Tuesday of Easter
Week
(Acts 2:36-41; John 20:11-18)
When I am with children whose names I do not know, I will
call them “son” or “sweetheart.” On a
couple occasions boys have responded, “I’m not your son. Why do you call me that?” I am not sure whether they are confused,
defiant, or just playing with me. In any
case Jesus in today’s gospel is ready to make his disciples sons of his
Father.
Jesus meets Mary at the tomb. He may want to console her, but he definitely
will give her a mission. But first he tells
her not to cling to him because he is about to ascend to heaven. There his humanity will be glorified so that
he might impart the Holy Spirit on whomever he pleases. The Spirit makes those who receive it
daughters and sons of the Father. As
Jesus indicates in the passage, his disciples then become his brothers and
sisters. Mary is to let the other disciples know of this wondrous eventuality.
Do all humans have God as their “Father”? Certainly John the Evangelist does not think
so. For him that distinction is reserved
for those who have been “born from above” (John 3:3). For this reason we should hold a special
affection for other Christians, especially those who partake of the same
Eucharist. Nevertheless, we are to love
everyone. John also says that “God so
loved the world…” Because we are God’s
daughters and sons, we must love the world’s inhabitants as well.
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