We Are Easter People: 

Alleluia, Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Today we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord as we emerge from the Lenten season of waiting and watching. We’ve walked with Jesus through the wilderness into Jerusalem and to the grave. Today we finally get to celebrate our true nature: That of an Easter people!

Easter is the unearned gift of grace. The reflective season of “going in” that Lent provided (no matter what disciplines we undertook, nor even how well we attended to them) explodes on Easter. Of course, we cannot “figure it out.” How comforting, then, to have these scriptures, showing first how the disciples struggled to grasp what had happened and then stories of Jesus before the crucifixion, which are written in the light of the Resurrection.

As Easter people we know, as Paul said, that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God. We are people who expect life out of death. And so, in Eastertide we celebrate the wonder and prepare ourselves to take the awesome message out into the world of love, hope and finally victory.

In today’s story from Acts we hear Peter shares the story of Jesus with a group of people who are not Christians or Jews. Remember, Jesus came for all people, so now that news about his death and resurrection is spreading more and more people want to learn about him and about God.

Reflection Questions: 

I wonder how Peter felt to share this story about Jesus. 

I wonder what it would be like to hear about Jesus for the first time. 

I wonder how we can share the story of Jesus with people.

Prayer: Love divine, in raising Christ to new life you open the path of salvation to all peoples. Send us out with the joy of Mary Magdalene to proclaim that we have seen the Lord, so that all the world may celebrate with you the banquet of your peace. Amen.