Word to the Wise
Monday, March 28, 2016 - Octave of Easter - Mon
[Acts 2:14, 22-33 and Matt 28:8-15]"God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses." [Acts]
In the aftermath of any momentous event there are multiple stories about it. Each person will tell their version of "Where were you when....." Some might have T-shirts made with an "I survived the....." on it. Facts may become somewhat embellished or exaggerated, depending on the needs or fears of the story-teller. The significance of the event may still be unfolding, but the stories themselves contribute to the meaning of the event later on. Consider the "9-11" terrorist attack! With an event like the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, an event that was known only to Jesus' closest followers (and perhaps those tomb guards in today's gospel scripture), there were stories to be told and word really did not begin to spread until after Pentecost! Over the next few days - the Octave of Easter - and the next several weeks until Pentecost, we will hear examples of the preaching of the event that is foundational to our faith.
Today's scriptures are taken from the Acts of the Apostles and from the Gospel of Matthew. Both accounts were composed at least 20 years after the event and reflect the information available to the evangelists Luke and Matthew. Peter's preaching places the resurrection in the context of salvation history - a very broad and interpretive view. Matthew's preaching is a story of the discovery of the empty tomb, including things like an earthquake and angels and a bribe to soldiers. The angels show up in the other accounts but the earthquake and the story of the bribe are unique to Matthew. His audience was composed of many Jews who had accepted Jesus. He was anxious to correct the rumors.
The preaching has gone on for more than 2,000 years. We contribute to this in our own faith and proclamation. As Peter says, "God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses." AMEN, ALLELUIA!
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