From The American Bible Society:
April 24, 2011
Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of the Lord
THEY STILL DID NOT UNDERSTAND…
John 20:1-9 / Luke 24:13-35 (Good News Translation)
Morning
1 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance. 2 She went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb. 4 The two of them were running, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and saw the linen cloths, but he did not go in. 6 Behind him came Simon Peter, and he went straight into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there 7 and the cloth which had been around Jesus' head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. ( 9 They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.)
Afternoon/Evening
13 On that same day two of Jesus' followers were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; 16 they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him. 17 Jesus said to them, “What are you talking about to each other, as you walk along?” They stood still, with sad faces. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have been happening there these last few days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet and was considered by God and by all the people to be powerful in everything he said and did. 20 Our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and he was crucified. 21 And we had hoped that he would be the one who was going to set Israel free! Besides all that, this is now the third day since it happened. 22 Some of the women of our group surprised us; they went at dawn to the tomb, 23 but could not find his body. They came back saying they had seen a vision of angels who told them that he is alive. 24 Some of our group went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they did not see him. ” 25 Then Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are, how slow you are to believe everything the prophets said! 26 Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory? ” 27 And Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures, beginning with the books of Moses and the writings of all the prophets. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther; 29 but they held him back, saying, “Stay with us; the day is almost over and it is getting dark.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 He sat down to eat with them, took the bread, and said the blessing; then he broke the bread and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Wasn't it like a fire burning in us when he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up at once and went back to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven disciples gathered together with the others 34 and saying, “The Lord is risen indeed! He has appeared to Simon!” 35 The two then explained to them what had happened on the road, and how they had recognized the Lord when he broke the bread.
Other Readings: Acts 10:34, 37-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Colossians 3:1-4; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Matthew 28:1-10;
Lectio
When reading any of the alternative fragments from the gospels for this Sunday (as in those for the following Sundays), it is important to underline the link between the verbs ‘to see’ and ‘to believe’. In the passage we read today, taken from John’s Gospel, the three characters ‘see’ the same things, but their responses are utterly different. For Mary Magdalene, the fact of ‘seeing’ that ‘the stone had been taken away from the entrance’ provokes in her the darkest feelings: it is reasonable to think that someone must have stolen the Lord’s body. Indeed, it is more than logical to feel disconcerted, as no one knows where it is. Peter, whose authority is ‘respected’ –is allowed to be the first to enter and inspect the tomb-, he ‘sees’ the clothes, but he does not seem to react, perhaps because he ‘still did not understand the scripture’. The other disciple, probably John himself, enters and, just like Peter, does not ‘see’ anything besides the clothes. Yet, in spite of the fact that the tomb is empty, and the absence of the Lord is the only thing in front of his eyes, ‘he saw and believed’. One single fact, three witnesses, three attitudes, three reactions! It is only from faith that we can discover the depth of reality beyond the things we can see with the eyes of our body… ‘You know of the great event that took place throughout the land… You know about Jesus of Nazareth’ are Peter’s words when he addresses the small group in Cornelius’ house. Months had passed since Jesus’ death and, of course, even from the date of the resurrection, they all ‘knew’ what had happened. But that did not mean that Peter had understood the universal meaning of Jesus’ resurrection: once again, he had to look at reality from the viewpoint of the Holy Spirit to ‘see’ that salvation was God’s gift for all humankind, not just for the Jews. Not only does faith make us see reality with different eyes, but it also makes our minds and hearts turn towards the things that are in heaven and understand that we will also appear with Christ and share his glory (Colossians 3:1-4).
Meditatio
The lives of the three characters in today’s gospel, Mary Magdalene, Peter and ‘the other disciple’, undergo a dramatic change after the discovery of the empty tomb. Even if they ‘went back home’, nothing would be the same for them any more. Just like them in those moments, we live without ‘seeing’ anything extraordinary. Think of yourself and your present situation: can you ‘see’ beyond facts and find Christ’s presence in your life? Now, ‘while it is dark’, can you go to your own ‘empty tomb’ and look for the Lord? Has anybody or anything ‘stolen’ him from your life? Easter can be the right moment to ‘resurrect’ your faith and look at life with new eyes.
Oratio
Pray for those who cannot understand the meaning of their lives, for whom Christ is no more than a legend from the past: that they may find the living Christ in the attitudes and witness of Christians. Pray for yourself: that the Lord may grant you the ability to renew your Christian life by means of a deeper commitment to him through prayer and love to others. Pray for those you loved and have already left this world: that they may share Christ’s resurrection.
Contemplatio
Try to imagine yourself, ‘early in the morning’, close to Jesus’ tomb. Experience the darkness and silence of the empty tomb, the linen cloths, the feeling of solitude Mary must have felt… You already understand the scripture, you have been granted the gift of faith, you know the Lord has risen from the dead: let all those things become a radiant light, that of his resurrection.
Reflections written by Rev. Fr. Mariano Perrón Director of Inter-Religious Affairs Archdiocese of Madrid, Spain
© 2010 American Bible Society.
