A New Life with the Risen Lord: Friendship, Focus and Fellowship

Easter Day: Readings - Acts 10:34, 37–43; Psalm 118:1–2, 16–17, 22–23; Colossians 3:1–4; John 20:1–9

Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre by Eugene Burnand, ca. 1898. 

John 20:3-4, capturing the emotion on Peter and John's faces. 

They have just been informed by Mary Magdelene that the tomb is empty.

Listen to my Audio Homily

Today is the Easter. Peace and joy is our song. As we meditate over the empty tomb, the desolate and desperate women who loved Jesus, they are consoled by the Risen Lord in an unexpected way. The experience of the Risen Jesus is a very powerful experience in the lives of disciples which leaves them committed to the Lord and his teachings completely. This defining moment makes a special mark in their lives being messengers of friendship, focus and fellowship. The experience of the Resurrection of their friend and teacher gives them indomitable courage and unceasing perseverance. 

I would like to reflect on three aspects that matter most in the Resurrection episodes. 

The first one is that friendship with Jesus matters a lot. It determines their future. The resurrected Jesus meets only his close acquaintances. He meets those people who were very part of him like, his friends, his disciples, his close relatives, etc. St Ignatius of Loyola would go a step further and would say in the Spiritual Exercises that the Risen Jesus must have met first his own mother (Sp. Ex 299). The Risen Jesus does not show himself to scribes or pharisees, and to those people who were looking to eliminate him from this world.  

The first reading that we have today, Acts of the Apostles 10:40–41 says "God raised him [Jesus] on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead." Jesus does not appear to people as he did before he went into passion. He was present in the streets, market squares, temples, feasts, houses, etc. The resurrected Jesus was not a dream or some sort of illusion, instead, Risen Christ could be seen, heard and touched.  He walked with the disciples on the way to Emmaus. He appeared as a gardener, worker, pilgrim and so on. He ate and drank with those to whom he appeared.

In other words, if you are ready to be part of Jesus' life, ready to partake in joys and sorrows of Jesus then you will partake also in his resurrection. 

The second aspect that matters most in the resurrection episodes is that there is a new focus and fellowship. The resurrection narratives take away those moments and events of bitterness. Jesus' passion, suffering and death on the Cross is no more an episode of vengeance, revenge or hatred towards those inflicted, those who inflicted death on Jesus but on the contrary a sheer sense of joy and peace everywhere including an invitation for fellowship with those who didn't want the mission of Jesus to continue. All are invited to take part at least now change or mend their ways. 

Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger of the  Paris Archdiocese seems to have said when there are scandals  or pressing problems, we need to concentrate on fresh areas, focus our attention on something that is life giving. This would help in being more profitable, positive and sustainable instead of simply bogged down or drowned with such issues. The concentration of the disciples soon after the Resurrection of Jesus was to preach what their teacher had done in his life. They are not spending time looking at Jesus on the Cross or the empty tomb. They are out in imitating what their friend had done and told them to do. They do not conspire against those who killed Jesus or get themselves dissolved as a group of committed and connected people. All that is old is changed into new, all that is bitter, sad and unhappy are turned into happy, joyful and peaceful pointers of people. 

Third aspect of episode of Resurrection of Jesus is that evil has its end. What remains is only the goodness, beauty and everlasting peace.  We also see a tremendous increase of creativity among the disciples. There is terrific resilience and enthusiasm among those Easter disciples to do something great for the Lord. For them Jesus does not remain neither on the cross nor in the empty tomb but among the people, in the nitty-gritty matters of life, in the messiness of this world. 

Resurrection episode is a once and for all event. It doesn't take place the second time. Death is transformed by life. Good Friday event has to be passed through. Therefore all human events are redefined and refreshed. As a Christian we are called to look at our life and things that are happening in the world with the eyes of the resurrection narratives of Jesus.  With this great event, Jesus is here; Jesus is there; and Jesus is everywhere. 

Resurrected Jesus is beyond space and time. Our human mind can't even say this is what exactly the Risen Jesus is. Death is transformed by life and that hatred is overpowered by love. The disciples once they come to realise its truth, they are totally overwhelmed by it and their lives change completely.  Interestingly, the Resurrection is a reality that is only made fully known to those who are ready to accept it and who can transcend all the limitations that the mind of this world offers or the world that thinks that it is true. Moreover, once the evil is ended, truth is prevailed, the disciples' minds are receptive to what Jesus had preached and practiced. 

Therefore at this time of Corona crisis, let Jesus be our Easter. Let this magnificent feast of our salvation might help us find deeper friendship with our Lord. Let our focus and fellowship may be strengthened and increased manifold. 

HAPPY EASTER!!!    ALLELUIA!!!!

- Olvin Veigas, SJ
Easter Sunday - 12th April 2020