Luke tells us today when Jesus appeared, the disciples’ minds were open and they understood all that they had witnessed. Jesus then tells them, “You are witnesses of these things.” Peter also repeats that same phrase in the first reading today. This is our theme today.
What is a witness? Someone who can attest with confidence to a specific event or events. Yes, you are nervous…but you know what you saw and you speak the truth. A witness CHOOSES to step forward and recount what they saw or heard. That’s what Jesus was asking the disciples then and is asking us today. We’re not recounting an historical event, we’re part of it all. Do you have your doubts?
Remember the Easter Vigil a few days ago. Christ, represented by the Paschal Candle, was the only light in church. Each of us then received our own light from that Paschal Candle. Each of us received our “marching orders” from the source of the light. What if the first person on that Saturday night refused to light their candle and spread that light to others? The church would have remained dark. Symbolic? Yes. It means we are called to be witnesses to the Light. That’s the message today. We are not bystanders. We are called to be witnesses in life.