This past weekend I had the great opportunity to work with my Director on presenting a retreat for the Secular Franciscans (lay order connected to the Friars). It was so great to be part of the retreat. I am sharing with you my closing reflection.
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer,
at three o’clock in the afternoon.
And a man lame from birth was being carried in.
People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple
called the Beautiful Gate
so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked them for alms.
Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said,
‘Look at us.’
And he fixed his attention on them,
expecting to receive something from them.
But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold,
but what I have I give you;
in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’
And he took him by the right hand and raised him up;
and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
Jumping up, he stood and began to walk,
and he entered the temple with them,
walking and leaping and praising God.
All the people saw him walking and praising God,
and they recognized him as the one who used to sit
and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple;
and they were filled with wonder and amazement
at what had happened to him.
- Acts 3.1-10
This piece of scripture is a great Easter story. It reminds us that since the Resurrection of Christ, his followers have been put into action.
Think about it in the day of and days immediately following the Resurrection…
Angels descending,
Women running to tell the good news,
Apostles running to see for themselves,
Disciples walking to Emmaus,
Disciples running from Emmaus,
Disciples going fishing,
Followers gathering,
And these are just from the four gospels, not to mention all the stories, besides the one we just heard that are recorded in Acts.
The Resurrection is about being put into motion. Each of us, each day, as Easter people have the same gift to offer that Peter and John did to the lame man. We are called to offer Christ to others in our words and actions.
I think of the times in my own life when I have been put into motion to share good news… the birth of my nephews and nieces, in greeting friends, in praying with the community, in celebrating the accomplishments of others! Simple events that call me to jump up and give praise!
I love how in this story the man recognizes that the name of Jesus is more powerful, is more life-changing then silver and gold. Makes me ponder my own life and look at the things I have, the opportunities I have, and the privileges I have. Do I recognize Christ in them? Do I see Christ is present in my every day?
What causes me to jump up? To leap and praise God? To be filled with wonder and amazement?
Does the name of Jesus cause my heart to stir? Or is it just another name? Can I boldly praise my God?
Those are some tough questions. I have been pondering them and I have been trying to determine why this reading stirred me so deeply.
Maybe it’s because it challenges me to kindle the fire that was lit in me at my baptism. Maybe it’s because it challenges me to look at my life to see how I am living as an Easter person. Maybe it’s because it challenges me to go forth from my comfort zones and be a witness for Christ.
Over the course of this past year as a Postulant I have at times felt like the lame man sitting by the gate waiting. I have been waiting for a sign, a spark, a sense of hope, a voice of comfort and support.
Time and time again the Friars that I live with have said to me, ‘Look at us.’ And have offered me witness of Christ present in my midst. They have given me the opportunity to stand and walk, they have strengthened my stand and my journey of faith. They have helped me to praise God, they have helped me to discover more about wonder and amazement in the blessings of my life and by offering me Christ Jesus again and again in very real ways – support, wisdom, encouragement, prayer, listening, challenging me and on and on. They have shown me the message of Jesus and how the call to action is real in my life.
It is this same call to action that moved Francis and Clare to accept nothing but the name of Jesus, and to radically stand, jump, leap and praise God. As I can see myself in the lame man made more whole, I discover that the vows I desire to make, the vows of chastity, obedience and poverty are rooted in accepting more and more that Jesus is my source. As Francis and Clare discovered they were made rich not by silver and gold but by Christ, I too desire this more. In accepting this they were able to praise God for a deep love and being able to share that love freely. They were able to praise God for being able to follow Christ in deep trust. They were able to praise God for having everything but yet owning nothing. Simply the gift of Jesus left them filled, filled with wonder and amazement and that was enough. I too desire this to be my enough.
So I am challenged to embrace the message of this scripture, to live out my baptismal call, to fan the flame and to live as an Easter person. For this scripture story opens me up to and opens us all up to the message of Easter which is:
Death is not the end of the story, for our God is a God of surprises!
We are called by faith and not by sight alone as we always look for Christ in others and the world around us.
We must seek Christ in the midst of the mess and build our hopes on Christ for
True strength is in sharing His joy, love, hope and kindness. (Dare I say that sounds like means for jumping, leaping and praising!)
And finally we must remember that doubt is not an enemy of faith, but disengagement is. We must refuse to let disengagement take any hold of us, for we are an Easter people, Alleluia is our song and we are people set in motion!
To borrow the concluding words of the Mass, each day we are called “to go in peace, glorifying the Lord with our lives”. We have been commissioned “Thanks be to God” indeed! Alleluia!
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