April 28, 2011
Thursday within the Octave of Easter
Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Messiah already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. Acts 3:19-21
“Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. Luke 24:39-43
Piety
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
Study
Sometimes when we talk about our personal encounters with the living God, we talk in metaphysical terms. It seems so abstract to sense the overwhelming beauty of God’s creation as we gaze upon the stars in the clear night sky, smell the lilacs, honeysuckle or cut grass after a spring rain, or taste the goodness of a fine wine.
The Resurrection experience is not just some abstract theological concept or intangible idea. The Resurrection is as much a flesh and bones experience as was the Incarnation and the Crucifixion. Today’s encounter related by St. Luke drives home that point. There is a very sentient presence when Christ comes into the midst of the disciples. They hear him. They see him. They touch him. They eat with him.
When we are distracted by the cares of the world, we might miss the encounters with the Living God. We can be like Thomas, absent from the room when Jesus comes along. If we are to change our ways, then we must be sure we are open to the awareness of how God works in our lives and in those around us.
Action
In our reading from Acts, we hear Peter using the same word that marked the beginning of the mission of John the Baptist and Jesus. Repent. Change.
We all have aspects of our lives that we want to change. Sometimes we know we need to change yet are unable to do so alone. We turn to drugs, self-help books, doctors, gym memberships, support groups and more to help make that happen.
Jesus was and is the ultimate self-help support group and companion. Peter recognizes that it is Jesus who is there to cure the crippled man. And just like that man who was crippled physically remained healthy in his faith, Peter uses the miracle as a sign for others to change. Even then, Peter knew that change alone would be a hard thing for each of us to do.
“You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, 'In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.” Acts 3:25-26
Peter tried to encourage those around him that they had the help they needed to turn from their old habits because of the Resurrection experience. God raised up his Son and sent him to bless us and change us.
What can the Resurrected Jesus help you to change in your life today?
