Unity of mind and heart characterize those who know that Christ - not money or power - is their centre. It's a simple fact that life changes for those who see the Risen Lord because deception cannot co-exist with truth. The first reading from Acts shows that those who have heard the message of the Resurrection are not deaf to the needs of others, nor are they afraid to give the power of their resources to others. Easter faith creates communities dedicated to the common good of all. And the message stressed in 1 John is that belief in Jesus the Christ is love of God and love of one another. It is to know the truth that conquers the world.

This is seen in the Gospel reading. The Risen Christ is sufficient to conquer the world of our fears, doubts, disbelief, and inertia. Jesus is able to break into our lives at unexpected times and in hidden places. It was Jesus who came to the frightened disciples to give them what they needed to take up His ministry of remitting and retaining sins. The peace of Jesus realigns the centre of our lives, and this realignment permits communal life to take the shape described in Acts and 1 John. The practice of right living flows from an encounter with the living God, not the other way around.