The glorious celebration of Easter is now behind us. Where does that leave us today? Does God want or perhaps even expect us to proceed with a specific directive in light of what Easter has meant in our lives moving forward?
In our first reading in Acts we find Peter and John facing the challenge of how to respond to Easter. Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension had all occurred just as it was foretold. That unbelievable path to forgiveness for all sins was now finished. But what next? Was the work now complete, or was there a next step for the disciples as well as for all the people then and now? In that environment, it had to be disappointing to Peter when he saw that the people who had experienced all this, had yet missed the point. They failed to grasp that Jesus really was the Son of God, the Creator of the universe. They liked the miracles, but missed the truth about the incredible gift of salvation and what that gift meant to their individual lives. They focused more on the gift – the miracles - than on the Giver. Peter clearly reminded them that Jesus is the one and only Son of God and that all that He accomplished was a gift from the Most High. Faith in God had to serve as their foundation - the starting point of proceeding with all that God expected from them, and us.
Of course faith in Jesus as our savior must be our foundation, but Peter goes on to point out that we must also repent and refocus our lives on Jesus - His message and His example. This Reading reminds us that salvation is the gift, not the miracles themselves. The miracles served as a means to opening hearts to who Jesus is. They clearly exemplified that He truly was the all powerful Son of God, the creator of the universe. Yet God’s presence in their midst was often just too much for their minds to comprehend. They eagerly sought after miraculous gifts from God while missing the obvious point. It is easy for us today to judge those living while Jesus walked the earth. How could they not “get it”? But are we really any different. Do we not run to Jesus in prayer when we face difficulties - when we need a miracle - while missing who God really is and how we should be responding to Him. He alone deserves our endless worship. He alone is responsible for the countless little miracles that our Savior showers upon us each and every day. Does our Easter celebrations not remind us of who the almighty God really is and how much He loves us?
Peter reminds us that Moses along with all the earlier prophets spoke about Jesus, through whom “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” The entire Bible points to Jesus.
The Responsorial Psalm shouts the glorious name of Jesus, and asks Him the obvious question “what is man that you should be mindful of him?” When we ponder who God really is, all that He has created, the perfection and beauty of all that He is – we could never truly comprehend the magnitude of the triune God and His love for each of us.
The Alleluia passage from Psalm 118, puts an exclamation point to this line of thought. Considering who God really is must leave us in fearful awe as we rejoice.
In today’s Gospel we find Jesus offering His peace to His disciples. Jesus understood the human propensity of His disciples - as well as with all of us - to have difficulty in truly grasping who Jesus is and what His incredible gift of salvation truly means. Jesus went the extra mile to help His disciples grasp -at least for the moment – that Jesus really was the Son of God, the promised Mesiah, the Savior of the world.
What then are we to do with this gift?
Dear Heavenly Father, help us to remain in awe of who you really are and all that you have done for each of us. Help us to use our lives to clearly point others to you. To help them to embrace your command to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins and to be born again into an everlasting walk with you. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen
Larry Hopp
As I enter my second retirement, I can only express my deep appreciation to God for the opportunity to touch the lives of the amazing students here at Creighton. After 40 years as a civil engineer in the construction industry, I felt that I had completed my life’s work. God, however had a different plan – a MUCH BETTER plan. He opened a door to Creighton University and its Energy Technology Program which I would never have imagined. An opportunity to teach and lead a program that has proven to be some of the most rewarding and satisfying work of my life.
That process has only further refined my total trust & faith in following God and seeking Jesus with all my heart. His plans are always so much better than anything I could have ever imagined.
But of course work could never be the top priority of my life. Over the years, I have been engaged with a truly amazing church with an un-apologetic commitment to Jesus that has changed my life and future forever. My wife Linda and I have four children, 4 grandchildren and 5 foster “grandchildren” that have all been such a daily blessing in so many ways.
I am looking forward to see what God has in mind for this next stage of my life.
It is not surprising that God provides these reflection opportunities with the precise readings that I need to hear at that specific time. Spending time in prayer as I write & rewrite each Daily Reflection opportunity is truly a blessing. My prayer is that God can use these thoughts to bless you as well.
