My beloved brethren in Christ, grace and peace be with you this blessed Wednesday, as the glorious light of Eastertide continues to illuminate our souls and gladden our hearts. We find ourselves yet within the sacred Octave, a time not merely for recalling the Resurrection, but for living it, for allowing its transformative power to permeate every fiber of our being. As the morning sun casts its gentle glow, let us open the eyes of our faith to behold anew the Risen Lord, who even now walks among us, opening our minds to the Scriptures and commissioning us for His eternal work.
Beholding the Risen Lord
Consider the awe and trepidation of the disciples on that first Easter evening, as recounted in the Gospel of Luke. Though they had heard the joyous news, their hearts were still burdened by sorrow and doubt. Suddenly, Jesus Himself stood in their midst, offering the peace that only He could bestow. They were startled, indeed, fearful, imagining a spirit. But our Lord, in His boundless mercy and infinite wisdom, dispelled their fears by inviting them to touch Him, to see His hands and feet, to observe Him eat a piece of baked fish. He was no phantom; He was the Incarnate Word, truly dead and truly Risen, body and soul.
“What was visible in our Savior has passed over into His Sacraments.” – St. Leo the Great
This profound truth, dear friends, is the bedrock of our faith. The Resurrection is not a mere theological concept, but a historical, corporeal reality that validates every promise of God. It is the victory over sin and death, the foundation of our hope, and the fount of our new life in Christ. Just as He opened the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures, so too does He continue to enlighten our understanding, revealing Himself in the breaking of the Bread, in the Sacred Word, and in the faces of those we serve.
The Divine Commission: To Be His Witnesses
Having established the undeniable reality of His Resurrection, Jesus then bestowed upon His disciples a most sacred and solemn charge: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48). This is our mandate, brothers and sisters, given not only to the Apostles of old but to each one of us who bears the name of Christ.
We see this commission immediately at work in the Acts of the Apostles. Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, encounter a man lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. With unwavering faith, Peter declares, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk!” (Acts 3:6). And immediately, the man was cured, leaping and praising God. This miraculous healing was not merely an act of compassion, but a powerful *witness* to the Risen Lord, demonstrating His active presence and power through His Church.
Living Our Easter Mission
What does it mean for us, in this present age, to be witnesses of these things? It means living lives saturated with the reality of Christ’s resurrection. It means allowing His victory to conquer our own fears, our doubts, and our hesitations. It means proclaiming, not only with our lips but with the very tenor of our existence, that Christ is Risen, and He is Lord!
Like Peter and John, we may not possess silver or gold in abundance, but we possess something infinitely more precious: the Name of Jesus Christ. Through Sanctus Mission, we strive to be instruments of this divine charity, supporting missions that preach the Gospel and artisans who beautify His Church, extending the healing touch of Christ to a world wounded by sin and despair. Every act of kindness, every word of truth, every endeavor to foster beauty and holiness, becomes a testament to the Risen Christ.
Let us approach this new day with renewed zeal, with hearts burning like those on the road to Emmaus, confident in the Risen Lord’s presence and empowered by His Holy Spirit. May we be truly witnesses, ready to share the joy and hope of the Resurrection with all whom we encounter, making His saving Name known to the ends of the earth.
O Risen Christ, enlighten our minds and inflame our hearts with the fire of Your love. Grant us the grace to be Your faithful witnesses, that through us, Your glorious Resurrection may be proclaimed to all nations, to the praise and glory of Your holy Name. Amen.