Word to the Wise
Monday, April 18, 2022 - Octave of Easter - Mon
[Acts 2:14, 22-33 and Matt 28:8-15]Mary Magdalen and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." [Matthew]
Imagine having attended the funeral of a loved one, and earlier having gone through all the arrangements with the funeral home and with the gravestone providers. Now you go to the cemetery three days later only to find an empty grave!!! Resurrection is not likely to be the first thing that enters your mind! Horror and disbelief are more likely! Go a step further and imagine that your loved one now appears to you in person and says, "Do not be afraid!"
This is what happened to Mary Magdalen and the other Mary in Matthew's account. She and Mary and we are told, "Do not be afraid!" She and the other Mary and we are told, "Go and tell..." and then, in Galilee, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations...." [Matt. 28:19].
This didn't happen right away. The disciples were scared to death that Jesus' fate would be theirs. It would take the Holy Spirit to unlock the fear in the Upper Room and send them out to preach as Peter does in the first scripture for today: "God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses."
At the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening, two student acquaintances of mine received the Sacrament of Confirmation. I spoke with them before the ceremony and they were so excited! I hope their excitement will be contagious and they will be true witnesses. They personified Jesus' admonition: "Do not be afraid!" I hope we can all be like that. AMEN