Wednesday, I Easter
(Luke 24)
A disappointment of the gospel is that we find no physical description of Jesus. Try as we might, we never see a word about his stature, his complexion, or any distinguishing mannerism, other than that he spoke with authority. Once a journalist wrote that he was short since the Gospel of Luke mentions that Zacchaeus had to climb a tree to see him. However, the more common interpretation of this story is that Zacchaeus was the little guy.
Perhaps since Jesus is so nondescript in the gospels, it should not strike us as peculiar that his disciples cannot recognize him at first glance after the resurrection. Both Mary in yesterday’s gospel from St. John and the two disciples today in Luke’s gospel don’t expect Jesus to be alive so without any outstanding characteristic they fail to distinguish him from a gardener or another passer-by. Until he speaks with his old authority, that is. Then his words go straight to the heart. Mary is lifted out of her fog of grief when he mentions her name. The disciples too achieve insight as he blesses and breaks the bread.
James Caviezel-images aside, we still have no idea of what Jesus looks like. But we recognize his words. He calls us by name in Baptism. He pronounces the same blessing over the bread and wine in Eucharist. He accompanies us as surely as he revisited his disciples after the resurrection. We want to lift ourselves from the fog of concerns that envelope us to achieve insight of him.
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