The ‘Escape Route’
Meditation
for Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
(Acts
5:17-26; Jn 3:16-21)
The new life of the resurrection
is bound to face opposition; ‘to be born anew’ will have to battle with the old
life. The first reading tells us how the party of the Sadducees, that is, those
who do not believe in the resurrection, led the opposition against the
apostles. They were locked up in prison. But the word of God cannot be
imprisoned; the power of the resurrection breaks through every barrier, and dispels
every darkness. The open hearts of the apostles to the resurrection were
stronger than the iron bars of the prison. The angel of the Lord led them out
of the prison and sent them to the temple to preach.
In the face of the opposition,
the apostles realized convincingly that they were not alone! The resurrected
Jesus was deeply involved in their affairs just as they were committed to the
preaching of the gospel. So, they went about their activities with inner joy
and peace despite the persecution.
Faith in the resurrection of
Jesus assures us of this victory over every opposition and persecution. Jesus
said to Nicodemus, “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” God did
not send His son to condemn the world. Thus, the Angel did not come to destroy
the Sadducees nor pull down the prison. Unjust human structures may still be
there; the opposition and persecution against believers may not go away. Even the
believer himself might struggle with doubt and tend to surrender to present day
Sadducees.
However, faith in Jesus is the ‘escape
route.’ Our commitment to the gospel, and to the new life of the resurrection make
us available to be rescued by divine grace, and to pass through any ‘prison bar’
that tries to hinder us. We are not alone; the presence of the resurrected
Jesus abides with us. Whoever believes in Him cannot be locked in the dark, but
shines out as light. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “But he who does what is true
comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been
wrought in God.” Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Wednesday April 27th, 2022.
