A MATTER
OF LIFE OR DEATH.
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER. YEAR B.
April 30, 2006.
(First reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19) (Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9)
(Second reading: 1 John 2:1-5) (Gospel: Luke 24:35-48)
A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH.
Resurrection means the
restoration of eternal life for the human race, a life that is as real
as real is our experience of earthly life, a life which encompasses
the totality of our physical and spiritual being.
All human beings are the beneficiaries of the eternal life the Lord
Jesus has gained for us through his resurrection, a life which we all
are responsible for keeping it intact.
In our world, however,
there is a reality which detracts from, diminishes and destroys life.
Such a reality is sin in all its forms: Injustice, wars, abuses, dispossession,
exploitation of man by man, hypocrisy, falsehood. Sin is, therefore,
the negation of life.
The life we receive from Jesus' resurrection is given us after we have
experienced dead as a result of sin, sin in all its forms. The life
that comes out of Jesus' resurrection is a victory over death, is a
restoration of justice, peace, unity, equality, truth, righteousness,
mutual respect.
In today's gospel, the risen Lord is intent on
revealing the reality of both life and death (sin).
Just as the gospel emphasizes the reality of life (by presenting a corporeal
Jesus who has fresh wounds, who eats in front of his disciples, who
speaks, who brings peace) so does it emphasize the reality of sin (sin
that must be confronted and eliminated by preaching "Repentance
for the forgiveness of sins, in the name of Jesus, to all the nations"
(Luke 24:47).
Therefore, he who does not see the reality
of sin (death), cannot not see the reality of the resurrection (life).
The agents of death (sin) operate by their actions
or by their omissions.
1. The agents of sin operating by their
actions are the unjust, abusive and powerful oppressors
of our world who destroy life through their aggression and exploitation
of weaker human beings. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles referring
to those powerful and abusive rulers says: "You
put to death the author of life" (Acts 3:15)
2. The agents of sin operating by their
omissions are those who fail or refuse to see death
(sin). Such is the case of those who choose to close their eyes to sin,
and those who selectively "see" only the kinds of sins which
are "harmless" to the powerful oppressor (although such sins
may be harmful to the well-being of humanity).
Examples of those agents of death (sin) who operate by their omissions
are certain rulers of society and some members of the Church who only
see, for instance, the "sins of sexuality" but are totally
blind to the sins of war, aggression, social injustice, dispossession,
oppression and other grave social sins.
"The author of life"
is more powerful than the agents of death (sin).
The disciples of the Lord Jesus are witnesses - as the Book of the Acts
says - that "God raised Jesus [the author
of life] from the dead", for death no longer has power
over Life.
The author of life has, then, the power to bring back to life those
who walk in the shadow of death. The First Letter of John points out
that all human beings, especially the sinners (the agents of death),
"have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the just one. He is the expiation for our sins, and not for our
sins only but for those of the whole world".
May all of us enjoy the life of the Lord's resurrection as we gain in
our ability to see life and to see the sins against life.
