You are witnesses to these things.

In today’s readings, the Church places before us a powerful truth: the Resurrection of Jesus is not just an event to be remembered, but a reality to be witnessed. The disciples in the Gospel are still trying to make sense of what they have experienced. Fear, doubt, and confusion fill their hearts, until Jesus stands in their midst and says, “Peace be with you.” This greeting is the beginning of their mission. Before they can become witnesses, they must first receive peace. Jesus does not appear as a distant spirit but as the crucified and risen Lord. He shows them His hands and feet, eats before them, and opens their minds to understand the Scriptures. In doing so, He makes it clear that the Resurrection is real, embodied, and transformative. Their faith is no longer based on hearsay; it is grounded in encounter. This encounter becomes the foundation of their witness. In the first reading, we see the fruit of that transformation. Peter, once afraid and in denial, now speaks boldly to the people. He proclaims Jesus as the “Author of life” whom they had rejected, but whom God has raised. Peter does not speak with condemnation alone, but with hope: “Repent… that your sins may be wiped away.” His witness is both truthful and merciful. It calls people to conversion while offering them the possibility of new life. This is the heart of Christian witness. It is not about perfection or eloquence, but about testifying to what God has done. Like the apostles, we are witnesses not because we have everything figured out, but because we have encountered Christ, especially in moments of grace, forgiveness, and the breaking of bread in the Eucharist. Today’s theme challenges us personally because the risen Jesus continues to stand in our midst, offering us peace and opening our minds. And then He sends us forth with the same words given to the apostles: “You are witnesses of these things.” This is not just a statement, it is a calling. Each of us is invited to live in such a way that others may come to believe that Christ is truly alive.