Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Wednesday of the Octave of Easter

(Acts 3:1-10; Luke 24:13-35)

There is a legend about St. Thomas Aquinas which may help us understand this resurrection appearance.  Toward the end of his life when writing about the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection, Thomas was praying before a crucifix.  Suddenly a voice came from the image, “Thomas,” it said, having written most of his famous Summa, Thomas was praying before a crucifix.  He heard a voice from the crucifix say, “You have spoken well of me, Thomas, what shall be your reward?” Thomas replied, “Nothing other than thee, Lord.”  Serious biographers of Thomas doubt the story’s veracity.  Nevertheless, it does relate Thomas’ devotion to prayer before the crucifix and his insights into the Paschal mystery.  It can be said that there is much truth in this legend.

Today’s gospel in many respects is a reflection on the Eucharist.  The two disciples, of whom nothing is known except one was called Cleopas, may be Christians of any era.  Their walk to Emmaus may be a way of saying how they enmeshed themselves fully in life.  Then Jesus accompanies them as he meets his followers at mass.  He interprets the Scriptures for them by showing how “the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”  The disciples discover that it is Jesus when he breaks bread with them.  Thus, the story likely refers to Christians having Jesus’ spiritual accompaniment through the ups and downs of life.  They further meet him physically in the Eucharist.

If this is a legendary story, some will want to ask if Jesus really rose from the dead.  Or is the resurrection supposed to mean only an uplifting of hearts when Christians celebrate the Eucharist?  This same gospel gives a positive answer, “Yes, Jesus rose.”  When the disciples in the story return to Jerusalem, they are told, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon.”  The apostle Paul notes this appearance to Simon Peter and a few others as well.  The story assures us that we may have an experience of the risen Christ by giving faithful attention to the Eucharist. 

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

 Tuesday of the Octave of Easter

(Acts 2:36-41; John 20:11-18)

In yesterday’s first reading, Peter proclaimed the startling news of the resurrection.  In today’s he provides its meaning for his listeners.  First, Jesus’ resurrection means that he is the Lord, God’s anointed one who accepted death to save them from their sins.  Second, in response, the people must repent, that is, change their way of thinking.  Rather than look for money or pleasure as life’s goal, they are to seek eternal life by giving of themselves in loving service.  They will find example and support of how this endeavor in the Church, which they join by being baptized.  Finally, they are to accept the Holy Spirit which makes all of them equal children of God.

This process of becoming children of God is reflected in today’s gospel passage.  Jesus’ appearance to Mary proclaims his resurrection.  She must change her mind about him.  He is no longer the dead teacher, but the risen Lord.  She must no longer cling to him but proclaim him to others.  Charged with the Holy Spirit, she becomes a child of God as Jesus indicates when he says, “’I am going to my Father and your Father.’”

Today in the United States many people consider religion as only a cultural label.  They see it as no more importance than being of Irish or Italian descendance.  For them religion provides fewer advantages than being an American citizen.  Professing Easter faith turns this estimation around.  First and foremost, we are children of God and heirs to eternal life.  This classification allows us to view citizenship more highly, not less.  As God’s family, we are to cooperate with civil government which God has established to order the goods of the world. 

Monday, April 5, 2021

 Monday of the Octave of Easter

(Acts 2:14.22-33; Matthew28:8-15)

Abraham Lincoln proposed a new vision for a reunited America in his Second Inaugural Address.  Charity toward all would replace the malice to sworn enemies.  Slavery would end, but both sides would have paid a terrible price.  Lincoln used the Bible -- both the Old and New Testaments – to impress on his readers his new vision.  Known by almost everyone, Scripture provided common ground to rebuild America.  In today’s reading from Acts, Peter similarly finds in Scripture the basis of understanding Jesus’ resurrection.

Peter’s sermon directly follows the Holy Spirit’s descent on the apostles.  They prayerfully awaited its coming and now almost explode with enthusiasm to tell others about Jesus.  Since Christ’s appearances to the apostles were unique events, Peter uses the Scriptures to interpret them for his audience.  He references the psalm which says that the Lord’s anointed would not know corruption in death.  The body which would not corrupt in the tomb could not be David’s because David’s tomb was marked.  Peter says that the glorified body was that of Jesus, David’s lineal heir.

Many in the contemporary world become uncomfortable with the thought of the resurrection – both Christ’s and his followers’.  They would rather have life end at death for all so that people can pursue whatever gives them pleasure.  But such a wish clashes with the experience of the apostles’ and our own spiritual intuitions.  We believe that the Jesus is truly risen because like Lincoln we possess the living hope that charity will prevail and malice will end.

