15 September 2022

Last of all… Christ appeared also to me.
For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain.
From 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11, NRSV

The main task of an apostle is to proclaim the good news. It is less about offering a treatise on the Resurrection but more about bearing witness to it through words and actions. So, we have Mary Magdalene going back to the disciples and telling them that she has seen and spoken with the Lord. We have Peter telling Cornelius that he has seen, heard and eaten with Jesus. We have Paul reminding the Corinthians of his scepticism and downright persecution of those who believed in the Resurrection – which makes him aware of his great unworthiness but also the great responsibility entrusted to him when he too encounters the Risen Lord – to tell others.

• • What difference does Paul’s original scepticism and unworthiness make to his proclamation about Jesus and his Resurrection?
  • How do we proclaim the Risen Lord when we have not seen or eaten with him personally?

Think about the power of personal witness and offer a prayer of thanks for those who have shared their faith in Christ with you. Pray for the grace to find the words and actions that proclaim your own faith to others.