“Peter Preaching at Pentecost” by Benjamin West

When I was a college student at East Tennessee State University and just starting to come back to Church I took a college class on the history of Christianity.  When we got to the subject of the resurrection I remember our professor stating (much to the chagrin of the more fundamentalist Christian students) that the academic discipline of history could not make a conclusive statement either for or against the resurrection.  But what the discipline could say is that “something happened” that enabled those first disciples to move from remaining behind locked doors in fear as we find in today’s gospel (Lk. 24:35-48); “But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.” to boldly proclaiming Christ as Messiah in the public square as we find Peter doing in today’s first reading (Acts 3:13-15, 17-19); “You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you … Repent, therefore, and be converted…” 

That class and I would say specifically that statement “something happened” was one of the key components of my returning to the Church and the active practice of the faith.  What enabled Peter (the one who had denied knowing Jesus) and those first disciples (the ones who had run away) the ability to move from fear to being bold proclaimers of Christ and the resurrection?  Was it just a hoax they cooked up in their minds to steal the body away and see how long they could ride the “Jesus as Messiah” train?  Hoaxes do not last so long (two thousand plus years) nor show such continued vitality.  Was it that the “spirit” of Jesus had risen – his vision of the world and living together in harmony – while his body remained dead.  But who willingly chooses martyrdom rather than denial for an idea (as we see throughout history beginning with those first fearful disciples)?

In today’s gospel we are given some specifics about the resurrection that are worthy of note.  Jesus again appears to his disciples.  Again he say, “Peace be with you.”  Knowing their fear and their uncertainty he says,

“Why are you troubled?  And why do questions arise in your hearts?  Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.  Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones that you can see I have.”  And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.  While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”  They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.” 

Neither hoaxes nor ideas ask for a piece of fish to eat.

There are many ways to run from the scandal of the resurrection.  We are all quite adept at it; both without and even within the Church.  One such way (often touted as being an “enlightened” approach) is to see the resurrection as a nice idea – Jesus’ spirit continuing to live on.  But today’s gospel is quite clear.  Jesus is not a ghost.  Jesus is risen – body and soul.  He is the firstborn from the dead.  Jesus is risen and he has not risen in vain. 

If we are to be christian then we must be willing to encounter the fullness of the resurrection; that “something that happened” as my professor said so many years ago and in that encounter we must be willing to make a fundamental faith statement, “I believe”.   Only this will move us from fear to peace.

This encounter and the peace and courage it alone brings continues today.  Recently Pope Benedict (who is Peter in our midst) travelled to Mexico and Cuba.  In the face of the chaotic violence of the drug trade engulfing Mexico (estimates of around fifty thousand people killed) this eighty-five year old man proclaimed firmly and resolutely that drug trafficking is a sin and it is wrong.  Then going to Cuba at a Mass where the very Cuban government sat in the front rows, again this elderly man who has no armies behind him nor economic might called for greater freedom.  What enables him to do this?  If one reads his two books on Jesus of Nazareth or listens to any of his words one quickly realizes the answer.  This man has encountered Christ risen and alive – not an idea of Christ, not just the spirit of Christ – but Jesus Christ himself and he has made his faith statement.

The peace is there if we are willing to encounter and if we are willing to profess. 

     

I have been reading Fr. James Martin’s new book, “Between Heaven and Mirth.” In the book Fr. Martin reflects on the role of humor in the life of faith and throughout the reflection he scatters humorous jokes and stories. In chapter four he reflects on “serious reasons for good humor” – the last reason he lists is the practical nature of humor and he does this in a tongue-in-cheek way by sharing a story about his father’s cousin Bernie.

Bernie, it seems, lived in Philadelphia but owned a small store on the coast in New Jersey. One evening he was speeding down the interstate toward his store. He was late for an appointment. It was the last day of the month so he knew that the police officers would be out, eager to give tickets in order to make their quota. But, he was in a hurry and decided to take his chances doing about eighty miles an hour.

Sure enough, after crossing into New Jersey he saw the flashing red lights and was pulled over. The officer walked up to his car with a pleased look on his face. “I have been waiting for you all day!” said the officer.

Bernie, off the top of his head replied, “Well, I got here as fast as I could!” Fr. Martin concludes, “The officer laughed so hard that he didn’t give Bernie a ticket.”

It is good to laugh.

