Monday within Easter Octave : 1st April 2024

“God raised this man Jesus to life, all of us are witnesses to that.” Peter’s bold proclamation on Pentecost to the huge crowd of nations has echoed through the life of the Church. It becomes  our credo. Our profession of faith that Jesus was crucified and risen became the tenet of our way of life. It profoundly impacted the lives of Peter and the disciples that they lived for what they received from the first women that Christ indeed rose to the point of dying and rising for it. Such a faith transforming experience  demonstrated profound joy to boldness.

Awed and astounded, the women were the first joyful people to realise how God had removed the veil of shame and fear prejudiced against them by a patriarchal society. We see how the Risen Lord elated the women by his usual benevolent greetings. Then, He entrusted them to speak to the band of men. This is the redeeming way of recognising others, to regard highly what is seemingly lowly and despised. The resistance and fabrication to a transformed life of faith by those who refuse to believe the risen Jesus abound because they want to hold on to their spiteful pride. God can never be silenced and left to rot  in the tomb. Jesus has risen in the first women and behold – Eve is elated for her place of redemption.

Lord, let our faith raise the dignity of others and not despise anyone.