How do we reach out to others and spread the news of Christ? First, see the word; we declare what we have heard and seen.  The second reason to declare what we have seen to others is so that our joy may be complete (1 John 1:4).  Third, we declare what we do to others to help them gain protection from sin.

When Jesus appeared to the disciples, he said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 1:22-23). Jesus has sent the disciples to continue the work that he has been doing. Those disciples have since passed it on to us. Even when we have not seen Jesus, but have only heard about the resurrection from those who have passed it down to us, we are called to believe. We are called to work together and testify to what we have seen. That way, the rest of the world may hear and believe as we have, and be protected from the power of sin in this life. Do you believe something that you hear, or do you doubt it? It probably depends on who you hear it from. The disciples still doubted the Resurrection when they heard it from Mary. Thomas doubted it when he heard it from the other disciples. But all the writings that we read today are not playing a joke on us like Thomas may have thought. Jesus isrisen. Jesus is among us. And Jesus is working in us today! The world makes us doubt that, but that is why Jesus prays for us who are in the world (John 17:8-11). We are not to be overcome by it. We are to overcome it with the power of the Resurrection. And we are to spread that good news to others, so that they may also overcome the world, and live the life that they are meant to live. May joy abound. Christ is risen! Let us continue the celebration. Thanks be to God. Amen.