Since Easter most of our readings at Mass focus on the mission of the disciples as they find their voice and begin to speak about the risen Jesus. Though they had failed to grasp all he had said to them during their time together, the truth has dawned and they feel duty bound to share their faith with others. To some it is a welcome sound and, for others, a voice too far that needs to be silenced. So we find the apostles being imprisoned, punished and warned not to speak in “the name of Jesus.” Despite all this, they preach with enthusiasm, urgency and daily, we are told, people are added to their number.
Where did they get this courage? The answer, it seems, comes from the many occasions Jesus revealed himself to them after his resurrection. His greeting of choice was “Peace be with you” and, on almost all occasions, he seems to have shared food with them. Often they came to recognise him in the very sharing of food “the breaking of bread.”
Is there something being said to us at this time? Something about where we find our courage to be people of faith and voices of hope? Something about where we find courage and how we respond to what we have found? Is there a message here about the need in our time to spend time with Jesus, allowing him to reveal himself to us?
Maybe that’s what we need to do, more and more, these Easter days – to allow time and space that Jesus may reveal himself and encourage us.