With a deep conviction in the Resurrection, let us build ‘Maison Shaloms – Houses of Peace’ in our families, our societies and in our world!”

(Based on Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41, Rev 5:11-14 and Jn 21:1-19 – Third Sunday of Easter, Cycle C)

In the heart of war-torn Burundi, in 1993, death and darkness swept across the land like a plague.

One woman, Maggy Barankitse, stood in the midst of it all.

She watched – helpless – as her best friends, her family, and members of her Church community were brutally massacred right before her eyes.
Sorrow pierced her soul like a dagger.

The killers turned to her and said, “Run. Or you’re next.”

But she didn’t run.

She stayed.

And she hid 25 orphaned children that night – not just in corners and closets, but in her heart.

She smuggled them out to safety, risking her life, armed with nothing but her courage and her faith in a Christ who had risen from death.

Years passed.

Maggy lost everything, except one thing: Her unshakable belief that Resurrection is stronger than revenge.

She founded Maison Shalom — “The House of Peace” – which has now transformed the lives of over 20,000 war orphans and child soldiers.

When the world asked her, “How did you survive such horror and keep going?”…
… she answered with fire in her voice: “I have seen death.

But I believe in the Resurrection. That’s my only revenge: to love again!”

(Source: Vatican News, Oct 17, 2021)

Her story challenges us to ask: Have we embraced the Resurrection as a life-giving truth…
… or have we reduced it to just a ‘faith-slogan?’

The Gospel of the Day presents the Risen Lord encountering His Disciples and strengthening their belief and faith in His Resurrection.

The Disciples after the death of their Master, had been a frightened lot.

They were even unable to believe some of the appearance stories of Jesus, to people who were associated with them.

But the Lord today appears to them, and casts away their fears and apprehensions.

He invites His disciples to have breakfast with Him (Jn 21:10, 12)

Jesus calls the disciples to throw away their doubts…
… and instead to believe that He is truly Risen, in human flesh and blood.

This experience of the Risen Lord would find its empowerment, for the Disciples, on the Pentecost Day, when the Holy Spirit would fill them with power and strength.

It is this exhibition of power and force that we see in St Peter, when he boldly proclaimed Jesus as the Lord and Saviour (Acts 3: 13-15, 17-19)

The Risen Lord, became for the Apostles, the source, strength and summit for their expression of faith and trust.

Today, we are invited to have this similar faith – bold, passionate and zealous- in the Risen Lord.

However, sometimes, the Resurrection of the Lord remains only a mere “theoretical” dogma and fails to get converted to a “practical” and experiential reality in our life.

Our lives are often lived in “fear”
… We go about on our day to day works very often with “apprehension”

We live our lives without much “joy”
We spend our days without much “hope”

We are reminded: “We cannot dine at the table of the Risen Lord if we refuse to leave the tomb of fear and doubt.”

The Risen Lord today invites us: to believe in Him more deeply and witness His life more radically in our lives.

He offers His Holy Eucharist as His Risen and Living Presence in our midst.
He gives His Holy Word as His Dynamic and Transforming Reality in our lives.

Let us grow more and more, in our conviction and love for Jesus, the Life and the Resurrection.

With St Peter, let us also proclaim and profess: “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You!” (Jn 21: 17b)

May our faith in Him, not be a “pragmatic” approach, just to receive favours and benefits…
… rather, may it grow, transform and bring renovations in our life!

Let’s realise that ‘Faith in the Resurrection is not about escaping pain – it’s about facing it with a power greater than death!’

With a deeper conviction that says, “I believe in the Resurrection”
… let us build “Maison Shaloms – Houses of Peace” in our families, our societies and in our world!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fourth Commandment – The Family and the society

Human communities are made up of persons.

Governing them well is not limited to guaranteeing rights and fulfilling duties such as honoring contracts. (CCC # 2213)