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Our readings today give us the effects first and the cause second,
but eventually we get the whole story. After the resurrection, of course
the disciples cannot believe what happened. Who could? Something
like that just didn’t happen. But it did. There’s the miracle
for the ages. And then Jesus told them to go tell everyone about the
miracle. Of course, it’s pretty unbelievable. I’m not sure I’d
believe it. And of course they’re going to get in trouble for saying
such things too. Even though they certainly have a story worth telling,
the telling is likely to get them ridiculed at least and in serious trouble
at most.
But they do it. They go out into the world telling about the wondrous
and amazing things they saw with their own eyes. And they heal people
in Jesus’ name. That’s what’s getting them in trouble then in the first
reading. The Sanhedrin thought Jesus as a problem was done with, and
wanted to keep the disciples from preaching his words and healing in his name.
They told the disciples they could not mention his name. This causes
another problem. Jesus himself told them to tell his story. He
is the one who gave them the power to heal in his name. They don’t necessarily
have healing power on their own. Whatever they do comes from God.
He is their power. They tell the Sanhedrin truthfully and logically
that their power comes from God and they will glorify him and give him his
due. They say they have seen such things that they must tell.
Not even the Sanhedrin can stop this.
Flash forward: we have not seen these miracles with our own eyes,
but we still have to proclaim this. We still get our power, and everything
we have from God. What else can we do but glorify him and give him his
due? We don’t necessarily have any power on our own. Whatever
we have and whatever we do comes from God. Especially in these days
after Easter we should be mindful of the miracles around us all the time,
and recognize that everything comes from God. We have seen such things
that we must tell. Who can stop us?
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