Greetings on this the Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
Readings: Acts 5:17-26; Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; John 3:16-21
Summary
They laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out. Then the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to (Acts 5:18-19, 24). God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (Jn 3:16).
Reflection
Today’s reflection comes at the end of the day.
So brief it is.
They were at a loss. So too are the powerful in every age when confronted with the works of God.
The mission is salvation. The tools of the world are useless.
And the Lord—and those who follow him—cannot be confined:
not by prison walls,
not by ideology,
not by wealth,
not by self-interest.
Understand the reality: these are false securities.
Walls and gates do not separate you from the poor; they only keep them out of sight.
Prisons may restrain the body, but they cannot contain the truth of God at work among the lowly.
Domination—whether by force, influence, or possession—always fails in the end. We grasp at what is not ours to hold.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
Personal Reflection
Even if this is difficult, perhaps I can reach you this way: make peace with your enemies.
You can spend all you have and all your energy trying to control or oppose others, but whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041526.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry