Called to be Witnesses for Life
By Steve Martin
Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter. We gather during this special time in our liturgical year to commemorate and reconnect with Christ’s resurrection. God’s powerful love is so strong that even death is conquered by it. In a profound way this Sunday’s readings remind us of our call to be witnesses for Christ. Two out of the three include the word witness. In the first
reading from the Book of Acts we hear, “of this we are witnesses.”1
Here St. Peter is speaking in the temple at Jerusalem. He was reminding the crowds that when Pontius Pilate gave the people a chance to release Jesus, the Author of Life, they chose instead to free Barabbas, a murderer.2 The Navarre Bible offers a very insightful observation about this. “Every time a person sins – sin means the death of the soul – this same choice is being made again.”3 When we choose to sin and turn away from God’s love, we choose death instead of life. As Catholics we are called to make choices that witness to life.
In the Gospel reading, Luke testifies to an encounter between our Resurrected Lord and two of his disciples. Here Luke quotes Jesus saying, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”4 These truths should guide our daily choices.
Are we living lives that inspire others to take the message of the Gospel seriously? Even when we think no one is watching, people should see the power of Christ’s redemption working in our lives. If we are open to receiving the gift, God’s grace truly takes root in our souls. This Easter, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to be witnesses for life.
1The New American Bible, Acts 3:15
2The Navarre Bible, pg. 719
3The Navarre Bible, pg. 719
4The New American Bible, Gospel of Luke 24:46-48