Resurrection Joy

I have been sitting on this for a while. It is a pretty raw reflection of my personal spiritual journey since opening our heart and home to our first guest mom. 

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It was Easter week when the call came.  We got the call from Waterleaf Women’s Center on a Wednesday, conducted two intake interviews, and our first guest mom moved in on Friday, April 11.

Was it a coincidence that we welcomed our first guest mother one week to the day after Good Friday? Welcoming Christ in the form of a mother in need – We were deep in the mystery of the Resurrection. From that we could not help but overflow with joy too effusive to hold.

Then I think of the apostles at the Ascension. They were so joyful, reveling in the Resurrection days.  And then someone asked the question they were all pondering. “So Jesus, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”  Obviously, since he had conquered death he could do anything – why not restore Israel to the Israelites and evict the Romans? His response was probably not what they were expecting, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” (Acts 1:6-11)

And then – blip blip blip -  up into heaven Jesus goes. I can imagine that the Apostles were pretty dumbfounded. Wait! But the Romans are still here! I thought the Christ would kick them out!  Witness to the ends of the world? What? Holy Spirit? Wait! Come back!!! We need more help! We don’t get it!

We all know how the story goes. The Holy Spirit came giving them the Holy Confidence they needed to go out to the ends of the Earth to accomplish it. All the while they were waiting. They were pretty sure that he was coming back pretty soon. After all he was in the tomb for only three days.

During this time the Apostles set up communities - house churches where they shared everything in common and no one was in need.

And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.  And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales  and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. (Acts 4: 32-35)

I find myself in this same place that the Apostles were thousands of years ago.  We carry with us the joy of the Resurrection as we set out to live community as Jesus and his Apostles did. We pray daily for the Holy Confidence of the Holy Spirit gifted to us at our Baptism and Confirmation. We set out to share life and have our possessions in common.  There are definitely days of questioning and doubt. We sometimes struggle in the day to day work of sharing life and burden. We do this because we have experienced the Risen Christ. We know that He is with us.