The disciples rejoice in that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor at the hands of men for the sake of the name of Jesus. They left the Temple area after they had been flogged and ordered by the Sanhedrin to stop preaching the word of Jesus. However, Peter and his companions continued their preaching with even more zeal and enthusiasm. What a great example of faith we hear about today in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. These men rejoice at the dishonor they suffered because they had suffered for the honor they were giving Jesus. So often, so many of us think that we shouldn’t suffer at all for our faith, that we shouldn’t have to make any sacrifices for the faith. Some of us may say that we are too busy to fit mass into our busy schedules, even when we have three or four or five different choices to go to mass throughout the weekend. Some of us get mad if we don’t get our way or when we have to compromise or accommodate the needs of others. We sometimes would rather criticize and complain instead of offering to help. So many of us in the modern world don't want to be inconvenienced or to make a sacrifice, even a little sacrifice.
We can ask ourselves: what does it mean to proclaim the presence of the risen Christ during this joyful Easter season? What does it mean to put Christ first in our lives? What ways are we being called to proclaim Christ to the world and to give honor to his name?
I remember one of our seminarians for our Diocese complaining that he wasn’t able to go to a Saints game because he had a commitment with his seminary on that same day. I told him he needed to lift it up to the Lord. He told me that he really did like hearing that. Sometimes we do have to lift it up to the Lord. Sometimes we are called to carry a very heavy cross. Yes, sometimes is it not easy being a Christian.
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