We are Witnesses

Alleluia!  The tomb is empty!  We were not there in 33 A.D. to witness the Resurrection, yet we are still credible witnesses.  In fact we witness the Resurrection every time we go to Mass.  During or after the Lamb of God when the priest in persona Christi capitis (in the person of Christ the Head) breaks the host and places a small part of it into the chalice, there we see the Resurrection take place, when the blood “mingles” with the body.  Brothers and sisters, we are indeed witnesses!  

St. Peter tells the disciples that they are witnesses of all the things Jesus did and said for they were with Him. Furthermore, he says “This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead” (Acts 10:40-41).  The Resurrected Jesus is only visible to those who are chosen by God, to those who allow God to enter into their hearts.  In other words, we can only be witnesses to the Resurrected Jesus to the extent that we walk and see through the lens of faith. 

Though it seemed that Peter was filled with faith - not only did he see and live with the Lord but he also was there after the Resurrection to see the formation of the early church - but he was not always so strong in faith.  Consider the time when he denied Our Lord.  Consider the time when he, along with others ran to the tomb on the third day.  Before His Passion, Jesus told Peter that He will rise from the dead on the third day, yet why did he feel the need to run to the tomb so see if it’s true?  A true witness to Christ must believe without needing to see physical proofs (yet God does anyway - the Eucharist). Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, did not run to the tomb.  Perhaps because she knew well that her Son’s Words were truth.  I can just imagine Peter running home to Mary screaming while out of breath “The tomb is empty!  Jesus did rise from the dead!  But where is he?”  While Mary looking at him with a loving motherly gaze, “I know, Peter.  My Son told me that already.”  Nonetheless Peter’s faith was strengthened, and he eventually gave up his life for that faith. 

We are all (called to be) witnesses.  Do we consider ourselves as such?  Do we walk by faith or do we question and say to God “Prove it!” ?  Do we take the Lord’s Words or do we seek verification by worldly means?  As Pope Francis has mentioned in his homily, we must remove the stones that block our hearts from this gift of faith and love.  As we rejoice in the joy of the Resurrection today, let us consider the stones that are blocking our hearts, and ask the Father to remove them so that we may truly be witnesses to the Resurrected Lord through whom we have been gifted the hope of eternal life.  

Resurrection of Christ by Giovanni Bellini

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