Please read this passage before reading this homily.
It is the Monday after Easter. Our reading starts on the day of Pentecost. Were we to question which day is today, we could answer both. Easter and Pentecost, in the thinking of the Church, is the same celebration. Each involves the glorification of Christ. In John’s account, Jesus poured forth his Spirit upon the church on the day of the resurrection (See John 20:19-23); in Luke’s account, Jesus gave his Spirit fifty days after the resurrection (See Acts 2:1). In the Catholic tradition, the Easter celebration lasts from Easter Sunday to Pentecost, from March 31 to May 19, fifty days. According to an ancient tradition, the celebration lasts for a week of weeks plus a day. This week is like a Sunday that lasts seven days, and next week is seven days of Monday.
Peter, then, stands up today to proclaim the facts to the Jewish people present there, that some of them had killed Jesus, but that God had raised Jesus from the dead. He explains that God had promised through King Davd that “he” would not be undergo corruption, but since we still have David’s tomb among us, David himself must have undergone corruption. On the other hand, we do not have the tomb of Jesus because God raised Jesus from the tomb and exalted Jesus to God’s right hand.
When we die, we stop breathing and give up our breath, which denotes our spirit. The living Jesus, exalted at God’s right hand, has poured forth upon us his Spirit. With God’s Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, which signifies the breath or life of Jesus, we live Christ’s life. It was this noisy and spirited celebration of Jesus’ life in the disciples which brought the crowd together to hear Peter.
Peter has two reasons for announcing the death of Jesus from the hands of some of the Jewish people. One is to announce that Jesus was dead, but now is alive. The other is to announce the forgiveness of this sin through the living Spirit of Jesus. Even today, the Church only calls sinners to offer them forgiveness, not condemnation.
It is the Monday of the of Sunday week of Easter. If there is a tomb, it is empty, because Jesus has risen and is alive. Now, we share the life and Spirit of Jesus. Go and announce the good news.