Third Sunday of Easter
Dear friends!
On this third Sunday of Easter the Church invites to travel deeper into the mystery of the Resurrection, that Jesus is indeed alive. This is the truth that fills our faith with meaning. The particular passage of Luke that we meditate on today provides some beautiful details worth reflecting on.
With frightened, unbelieving, and guilty hearts the Apostles were still hiding in relative safety when Jesus appears to them the first time. And what are the first words that Jesus said to his closest friends who had abandoned him in his most pivotal hour? “Peace be with you.” Throughout the scriptures it is evident that the primary tool of the evil one is the tongue—the lie, the deceit, the curse. But on the lips of him who is the Word itself is peace and goodness, even when the Apostles might have most expected retribution. Jesus has come to break the vicious cycle of evil done followed by revenge sought. He has come to bring reconciliation.
Another striking element of the resurrection appearances is how Jesus shows the wounds caused by the crucifixion. Why would this be an important emphasis after the resurrection? There are many ways he could have proven his identity, but he decides the best way is to show his apostles these wounds, which were caused not just by the soldiers, but also by the sins we ourselves have committed. At first it might seem to be a reminder of the harm caused, the evil done to him. A way of guilting us into submission or worship. But with eyes renewed by the resurrection, we are able to see the sign and its intention for what it is. Far from a reminder of our evil deeds, these marks are a sign of the inconceivable mercy of God. Rather than reminding us of our failures, these wounds are a memorial of God’s unthinkable forgiveness.
In this way the crucifix is not a sign of an evil world, but instead a sign of the depths of God’s love. In a similar way my past sins, forgiven in Christ, are transformed from a despairing monument of my broken lowliness into a joyful reminder of the goodness of the Lord who through his cross has again, truly made me new.
Michael Goggi