Regina Caeli
April 14, 2013
Dear brothers and sisters, a good day
to you!
I would like to touch briefly on the passage from the Acts of the
Apostles, which we read in the liturgy of this Third Sunday of Easter. This text says that the first preaching of
the Apostles in Jerusalem filled the cities with the news that Jesus had truly
risen, according to the Scriptures, and he was the Messiah foretold by the
Prophets. The chief priests and the
rulers of the city tried to nip the community of Christian believers in the
bud. They imprisoned the Apostles,
ordering them not to teach in his name.
Peter and the other eleven answered, however, “We must obey God rather
than men. The God of our fathers raised
up Jesus … exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior … And we are
witnesses to these things and so is the Holy Spirit[.](Acts 5:29-32)” So they scourged the Apostles and commanded
them not to speak again in the name of Jesus.
And they went, “rejoic[ing] that they were counted worthy to suffer
dishonor for the name [of Jesus]. (Acts 5:41)”
And I ask myself: “Where were the first disciples the strength for this
their testimony?” Not only: whence came to them the courage to preach and the
joy of preaching, notwithstanding the obstacles and violence [they faced]? Do not forget that the Apostles were simple men. They were neither scribes, nor teachers of
the law, nor of the priestly class. How
could they, with [all] their limits, and opposed by the authorities, fill
Jerusalem with their teaching (cf. Acts 5:28)?
Only the presence of the Risen Lord with them, and the action of the
Holy Spirit can explain this. It was the
Lord, who was with them, and the Spirit, who moved them to preach: [this]
explains this extraordinary episode. Their
faith was based on so powerful and personal an experience of Christ crucified
and risen, that they were not afraid of anything or anyone, and even saw their
persecution as a badge of honor, that made them capable of following in the
footsteps of Jesus and to be like Him, bearing witness [to Him] with their
lives.
This history of the first Christian community tells us something very
important, which applies to the Church in every age, and so to us: when a person truly knows Jesus Christ and believes in Him, one
experiences His presence and the power of His Resurrection in one’s life, and
one cannot help but communicate this experience. If it encounters
misunderstanding or adversity, one behaves like Jesus in His Passion: one
responds with love and with the power of truth.
As we pray the Regina Caeli together, let us ask the help of the Blessed
Virgin Mary that the Church worldwide might proclaim the Resurrection of the
Lord with frankness and courage, and bear effective witness through signs of
brotherly love – for brotherly love is the most
intimate witness we can bear to [the truth] that Jesus is alive and with us,
that Jesus is Risen. Let us pray especially
for Christians who suffer persecution – [and] in these times, there are many
Christians who suffer persecution, a great many, in many countries: let us pray
for them from our heart, with love, that they might feel the living and
comforting presence of the Risen Lord.
When our Holy Father speaks and preaches, one cannot help but be drawn into what he is
saying. He emphatic tone and his
sincerity are able to pierce each heart who hears and listens to him. May we join together with him and pray for
those members of our Church being persecuted for their faith. Blessed Third Week of Easter!
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