The Acts of the Apostles provides us today with a courageous witness of the apostles. Arrested by the Sanhedrin for preaching the message of Jesus, they are scourged and told to preach no more. But “they rejoiced to have the honor of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.” They boldly went forward to continue their mission in witnessing to the Lord.

I have, in past DERS, referred to a haunting song in Leonard Bernstein’s opera, The Mass. The refrain is “You cannot imprison the Word of the Lord.” That has been a refrain in the lives of many women and men for whom the Word of the Lord burns in their hearts, and they are compelled to speak out against persons and structures who challenge the message of Jesus.

Saint Thomas More, martyrs of the French Revolution, Alfred Delf, Franz Jagerstatter and thousands who opposed the Nazi genocide, the thousands martyred by Stalin in his purge, and the many, so many, lay persons, women and men religious, catechists, priests and bishops in Central and South America who stood firm against evil and the persecution of the poor, racism, xenophobism. For them, the Gospel was their marching orders. Like the apostles, they persevered.

What gave them the power to speak truth to power? Jesus fed the five thousand on the hillside, and he now feeds millions with his Body and Blood as food to his followers. Fortified by this nourishment, we are charged to stand against all who would make the life of the poor more miserable, who would demonize refugees, and who would turn a blind legislative eye on those who are most in need, both here and abroad. Jesus makes clear in the Gospel that what we do or do not do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do or do not do to him. Let us be faithful!

Let Us Pray:

Creator of the Universe and Father of us all, you sent your Son into the world to manifest your great and abiding love for all that you created. We find ourselves in difficult times when Jesus’ message of love is ignored or twisted to support systems that are so contrary to your original blessing. Please grant us an abundance of grace and courage, who, like your apostles, are laser-focused on being your evangelizers and witnesses in our little corner of the world. Amen.