Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We come to the Third Sunday of Easter. This week’s gospel concludes with: “you are witnesses of these things.” How do we interpret this statement by Jesus when we are being challenged by a global pandemic, learn about another mass shooting, hear about social protests gone violent, and address our own personal life struggles?
The Season of Easter calls us to remember our baptismal promises. For many of us, these were professed first by our parents and then yearly by us personally every Easter. These resolutions to which we enthusiastically say “I DO!” give us the basic outline of our witness. Avoid evil and proclaim the greatness of God. They are such simple expressions of faith, but how difficult they can be to put into practice.
With all that is going on in our world and personal lives, let us remember those resolutions in how we engage life situations. We cannot be timid in our witness, especially around those looking for guidance. Let us remember that we are being watched and that our witness can influence other people’s lives. This is the witness story of our faith. Now more than ever we need to keep in mind that our youth are watching and mimic what they see. This reality should give us a wake-up call to witness better our Easter joy.
Let us pray for one another that our witness, expressed in our daily lives, will mimic what we profess as Jesus’ disciples and so help lead others to believe.
Easter Peace!
Fr. Workman