday pulpit at times! Remember what the angelic figure said to Mary, "Do not be afraid! Go!" AMEN
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