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PROCLAMATION AS THE COROLLARY OF THE EASTER EXPERIENCE - stephenkhoo - 04-15-2012 02:42 PM
14 April, 2012, Saturday within Octave of Easter
PROCLAMATION AS THE COROLLARY OF THE EASTER EXPERIENCE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 4:13-21; MK 16:9-15
In ancient Rome, today would be the final mass when the newly baptized, the neophytes, gathered in Church for the morning mass wearing the white baptismal garment for the last time. After today’s mass, they would have been full-fledged Christians, able to join in the offertory procession and offer the gifts. It is fitting, therefore, that the theme of today’s mass is centered on proclamation and mission, since as committed and mature Christians, we are called to be the witnesses of Jesus. Indeed, the corollary of being baptized, of encountering the Risen Lord is mission and proclamation. The apostles said, “We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard.”
Unfortunately, many of us do not have this zeal of mission and proclamation. We are not excited in proclaiming Jesus as the Lord and that “by this name and by no other” we are saved. Instead, we seem to be heeding the advice of the Sanhedrin to Peter and John to avoid the mention of His name, or teach in His name. Yes, we are even afraid to proclaim confidently that salvation is found only in the name of Jesus, quite often all in the name of mutual respect for other religions or religious sensitivity. If we lack the courage and boldness of Peter and John to proclaim the name of Jesus, certainly it has nothing to do with our competency and ability. For indeed, we are told that the first witnesses of the Good News and the name of Jesus were uneducated and simple lay people like Peter and Mary Magdalene. They were not theologians like the members of the Sanhedrin. As for the women, their testimonies were even considered dubious.
So what could be the real reason for the lack of enthusiasm on our part to proclaim the Good News and the name of Jesus, both in word and in deed? I think the real reason is because we have never “seen and heard” the Risen Lord in our lives. Mary Magdalene, the disciples at Emmaus and the Eleven, having seen and heard the Risen Lord, could boldly proclaim Him as the Lord and Saviour of their lives.
Of course, it is important that we clarify the meaning of seeing and hearing. The members of the Sanhedrin, who were the religious experts of the time, saw the lame man healed, the miracle worked, and heard that it was Jesus who healed him through the apostles, but yet they did not believe. They said, “It is obvious to everybody in Jerusalem that a miracle has been worked … and we cannot deny it.” Instead of coming to faith, they “caution them never to speak to anyone in this name again.” So hearing and seeing alone cannot bring one to faith. We too might have seen the transformation in the lives of those who came to know Jesus, yet we also have not grown in faith. Why is it then that we, who have seen and heard, have not come to belief as the apostles did? What would be the necessary factors for a person to come to faith and as a consequence become a witness?
In order for us to claim that we have seen and heard, we must in the first place be in contact with Jesus. The first seeing and hearing are external senses. Mary and the disciples had seen and heard Jesus and hence their faith was already incipient. During the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, they would have come to know Jesus. And so we are told in the first reading that the apostles were recognized as associates of Jesus who walked and journeyed with Him. However, external sight and hearing alone cannot lead one to faith. They can only at best prepare us for faith.
For this reason, the apostles did not initially believe the testimonies of Mary of Magdala and the two disciples at Emmaus. What was true for them was also true for Mary and the disciples at Emmaus. For if we recall, it was only when Jesus called out to Mary that she was able to recognize Him; and only after a long explanation of the meaning of scriptures culminating in the breaking of bread, did the two dejected disciples at Emmaus see Him. So too did the Eleven, who came to recognize Jesus only when they were at table.
All these seem to indicate that a leap of faith is needed to see the deeper reality, and to hear the deeper meaning of the Christ-Event. Without faith-seeing and a believing mind, it would be impossible to come into contact with the deeper truth of the unfolding events. Faith, therefore, is the fundamental factor in recognizing the Risen Lord.
We must therefore ask: where can we find this faith so that we can have the graced perception to see and hear the Risen Lord in our lives? We are told that the privileged place of encounter is in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharistic celebration. It is at the breaking of the bread, at the table of the Lord that the Risen Christ is felt, seen and touched. This was true for the disciples at Emmaus and the Eleven. For in the breaking of bread, we are reminded of what the earthly Jesus did, and who continues to be present in the Eucharist. And in the breaking of the Word, we hear Jesus speaking to us again.
Of course, the Eucharist is where the Church is. We are the body of Christ and thus it would be in the Church, the members, that we will all come to experience Christ outside the liturgical celebration as well. It will be our common witnessing, sharing of life, love and the Word of God that this faith is borne. Through living, praying, supporting and fellowship, the Risen Christ becomes more present and real to us. At the same time, living in a community, we are called to die again and again so that we can share the resurrection even more fully. Hence, we need the Eucharist and the Eucharistic community to continue to see and hear the Risen Lord in our lives.
Once we have that encounter, then filled with the love and joy of the Risen Lord, we will spontaneously be able to announce to others what we have seen and heard. We can then courageously and zealously tell others that the Good News is in our midst because Christ reigns in our hearts and in our lives. Indeed, Peter and John, although laymen in the eyes of the Sanhedrin, could say, “You must judge whether in God’s eyes, it is right to listen to you and not to God.”
By retorting in these words, they were claiming that they now had the authority to teach and proclaim the truth about God, since God was now with them and no longer with the Sanhedrin. This is true for us as well. When the Risen Christ lives in us and in our midst, as the Eucharistic community of the Risen Lord, we can announce the Good News that He is Risen to all creation.
The corollary of our reflection is that if we lack missionary zeal and enthusiasm, it implies that we have never truly heard and seen the Risen Lord in our lives. For if we did, then we would be filled with urgency to announce the Good News of Jesus to everyone. We need to pray for the grace of faith to perceive His presence in our lives. We must begin by being close associates of Jesus in prayer and especially in the liturgical celebrations.