“And the city was filled with joy”

The prayer proposal for today, in the Acts of the Apostles, begins as follows: “On that day a violent persecution was unleashed against the Church of Jerusalem”… and ends: “The city was filled with joy.” There is talk of those who bury Stephen, the first martyr for confessing his faith in the Risen Jesus; and also of a Saul, who invades the houses and drags to prison men and women who believe in this Jesus. But, on the other hand, those who are persecuted and have to disperse, spread the Good News of Jesus; Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, goes to Samaria, announces his message, and performs some signs of his living presence. They listen to him, believe him, and are “filled with joy.”

The Paschal Mystery, which is at the heart of our Christian faith, is not a remembrance to be celebrated during Holy Week. It is what colors and fills our life with meaning, that mixture of death and life, of pain and joy, that we all experience. Observe this in your own life.