Daily Reflection for Monday, April 05, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Monday’s readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040521.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33
Responsorial: Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15
Our reflection on Monday’s readings:
The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ Matthew 28:12
No matter how well we try to cover it up, the truth has a way of revealing itself. As Shakespeare said, “The truth will out!”
When one of my four sons was fifteen or so, he would sneak out of the house, take the family car and ride. When this first started we were living in a large apartment complex and shared a common parking lot with other tenants. To make sure no one pulled into the parking spot while he was riding, he dragged a large, upholstered chair from our apartment and set it in the empty parking place. This went on for several months without our knowledge.
Subsequently we moved from the apartment complex to a house. I awoke one morning around four o’clock. For no particular reason, I went downstairs, looked out into the driveway, and saw that the car was missing. I roused the household and discovered that as well as the car, one of the boys was also missing.
Aware of the life-altering things that can happen to an Africa-American teenaged boy at four o’clock in the morning out riding (or whatever he was really doing), you can probably imagine my angst. When he finally showed up and had to face us, I think he thought his life was over.
The Jewish leaders who plotted to kill Jesus, never questioned the truth of what the guards reported to them. The Christ has risen! Though they knew it was true, they conspired to invent and perpetuate a lie. At Pentecost, Peter declared the truth with such power that their lie was exposed and despite it, in a single day, thousands came to believe in the resurrection of Jesus.
As Winston Churchill said, “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.” Whether you are a teen aged boy, or the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, no matter what steps you take to hide or subvert the truth, eventually the truth will out.
I pray that you find this fact an occasion for rejoicing because besides bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things and enduring all things, Love rejoices with the truth.
Until next time, may you embrace God’s Love and His Truth. Peace be with you my friends.
Melissa Kittrell