April 18/Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Peter and John said to them in reply, “We are not able not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” ~ Acts 4.20
Living as most of us do in countries where religious freedom is taken for granted, most of us haven’t faced violence or the government-sanctioned oppression of religion as we seek to practice our faith. Yet I dare say that many of us have a habit of self-censorship. When we are out with friends (remember those days?), or in a situation where secular tendencies are in the majority, we keep quiet. We avoid talking about church teachings or beliefs that may be controversial; we demur when there are questions about our faith; we deflect, deflect, deflect. “Boldness” is not a word that characterizes this approach — and yet boldness is exactly the word that the worried Jewish leaders apply to Peter and John as the two apostles proclaim the risen Christ. Dismissing them as agrammatoi and idiōtai — unlearned and ignorant men — these establishment figures attempt to shut down the Christian virus. Peter’s and John’s reply is instructive: “We are not able not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” Or to put it even more starkly, “We cannot not.” In addition to delighting the grammar nerd lurking within me, this double negative profoundly underscores their strength of purpose. Not only do they want to speak out, they are compelled to do so by the powerful message of Christ. Many pundits and cultural observers have speculated that the nearly universal experiences of fear and loss brought by the coronavirus may lead to a religious awakening. Perhaps so — but such an awakening has a much better chance of happening if each of us, our lives transformed by the message of the Resurrection, stands up with Peter and John and speaks out about our faith with the same strength of purpose and urgency that they display.
Redeemer God, Grant me the courage to stand up and speak out for what I believe in and spread the good news of your Resurrection, today and always. Amen.
To hear “Domine, labia mea aperies,” by Heinrich Schutz, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZRwgez09gQ
For today’s readings, click here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/041820.cfm
