Our readings today speak of hope and faith in our resurrected Lord, and the Holy Spirit guiding us.  I highlighted a few lines that stuck with me, and I invite us to some reflection questions.  Perhaps there is one or two that you would like to sit with or carry with you today?

In the first reading from Acts, we hear:

The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord,
and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.

Wow!  How amazing is that: the Church was at peace.  The Church was being built up and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.  Are there ways that I can help promote peace in our Church and lessen the political divisions and polarizing viewpoints?  In what ways might we be more inclusive and welcoming to those on the margins of our Church?

We also hear about Tabitha’s miraculous rising from the dead: “This became known all over Joppa,
and many came to believe in the Lord.”  Can you imagine hearing the awe and joy in this news? 

In the Gospel, we hear: The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
In these readings, are there certain words or phrases that speak freedom and hope to you?  Is there a situation that God has breathed “new life” into recently?

“We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
The Resurrection changes us and our relationship with Jesus.  It changes our outlook, our future and our present situation.  Not everything is clear, or immediately free of struggle, worry or fear, even a few weeks into the Easter season, the liturgical season we are in now.  Hardship, confusion, difficulty still exist.  But Christ offers us freedom, a chance to live again and live forever.  We believe that something miraculous and life changing happened to this friend of ours that we watched die a humiliating death just a few weeks ago on Good Friday.  We watch death, destruction and violence happening all around.  And, we let God find us in our weakest points, in our sorrow and confusion. 

Where has God be able to find you, or me, in our weakness, our bad habits, our aggressions, our destructive decisions. 

In other words, how are we or how have we been convinced that Jesus is indeed the Holy One?

You have the words of eternal life.
What is our Lord wanting to say to us, to me, today?  Where might Christ offer a bit of resurrection to a dead soul, a hopeless pattern or difficult situation?

And finally, as we go throughout our day today, we are invited to gratitude, as in the psalm:
How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?

May we all feel the peace and consolation of Christ’s resurrection today in our daily activities.