Easter and Evangelization in Luke: Understanding Leads to Action (3) by Steve Mueller
The resurrection narratives also show is that our Christian lives never stop when we have understood the significance of our experience of the risen Christ. Curiously enough, whenever we try to hold on to Christ and bask in the enjoyment of his presence, He reminds us that we must rather go forth and become witnesses to what we have experienced.
The disciples journeying to Emmaus discover this. After their heart-warming conversation with the mysterious stranger, they finally recognize his identity in the breaking of the bread. Then suddenly, “he vanished from their sight” (Luke 24:31). Despite their astonishment, they immediately set out to share their experience with the other disciples only to find out that Christ has also appeared to the other disciples.
The pattern emerging here is clear. When we understand our experience of the risen Christ, announcing this good news–evangelization--begins. Christian discipleship is incomplete until we share our belief. Luke recognized this and underlined it, so to speak, by portraying the risen Jesus as officially commissioning the disciples with the task and duty of evangelization. On the first Easter evening, the risen Christ declares to the gathered community of disciples that the good news of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection is “to be preached to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this” (Luke 24:47-48). In his second volume of the Gospel, which we call the Acts of the Apostles, Luke shows how the early community of disciples carried this out. The chain of evangelization from God to Jesus to the community of disciples continues to today.
© 2022 Steve Mueller
Steve Mueller is the author of the five books in the Catechist's Guide to Reading the Bible Series.
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