Bearing witness to the Light and trusting in him in hope for what lies ahead.

 

Monday of the 2nd week of Eastertide 

Acts 4:23-31 ·

Psalm 2:1-9

John 3:1-8

We continue with the Acts of the Apostles for our first reading, and it’s a thrilling story of boldness and faith. Peter and John stand before the Sanhedrin, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ with fearless courage. The court, after a secret deliberation, orders them to stop speaking in Jesus' name. But Peter and John, witnesses to Christ’s Resurrection, refuse to back down—they promise obedience to their divine call. Threatened but unstoppable, they are released because of the crowd, and that’s where our story picks up this morning.

Peter and John return to their community, bursting with excitement as they share everything that happened—the threats, the commanding words of the chief priests, and their unwavering conviction. Imagine their amazement: as Galilean fishermen, they were called to preach before the highest religious assembly! They were told not to tell others about Jesus, yet their hearts could not deny what they had seen.

Obedience to Christ comes at a price, but these apostles did not despair—they returned rejoicing! They had boldly proclaimed the risen Jesus to the very Sanhedrin that had crucified Him. Their unity and passion are inspiring. Their first instinct was to share their experience in communal prayer, lifting their voices to God in unison: "Sovereign Lord, it is you who made Heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them!" (Acts 4:24). Their initial reaction was to turn to prayer in times of challenge. 

Do you see the power of prayer in your life? Is it your first response when facing difficulties? How often do we pray for boldness, clarity, and passion to proclaim Christ? Too often, we are caught up in our desires for material things and forget to pray for opportunities to share the Gospel. Let us pray—each of us—for the courage to spread the Word boldly!

Speaking of boldness, remember Nicodemus—a member of the Sanhedrin—who came to Jesus under the cover of night. How do we approach Jesus? It is Jesus Himself who draws us to Him, even transforming the unlikeliest candidates into new creations. Today’s apostles, in prayer, experienced God’s presence and power—yet it is God alone who grants eternal life.

Receiving baptism is the greatest miracle—being born into eternal life as part of Christ’s body. Just as babies are born but require care and nourishment to grow, our spiritual rebirth begins anew in Him. We must unlearn old ways and relearn the truths of faith, nurtured by the Holy Spirit, as seen in the early Christians. But spiritual growth takes time—we are far from reaching our full potential.

Nicodemus thought he had arrived, but Jesus revealed he was just beginning. There’s hope for all of us—our communities, our lives—because Jesus relentlessly calls those He loves through faith and sacrifice. Baptism grants new life, and Nicodemus understood this when he stood by Jesus’ burial. Our challenge isn’t to save others—that’s God’s work—but to let go of the ‘hero complex’ and become instruments of His salvation, like surgical tools in the hands of a master surgeon.