May 5, 2011
Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29
The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven (is above all). He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. John 3:31-32
Piety
I will bless the LORD at all times; praise shall be always in my mouth. Psalm 34:2
Study
Today’s gospel is especially clear on paper. But what happens when we try to put this into practice? It gets messy and very challenging.
That’s one of the reasons I like the expression “WWJD?” What Would Jesus Do?
Of course any conclusions we earthly beings might make are inconclusive. Unless Jesus stood in our midst and gave us direct instructions, we could endlessly argue about the moral questions of the day splashed in our headlines and broadcasts and lives.
Yet two facts remain. We have the Word. We have the cross. Thanks to the study of the Gospels, we know what Jesus said in specific situations and the parable he taught so that we can apply these to our life in piety, study and action. Thanks to the Romans, we have the symbol of our faith – the actual image of the kind of capital punishment meted out by Roman law to keep subjects in line out of fear. Jesus hangs on the cross. It is a sign meant to inspire us to accept our cross. It is a sign meant to remind us that Jesus accepted death to redeem us from our sins. It is a sign meant to compel us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him rather than earthly beings.
Action
“We must obey God rather than men.”
What issues cause you confusion or conflict?
This week, I have been conflicted about the spontaneous crowds celebrating the death of America’s Most Wanted terrorist. The celebrations outside the White House brought to mind the images of the crowds in Palestine and elsewhere around the globe who celebrated the images of the September 11th attacks. Yet in our global village, surely I participated in the electronic crowds who stayed up late Sunday night in our living rooms and dens when news broke. I participated in this “flash mob” as I sat glued to the television screen Sunday night and early Monday morning.
What would Jesus do?
