2nd Sunday Easter - Year B

Jesus transformed the greatest tragedy in life into Easter Power and the speciality of that power is that it is communicable.  Have we experienced this communicable power in our lives?  Have we succeeded in communicating it to others through the gifts we received?

The gifts of Easter, viz redemption, forgiveness, reconciliation and renewal, were present in the early Christians.  This is attested by Luke in today’s first reading (Acts 4:32-35).  Changed by the Christ-event, those first believers “stood out” from the unchanged masses!  They maintained a holy and healthy unity among themselves despite the differences.  Distinctions as regards gender, race, ethnic background, socio-economic status and means of livelihood had formerly been causes of friction and separation among them.  But Easter changed everything.  To allow divisiveness again to cloud the union that should characterize the community of believers is to reject the gifts of Easter and to bear counter witness to the saving cross of Christ.

That cross, says John in today’s 2nd reading (1John 5:1-6) has made us children of God and assures us of the love of God for each of us.  That cross, says theologian Alistair McGrath, is at the heart of Easter’s gift.  Through the cross, through Easter’s gifts, everything has changed.

In order to enable us to accept Easter's changes within ourselves, within others, and in order to sustain our faith and maintain a ministry and a lifestyle consonant with those changes, today’s gospel (Jn 20:19-31) reminds us that we have also been gifted with the Holy Spirit.  That spirit promotes peace when others would clamour for war; that spirit enables faith to grow beyond doubt (as in the case of Thomas) and empowers those into whom it is breathed to forgive and be forgiven rather than to remain in our sins.  That Spirit and the reality of the Christ Event we call Easter can change the world.  Are the changes and gifts of Easter evidenced in me?  In you?