Tuesday of the 5th week of Eastertide
Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest
First reading Acts 14:19-28
Easter is not only the triumphant proclamation that Christ is risen—it is also the quiet, daily miracle of rising again in the midst of suffering, rejection, and weakness. In the Acts of the Apostles, we witness a powerful image of this Paschal mystery made visible in the life of Saint Paul. After being stoned and dragged out of the city, presumed dead, it is the disciples who gather around him—not with lament, but with the silent strength of communion. Their very presence becomes a channel of grace, and Paul, embodying the resilience of the Risen Christ, stands up and walks back into the very place of violence. This moment is a vivid portrait of what Easter truly means for the Church: it is the victory of love that refuses to abandon, the courage to return where wounds were made, and the power of community to raise up those who have fallen. In our own lives, when we are bruised by disappointment, failure, or betrayal, the Easter mystery invites us not to retreat, but to rise again—with the help of others, with the strength of faith, and with hearts set on the Kingdom. For every time we choose to stand again and walk forward, Easter lives on. Let’s reflect: Easter is the mystery of rising again through the strength of communion, where the love of Christ and the support of the faithful transform every fall into a new beginning.
Don Diorgio