Reading One: Acts 2:14, 22-33;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11 ;
Gospel: Mt 28:8-15;
go to this page (for all three sections listed above on one page) And here's an audio file; & reflections (video)
Well, I actually took the day off for Monday and am posting this on Tuesday. Forgive me... I forgot that Easter is such a HUGE celebration - we, as Catholics feel compelled to celebrate Easter for a long time. Especially the first week after Easter, and in truth... every day until Pentecost. Every day till our last breath.
But, I need to get back to my life and job - so officially, I ended the daily posts on Easter Sunday. As I reflect back on my Lenten Journey, it was really a wonderful trip. It began as something of a road trip, and ended up as a journey on a road of faith. Much more internal and spiritual, where I just tried to do what was asked of me, following nothing more than what I believed in my head and heart - the things God asked me to do. That's why during one week, I shared so many personal experiences. Something I read hit a nerve, and told me to share a few wonderful blessings, of how I knew God was with me on my walk through life.
Before the trip began, this same external voice told me something very scary. I shared it with only two people. The voice said:
You know you are going to die.When I first heard it, I was very frightened, because so many times - this voice told me quite clearly what lay ahead on the road I walked on. I mean - REALLY way too far out to be even a statistical phenomena, or to come from me. Strange words, nothing to do with my internal ramblings at the moment. These Words are always extremely brief... very few words, but words that carried such a power & weight, you couldn't ignore them. Something was afoot. Pay attention! I had recently read a few books written by St Teresa of Avila, and she explains it better than I could. If you are interested in how to recognize God's voice - read her biography, The Seven Castles and The Way of Perfection. She's quite a quirky gal, but she knew how to tune in God, and tune out the world. The inverse of Timothy Leary - HA!
So on Easter Sunday - as I went out in the afternoon to take some pictures of the beautiful and glorious day, I was riding on Catawba Avenue, near I-77 and Cashion's Quick Mart. I figured that the words I heard - You know you are going to die, was just a weird internal self freak-out kinda thing, a product of my fears. I had almost forgotten all about it, Easter was here - and I was alive and well. We are going to die after all.
But the words actually spared my life. I did what I thought God was asking me to do, even if it meant I would die in the process. A much deeper leap of faith than I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Sure... this all sounds too weird, but all the same, I am telling you the truth. On Catawba Avenue, at about 4:00 PM, a large van pulled out on my left, racing to get in front of the car behind me. Excuse me... if you try and merge now, it will be over my dead body buster! I was invisible to him (darn, stealth button engaged). It was a very, very close call... but I was ok and nothing happened - other than the guy behind the wheel of the van found how big he could make his eyes pop out of his head, a little burned rubber on the road, but no collision or motorcycle hitting pavement. I was very thankful for God's shield, that kept me safe. He was indeed with me. I was so thankful to be alive.
And yet, in many ways - I did die. To things mostly related to fear, stuff that kept me from living the gift of life as fully as I might. A transformation - similar to what happened to St. Peter after the Resurrection. Parts of me that had gone into a kind of zombie state of fear were no more. I was really alive in a way I can't do justice explaining. It feels wonderful. My faith in God burst through to a new level of grace. And prayers asking to help my unbelief were answered in ways beyond anything I could imagine. How thankful I find myself today, as I am really living in a new light. God is great !!!
Check the pictures I took on Easter Sunday after another near brush with death. Truth is - we are all going to die. Better start living my friends - time is short, but the time is sweet when you walk in the light of God's love.
And so - this my is my last post. I will leave you with a great suggestion - something I have done for many years now, with great blessings that have come from a miniscule level of effort. Read the Acts of the Apostles between now and Pentecost. See what a different man Peter is. We all remember how he denied Jesus three times - but check what happened to him, after he wept and begged God for forgiveness. He was a totally new man, a guy you wouldn't even recognize as the same man. I am sure God is thrilled to do this to you as well.