Sunday, April 4, 2021

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EASTER

(Mark 16: 1-7)

We can easily imagine how they felt. Participants at the funeral of the cop killed in Colorado two weeks ago were saddened and incredulous. They wondered how God could allow such a good person as Officer Eric Tanney to be shot dead. He had seven children and a history of dedicated service. We find the three women in the gospel walking to the tomb of Jesus with emotions as troubled as they.

Jesus gave women hope for a more just society. Instead of disdain for sinners, he preached openness to forgiveness. Instead of shunning the poor and sick, he helped them. Instead of ignoring the mistreatment of women in divorce, he championed their cause. He saw a society transformed by the Kingdom of God. But now it seems to the women that hopes for a renewed life have fallen like shacks in the path of a bulldozer.

Some of us may feel this way after one of the most difficult years since the world wars of the last century. Be it Covid or other diseases, several of our friends and relatives have died this past year. Many children have barely advanced in school. Particularly the poor have had financial difficulties.

Within the faith community as well, several serious concerns have arisen. There is the possibility of apostasy in Germany on moral issues such as "gay marriages". Covid has brought new concerns about mass attendance. With the lockdown and dispensations from attending Sunday Mass, the number of churchgoers has greatly diminished. Noting the tendency to abandon the faith in recent times, demographers predict that many who have attended virtual Masses will not return to church. Then there will be more parishes closed and less funds to continue the apostolic mission.

These practical problems have their parallel in the gospel. The women wonder who will roll away the stone from the tomb for them. However, when they arrive, they discover the stone already removed. Glancing inside, they find an angel who tells them not to be afraid. Then he delivers the unheard-of news: Jesus is risen. He is not among the dead because he lives again.

This message expresses Easter faith as our hope. Yes, sometimes our problems appear overwhelming, but they are not going to defeat us because Jesus is risen. He will overcome apostasies, lack of people and resources, our doubts, and even our death. Well, he is the Lord of history that cannot be defeated.

Jesus, the risen one, wants us to participate in his victory. We have to envision and work for a renewed people. In the gospel the angel commands the women to tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee. There Jesus began his mission with great success. From there he will begin again to announce the Kingdom of love and justice. But this time his mission will not be limited to Israel but will include the entire world.

In times past on Easter Sunday everyone wore new clothes. It could be a dress, a tie, or a pair of shoes. Curiously, in this time of abundance we have largely abandoned this custom. However, the new clothes were only a symbol of a renewed person. We are still expected to live as new men and women. Whether we wear a new dress or just a new smile, we are to practice love and justice. 

Friday, April 2, 2021

 Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

(Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42)

In our age of plenty some people have taken to collecting crucifixes.  They mount them on a wall in their homes.  Some of the crucifixes present Jesus as bloody and beaten.  Others show him with the muscles of an athlete capable of ripping out the nails in his hands if he so wanted.  Sometimes Jesus is pictured in priestly robes or kingly dress.  None of the crucifixes ridicule Jesus despite their differences.  All show him respect even though they assign different meanings to his death.

We should think of the four gospels like the different kinds of crucifixes.  Except for Matthew’s almost duplicating Mark’s account, each gospel describes Jesus’ death in a unique way.  The Gospel of Mark, which we proclaimed last Sunday, portrays Jesus as dying in misery.  Everyone at hand taunts him.  Even nature offers no comfort as the sky turns dark.  Today’s passion from the Gospel of John leaves a very different impression.  No one mocks Jesus on the cross or at any other time in John’s gospel.  Nor does he die alone but with family and friends at his side.  The sign on the cross is written in three languages so that the whole world may honor him. 

In the Gospel of John, Pilate condemns Jesus at noon on the day of preparation for the Passover feast.  It is the appointed moment for the paschal lambs to be slaughtered.  John is telling his readers that Jesus is the Lamb of God whose sacrifice takes away their sins.  This has been Jesus’ mission given by God, his Father.  Early in the gospel Jesus said  to Nicodemus that God loved the world.  Indeed, he loved it so much that he gave his only begotten son so that those who believed in him might have eternal life.  His last words on the cross, “It is finished,” indicate that he has accomplished what he was sent to do. 

We are to respond to Jesus’ sacrifice for us by believing in him.  The act of faith is more than saying, “I believe.”  It is incorporating the life of the Holy Trinity within us.  As Father, Son, and Spirit love each other so that they lose themselves in one another so must we.  We are to give ourselves in love for others, certainly God above all and then our families and communities.  But our love must extend to the world as well.