April 24, 2011
Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of the Lord
THEY STILL DID NOT UNDERSTAND…
John 20:1-9 / Luke 24:13-35 (Good News Translation)
Morning
1 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance. 2 She went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb. 4 The two of them were running, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and saw the linen cloths, but he did not go in. 6 Behind him came Simon Peter, and he went straight into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there 7 and the cloth which had been around Jesus' head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. ( 9 They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.)
Afternoon/Evening
13 On that same day two of Jesus' followers were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them; 16 they saw him, but somehow did not recognize him. 17 Jesus said to them, “What are you talking about to each other, as you walk along?” They stood still, with sad faces. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have been happening there these last few days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet and was considered by God and by all the people to be powerful in everything he said and did. 20 Our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and he was crucified. 21 And we had hoped that he would be the one who was going to set Israel free! Besides all that, this is now the third day since it happened. 22 Some of the women of our group surprised us; they went at dawn to the tomb, 23 but could not find his body. They came back saying they had seen a vision of angels who told them that he is alive. 24 Some of our group went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they did not see him. ” 25 Then Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are, how slow you are to believe everything the prophets said! 26 Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory? ” 27 And Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures, beginning with the books of Moses and the writings of all the prophets. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther; 29 but they held him back, saying, “Stay with us; the day is almost over and it is getting dark.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 He sat down to eat with them, took the bread, and said the blessing; then he broke the bread and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Wasn't it like a fire burning in us when he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up at once and went back to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven disciples gathered together with the others 34 and saying, “The Lord is risen indeed! He has appeared to Simon!” 35 The two then explained to them what had happened on the road, and how they had recognized the Lord when he broke the bread.
Other Readings: Acts 10:34, 37-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Colossians 3:1-4; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Matthew 28:1-10;
Lectio
When reading any of the alternative fragments from the gospels for this Sunday (as in those for the following Sundays), it is important to underline the link between the verbs ‘to see’ and ‘to believe’. In the passage we read today, taken from John’s Gospel, the three characters ‘see’ the same things, but their responses are utterly different. For Mary Magdalene, the fact of ‘seeing’ that ‘the stone had been taken away from the entrance’ provokes in her the darkest feelings: it is reasonable to think that someone must have stolen the Lord’s body. Indeed, it is more than logical to feel disconcerted, as no one knows where it is. Peter, whose authority is ‘respected’ –is allowed to be the first to enter and inspect the tomb-, he ‘sees’ the clothes, but he does not seem to react, perhaps because he ‘still did not understand the scripture’. The other disciple, probably John himself, enters and, just like Peter, does not ‘see’ anything besides the clothes. Yet, in spite of the fact that the tomb is empty, and the absence of the Lord is the only thing in front of his eyes, ‘he saw and believed’. One single fact, three witnesses, three attitudes, three reactions! It is only from faith that we can discover the depth of reality beyond the things we can see with the eyes of our body… ‘You know of the great event that took place throughout the land… You know about Jesus of Nazareth’ are Peter’s words when he addresses the small group in Cornelius’ house. Months had passed since Jesus’ death and, of course, even from the date of the resurrection, they all ‘knew’ what had happened. But that did not mean that Peter had understood the universal meaning of Jesus’ resurrection: once again, he had to look at reality from the viewpoint of the Holy Spirit to ‘see’ that salvation was God’s gift for all humankind, not just for the Jews. Not only does faith make us see reality with different eyes, but it also makes our minds and hearts turn towards the things that are in heaven and understand that we will also appear with Christ and share his glory (Colossians 3:1-4).
Meditatio
The lives of the three characters in today’s gospel, Mary Magdalene, Peter and ‘the other disciple’, undergo a dramatic change after the discovery of the empty tomb. Even if they ‘went back home’, nothing would be the same for them any more. Just like them in those moments, we live without ‘seeing’ anything extraordinary. Think of yourself and your present situation: can you ‘see’ beyond facts and find Christ’s presence in your life? Now, ‘while it is dark’, can you go to your own ‘empty tomb’ and look for the Lord? Has anybody or anything ‘stolen’ him from your life? Easter can be the right moment to ‘resurrect’ your faith and look at life with new eyes.
Oratio
Pray for those who cannot understand the meaning of their lives, for whom Christ is no more than a legend from the past: that they may find the living Christ in the attitudes and witness of Christians. Pray for yourself: that the Lord may grant you the ability to renew your Christian life by means of a deeper commitment to him through prayer and love to others. Pray for those you loved and have already left this world: that they may share Christ’s resurrection.
Contemplatio
Try to imagine yourself, ‘early in the morning’, close to Jesus’ tomb. Experience the darkness and silence of the empty tomb, the linen cloths, the feeling of solitude Mary must have felt… You already understand the scripture, you have been granted the gift of faith, you know the Lord has risen from the dead: let all those things become a radiant light, that of his resurrection.
Reflections written by Rev. Fr. Mariano Perrón Director of Inter-Religious Affairs Archdiocese of Madrid, Spain
© 2010 American Bible Society.
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