Eastertide

May 16, 2023

Scripture Reading: Acts 1:6-14

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. –Acts 1:12-14

I just saw an interview with four people who were impacted by the Buffalo grocery store mass shooting that happened on May 14, 2022. All of their lives had been markedly changed. All of them were still grieving the loss of a loved one or the trauma of witnessing the massacre. A year later, they had processed the event and realized it had changed their lives forever.

The Disciples and Jesus’s family were most likely still in shock when they reentered the place where they were staying following Jesus’s ascension. Their lives, too, had been changed forever. Their response was to turn to prayer, a good action to follow such an amazing experience. Who was this man they knew as Jesus? How were they going to get along without his human presence? What must their next steps be?

We have all been there on a much small scale, but we mustn’t let these times of growth escape us. We need to learn from them. One of the women from Buffalo shared that she is now more engaged than ever in addressing the issues of our day.  The disciples understood that call in the same way and proceeded to change the whole world.

Prayer: Lord, we live in a fractured world where love does not abound as it should. Open our hearts and minds and set our hands and feet to make your love the norm worldwide.  Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.