Thursday 2nd Week of Easter
April 20, 2023
Mass at Vatican Gardens, K of C
Introduction
Both Scripture readings for today operate at two levels, call them an “upper” and “lower level. Jesus, more or less explicitly, speaks of these two levels in the Gospel. The reading from the Acts of the Apostles illustrates those two levels. And it remains up to us to decide which level we will live on.
The Gospel of John: The Two Levels Introduced
In the Gospel, we find Jesus continuing his discussion with Nicodemus. He speaks of himself as the One who is “above all”, that is, the Son of God, who has come “from above” in order to testify to his Father’s love and who speaks to us the words of God.
This Incarnate Son broke into history and lived in this world, but on a plane very different from those who speak only of earthly things, and who value only earthly things, such as money, power, and pleasure. People such as this live on a lower plane, seemingly cut off from God and from the power of the Resurrection.
Acts of the Apostles: The Two Levels Illustrated
This is what we see in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. In spite of their religiosity, the religious leaders in Jerusalem lived on an earthly plane. They were concerned less about truth and justice and much more about protecting their authority and power, so much so that they were not open to “truth from above” – to the One who is “God from God, light from light, true God from true God.” They did not recognize the Lord of glory when he came, nor were they prepared to accept the testimony of his witnesses.
The Apostles, by contrast, were filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit “whom God does not ration”. They were “in the world, but not of the world” – already living life on a higher plane, already living the indestructible life of the Resurrection, and thus, bearing witness to the Risen Lord with convincing boldness. They were even happy to suffer for the Name they proclaimed.
A Daily Decision
At Easter, we renewed our baptismal promises. In doing so, we did not merely renew our acceptance of a list of do’s and don’ts. Nor did we re-profess our faith in a laundry list of disjointed beliefs. Rather, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we open our hearts anew to Christ, and to the power of the Resurrection as the new principle of our existence. In a word, we pledged anew to live our lives on this higher plane.
For us as Knights, that “higher plane” is summarized in three words: Charity, Unity, and Fraternity – and all that those words mean in the light of the Gospel and in the power of the Holy Spirit. In these days when we find ourselves at the doorstep of the Apostles, in particular at the doorstep of the successor of Peter, let us ask for the grace to live without stint the new life of the Resurrection, to live on that higher plane that enables us to bear convincing testimony to him who is the way, the truth, and the life! Vivat Jesus!