C.S. Lewis, one of the most famous Christian writers of this century, liked to describe this world of ours as a planet under siege. He didn’t mean there were spaceships surrounding us or aliens waiting to invade. Instead, he meant that Earth was a place held hostage by the Evil One, an abode of sin, sickness and death. When Christ died and rose, a breakthrough was made and into this world under siege came the forces of goodness in great strength and power. This is a great image for us this Sunday. Christ’s Death and Resurrection really changed the world. In the readings today, we see the apostles have power over sickness and evil spirits. We see Christ revealed for who he really is: the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.

The early Church was amazed by what its members could do. Sometimes we forget they had real power against evil. People didn’t join the Church because it was a great club. They joined it because the Church did something for them -- the Church had power against evil. The source of this power in the Church came from the Holy Spirit constantly reminding the Christians that Christ has conquered sin and death. When Christ breathes the Holy Spirit onto his apostles, the mission of Christ and the Spirit becomes the mission of the Church - - to defeat evil and bring the Kingdom into reality. In military terms, the Church is the Normandy Invasion and Desert Storm, piercing into a world claimed by Satan, sin, and death. This world held hostage now has a new claim on life; it has new hope. What would happen if the Christians of today acted like the early Christians? In other words, what would happen if we believed we could be a powerful force against evil? Perhaps the wonders of the early Church, the miracles of the apostles, the power the Church showed forth to the world could be repeated again. Christ’s Death and Resurrection put evil on the run; let’s make sure the forces against good keep fleeing, keep losing, so that goodness will reign on Earth.