Easter Wednesday 2020
“What I have I give you.” This is what St Peter had said to the man born lame before he healed him. St Peter received not gold or silver but the power to heal in the name of Christ Jesus. And He shared this gift freely. Here nothing is unusual. This is common sense. We can give what we have.
As a priest and pastor, often I fall into temptations of pretension and presumption that lead me to hypocrisy. I pretend to be more than what I am. I presume to enjoy certain power and grace. I might please someone for a moment with pretension and presumption, but I don’t give anything in fact.
This pandemic tests what I really have as a man, as a priest, and as a pastor. And it also tests me if I have a strong will to give what I have. But at the same time, I realize it is not really I who work here. It is Christ who works in me. Before Jesus fed those thousands of people, he had asked his disciples to feed them. When they were dismayed of their inability, Jesus asked for anything they had. A boy offered Jesus five bread and two fish, and they were enough for Jesus to cause the miracle. Whatever I give Jesus, he will multiply. I don’t have much, but it may be enough to give.
This pandemic seems a difficult time to share because we cannot easily meet people. But please do share whatever you already have. Time is a great thing to share now. With those at home, you may renew and deepen your relationships with them by sharing more time. With those afar, you may connect more frequently to rekindle your relationships. You already have much to give. Let us give something to Jesus. Let Jesus work in our life now.