Mark’s gospel is the shortest and most succinct of the canonical gospels. One can feel throughout Mark’s account of the good news a sense of urgency. Jesus has a mission and time must not be wasted! This sense of urgency is given expression in the very first chapter. Jesus proclaims, “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mk. 1:15) But then what does he do? With this sense of urgency it would be expected that he would march straight to Jerusalem in order to set things right. But he does not do that. Rather, in this time of fulfillment, Jesus forms community (Church) and not only that but a community of very insignificant people who were certainly not on any “A-list” of their day – fishermen, tax collectors, religious zealots. They were people of no real consequence.

Also, they were a group of imperfect people. They disagreed, they argued with one another, they were fearful, they bore resentments, they miscommunicated, they did not always understand, one betrayed Jesus and another denied him. In other words, they were human, just like us. And Jesus was in their midst and Jesus is in our midst calling, healing and enabling us (in all of our imperfections) to be church for one another and for the world.

Recently there has been a Youtube video that has sparked discussion. In the video a young rapper who has all the right looks and wears the perfect cool style of clothing and has all the perfect video angle shots raps about how he loves Jesus but hates religion. He goes on to say that Jesus hates religion and therefore the church also. Isn’t it nice when Jesus agrees with our own point of view? He raps that religion told him to pretend to be perfect but he does not consider the possibility that maybe he was the one who was getting the message wrong from the beginning.

To this young man I would say re-read the gospels because I think you missed something. Consider today’s gospel (Mk. 1:14-20) where Jesus in the very urgency of proclaiming the Kingdom decides to gather a community of very imperfect believers and he decides to remain within their very midst. Consider where Jesus says that he is the vine and we are the branches. Consider the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the community gathered at Pentecost. Reflect on Paul’s beautiful analogy of Christ being the head of the body and we the members. Consider Paul’s own conversion on the road to Damascus when the exalted Lord instead of asking, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute my followers?’ rather asks, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4).  Consider the beautiful imagery of the bride awaiting the bridegroom found throughout the New Testament.

In the urgency of proclaiming the Kingdom, isn’t it interesting that Jesus calls and gathers a community of very imperfect people and he remains in their midst.

He remains in the midst of the Church today.

One of my favorite churches is Rome is the Basilica of St. Bartholomew.  The basilica sits on the Tiberine Island in Rome and under its main altar is found the relics of the apostle himself.  During his pontificate, John Paul II entrusted the care of this basilica to the Community of Sant’Egidio.  It was also at this time that John Paul II had the desire to honor all the Christian martyrs (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant) of the twentieth century.  The Community of Sant’Egidio recognized this desire of the late pope and has made the Basilica of St. Bartholomew a shrine to the “New Martyrs” of the twentieth century.  In the side altars of the basilica are found memories of Christian men and women who have given their lives in witness to their faith and in witness to peace and human dignity.  A letter of Dieterich Bonhoeffer stands as witness against the brutalities of Nazism.  The missal of Archbishop Oscar Romero (see above) sits on one of the side altars as a testimony against political and economic oppression.  The Bible of Floribert – a young African customs agent who was killed for not “looking the other way” in order to allow a shipment of rotten rice to enter his country – also stands in testimony against injustice.  These are just a few.  The memories of men and women (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant) who lived and died for their faith are housed in this basilica in the heart of Rome.  Along with St. Bartholomew, these men and women turn toward Christ the risen Savior and call out for justice and the coming of God’s Kingdom!  

An interesting note to the Basilica of St. Bartholomew is that before being a site for a Christian basilica this island in the middle of the Tiber River was recognized as a place of healing.  A pagan temple stood where now the church does and had within it a well whose waters were believed to contain curative powers.  In front of the altar of the basilica now sits the top of this well (see picture).  The well is now covered but what a powerful foreshadowing to the fullness of grace which now streams from the altar!  From the sacrifice of Christ streams of life-giving and healing waters flow, cleansing us from sin and healing the disunity, injustice and pain of our world.  

The martyrs stand in full witness to this healing grace of Christ, even as they are struck down they witness to that which is ever greater than the violence and evil of our world – an ever-enduring truth that the world cannot wipe away.  The New Martyrs set their lives by the light of the Kingdom of God and whenever men and women live according to the truth of God’s Kingdom (whenever truth and love is chosen over injustice and oppression) healing and authenticity is found and grows – in self, in relationships, in daily encounters and in society.   

With St. Bartholomew the new martyrs turn toward Christ and cry out for justice.  For us, the new martyrs witness to the life-giving truth of the Kingdom of God!