God Knows Me
“Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.”
Jesus invites us into this mystery of divine love….
Moreover, the Good Shepherd lays down his life for us because he loves us, and to brings us into the life-giving love of God.
Our life mission is to better know God and God’s love, and to make the loving God known.
Every day.
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Jesus Was Made Known to Them
“Jesus was made known to them.” In other words, knowing God is first and foremost a gift from God. God gives us the freedom to accept God’s self-revelation. Nevertheless, knowing God is not the result of our quests or efforts.
The Scripture readings for this Sunday lists at least five ways that the Risen Christ continues to reveal himself to us.
From the 2nd Reading: (1) through God’s commandments
From the Gospel:
(2) in God’s words (“Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures”)
(3) in the Eucharist (“Jesus was made known to the disciples in the breaking of bread”)
(4) in both miraculous and ordinary events and people of our daily life (The Risen Christ appeared to the disciples in his glorious presence. At the same time, he spoke to them, asked them for food, and ate the food they gave him. Similarly, the Risen Christ continues to be present to us in our communities, when we share meals and conversations, etc.)
From the 1st Reading:
(5) Peter quoted the prophets, “that Christ would suffer.” Consequently, today, we meet and have the opportunity to care for Christ in our suffering brothers and sisters.
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His Hands and His Side
Jesus shows the disciples “his hands and his side.”
This can be interpreted as Jesus’ way of telling the disciples that it is him, and that he is alive.
Moreover, the nail marks on his hands and the wound on his side are no longer the signs of death.
With his resurrection, those are now signs of God’s power and life.
God’s hand signifies power and protection. (Examples, “the mighty hand of God” in 1 Peter 5:6, “the palm of God’s hand” in Isaiah 49:16, “Your right hand saves me” in Psalm 138:7). Earlier in John’s Gospel, Jesus spoke of himself as the good shepherd, and “no one can take [the sheep] out of [his] hand” (John 10:28)
From his side, when pierced opened, “blood and water flowed out” (John 19:34). The water brings us back to Jesus telling the Samaritan woman at the well that he would give “living water” of new birth [1] . The blood is the Eucharist, the food of divine life.
The Risen Christ shares his life with us. As when God created Adam, now Jesus breathes on the his disciples. And with divine life comes the gift of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of our sins as well as the power to forgive sins.
He truly is risen. Alleluia.
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[1] John Petty, www.progressiveinvolvement.com
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He Has Been Raised
The women go to anoint Jesus. That’s something done for a dead body.
They ask each other “Who will roll back the stone for us?” Shouldn't they have thought of that earlier?
It’s an impossible task for them. The stone is “very large.”
These two details set up the stage for us to learn of God’s actions.
In the passive voice, the Gospel writer tells us
- The stone had been rolled back
- and Jesus “had been raised”
This
technique in ancient literature is known as “divine passive voice.” It is obvious. There is no need to mention that God is the author of the actions.
A good lesson, a timely reminder for us.
We live in time of a pandemic. It is easy to get anxious, to worry, to even lose hope.
Like rolling back the stone for the women, certain things in life seem impossible..
We are tempted, and might have placed our hope in a certain person, political or worldly power, technology….
In the end, it’s not what we do. It’s not even our faith, or more often, the lack of it.
It is “the right hand of God that has struct with power” (Psalm 118, the Responsorial Psalm).
Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead.
It is God who gives us life and continues to sustains us.
Alleluia.
