Seventh Sunday of Easter - May 21th, 2023 (Click Here for Readings)

In this Sunday’s reading from Acts, the Apostles were now alone and on their own. Following Jesus’ Ascension to Heaven, they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and entered into a state of preparation, relentlessly praying in wait for the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  

It was a time for needed unity among them and to see the resurrected Christ in each other. With Jesus no longer with them in the flesh, they had to learn to live in his spirit and focus on the great hope ahead of spreading his word and witnessing his identity.

The assumed ten days that they spent in the upper room was a time when patience, prayer and mutual love among all, including Jesus’ mother Mary and other women, were needed for ample preparation.

The direction and power from the Holy Spirit would soon be given to them at Pentecost to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20) as Jesus ordered.

 And as St. Peter alerted his followers in our second reading, working to fulfill this great commission would entail experiences of suffering, abuse and ridicule, which occurred with the Apostles and can happen with us as evangelizers today as well.

But the more we suffer for the sake of Jesus’ name, the more the Holy Spirit will support us. Jesus’ strength was in his submission to those who were evil to him, and we can show the same kind of strength against those who condemn our faith. We can joyfully emulate Jesus' sufferings in our own smaller ways.

If we ever begin to feel disconnected from the presence of Jesus in our hearts, we can always go to our virtual “upper room” and pray like the apostles did, for the refusion of the Holy Spirit within us; the reoccurrence of our own personal Pentecost.

In the words of St. Teresa of Calcutta, “Suffering, pain, humiliation and feelings of loneliness are nothing but the kiss of Jesus; a sign that you have come so close that he can kiss you.”

We are in the same game as Jesus . . . a game of risk that unites us with him.

For more reflections on the Sunday readings, Go Here