Sunday, March 27, 2016

Monday within Easter Octave, 28-03-16

Acts 2:14, 22-33 / Matthew 28:8-15

As it is, the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a matter of faith.

For us who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.

What we have as proof are scriptural accounts of people who experienced the Risen Christ.

Yet, there were also the soldiers who knew what had happened, and they went off into the city to tell the chief priests and the elders.

Then after some discussion, the soldiers were given a considerable sum of money and instructed to tell a lie that the disciples came in the night and stole the body of Jesus.

The soldiers took the money and carried out the instructions. In other words they were "bought" and they sold themselves to a lie.

But it is not only soldiers who can be bought. Anyone can be bought as long as the price is right. And it need not be just with the bait of money.

Christians who profess the Resurrection of Jesus can also be bought.

They can sell themselves to pleasure, desires, sex and alcohol. They can also sell themselves away to hatred, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony.

Jesus rose from the dead to conquer sin and death and to give us a new life.

As we celebrate the Resurrection, let us ask for the grace to resist from being bought by temptation and being sold off to sin.

Let us witness to the Resurrection of Christ with a pure and holy life.