One, Eleven, or Three Thousand

Homily for Easter Tuesday

Peter and Mary Magdalen find themselves in similar positions in today’s Scripture readings. Peter preaches to the crowd and moves 3,000 of them to be baptized. Mary announces the Resurrection to the disciples and bolsters their faith in the Lord. Once again, we are taught through the Scriptures that faith comes through hearing. In both instances, the rejoicing in heaven must have been considerable.

When we hear and share the Good News and others come to believe, there is always rejoicing in heaven. Whether we convince 3,000, or one, or eleven, each person who come to know the love of God helps to build God’s Kingdom here on earth. We move closer to unity and perfection with God. We have far to go; we know that. We’re more likely to hear about 3,000 people being out of power after a storm than about 3,000 being baptized. When it comes to numbers, I am always reminded that Jesus did not tell Peter to count the sheep; rather, Jesus asked Peter to feed the sheep.

There can be no denying that it would be incredible to add 3,000 people to the Church every day. However, it is also important to remember that each of the 3,000 had a name and was unique, gifted, loved, and cherished by God. When we sing that old favorite song, “When the Saints go marching in,” we say that we want to be in that number, helping to contribute to the salvation of all the world. That is precisely what God desires for each of us – that all would come to know God and spend eternity enfolded in God’s arms.

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M.