+ There are two “umbrella themes” that stretch out over the word during this time of Easter, and do so today eloquently.
The first is this tremendous growth of the church happening in the Acts. And particularly today, this theme begins to elaborate with some special details.
Barnabas and Saul (he is yet to be called Paul, but that is coming soon), completed a “relief mission” which was to bring food and relief supplies to a struggling community of believers in Jerusalem suffering from famine.
And why? That’s what Christians do. They take care of those in need.
Looks like a very early version of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, or CatholicCharities, and hopefully all of us!
And now five prophets and teachers were named, for apparently these charisms were noticed in them.
Barnabas and Saul were among those five.
Saul begins today the first of three great missionary journeys; hence, this first great umbrella theme is beautifully told today.
The second umbrella theme is a message Jesus repeats again and again in John.
“The Father and I are one,” said Jesus, and the Father has told him things.
Whoever hears Jesus also hears the Father. Jesus tells all that —
“I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.”
And Jesus’ message is like a two-sided coin. On one side is this steady and constant proclamation about who he is as the one sent by the Father! His confidence in his message is clear and constant. It is a call to us.
The other side of that coin, therefore, is our response. And Jesus put that responsibility readily on us —
“Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me”;
And, “Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words rejects him who sent me.”
But here we must hear! It is not just about “accepting Jesus,” but his words, and everything he tells us! His words and the Father’s words are one and the same.
This is the big pitch here. It is here that we must hear, and in doing that and truly following him, the Gospelverse rings true and celebrates for us the gift that is given in Jesus the Lord —
“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” Alleluia, alleluia.
And this light doesn’t just brighten us up from the outside. No! We actually have the light and become the light, and we can say that we are truly enlightened from within!
