“Joyful Easter”, to all of us on this first Monday after Easter.  We have been reading the death and resurrection story of our Saving Lord, Jesus Christ.  Today we read, about Peter calling out to members of his Jewish community to be witnesses to the death and resurrection of the man they knew as Jesus, truly the Son of God. This reading calls us to embrace and to live the values and ideals that Jesus taught, now recorded for us in scripture.

Today I did wonder why some of the people of the time believed that the Savior had been born, died and rose from the dead?  And why did some people deny the death and rising of Jesus, thus denying that God had lived among them?  Certainly Jesus taught a new way of loving others and did perform miracles in front of many people and yet some of the people of that time and in today’s world deny the fact that Jesus was and is God.

As Christians living in 2009, I wonder if we have the freedom and the courage to proclaim our belief in God, in Jesus His Son on earth.  I wonder about our financial crisis today and if it has occurred because people have turned away from the teachings in scripture.   In today’s Gospel reading we read about the fear of the chief priests who told the soldiers, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’  And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

I wonder how and why certain individuals decided to steal money from others or to line their own pockets, at the expense of others.  I wonder if these people too, made their decisions in order to, “Keep out of trouble”.  I wonder about the values and ideals that Jesus taught and again “why” people have turned against these values and ideals.  Today’s’ financial crisis actually encourages me to openly express my joy and trust in God and encourages me to express, embrace and live according to the teachings found in scripture.  I am encouraged to remain strong, being mindful of what Jesus taught us and then to live and to expect others to live according to the word of the Lord.