Saturday, 3rd week in Eastertide
21st April, 2018: Acts 9: 31-42; Jn 6: 60-69
Peter is the hero today in the Word...when many were leaving Jesus one by one, there were just the select few who remained with Jesus and Peter was the leader among them. Even later when Jesus was taken to suffer, Peter in spite of his weakness, never wished to leave Jesus. He gives a fabulous reason today: to whom shall we go, you have the Words of eternal life! This is why Peter could do all that we hear him do in the Acts!
Staying with Christ is the criterion to being like Christ. Whatever Christ did Peter did: Jesus said to the crippled, get up, pick up your mat and walk and Peter says the same today to Aeneas; Jesus said Talithacum...that is Rise little child and that is what Peter says today to Tabitha - to rise! Peter did all that Jesus did - it was possible because, Peter decided to Stay with Jesus!
When we stay with Jesus, we naturally become good to others, reach out to others, love others, free others, empower others, encourage others, affirm others, appreciate others, give life to others! Enough to stay with Jesus from the depth of our hearts, all that we do will be life giving..because Jesus said: one who believes in me will do all that I did and more than that.
When we are not with Jesus, we may think we are doing good, we are doing great things... but the sad fact would be we are not life giving, we are not affirming others and we are not empowering others but in all that we do, we are only desperately trying to blow our own ego, gain power for ourselves, become popular for our own sake and try to fend for ourselves!
It is crucial therefore dear friend, to ask ourselves: Am I with Jesus?