Who are you looking for?
Commitments [ie my children's spring break activities :)] prevented my posting thoughts yesterday. I am including yesterday's with today's as the two are related...
Yesterday's Gospel John 20:11-18
Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.
Who are you looking for? It seems to be a tome of this era. In it we are inundated with american "Idols", dancing "Stars", and celebrigossip, with next to nothing about Him who is the "bright morning star". Rev_22:16 A place where one has to make extra effort to hear and know the gospel. Perhaps that is why prayer and Scripture reading is indulgenced (see The Enchiridion Of Indulgences – Other Grants Of Indulgences numbers 38 and 50 “Oratio mentalis: and “Sacrae Scripturae lectio”.) Those who find Him rarely need prodding. But just in case there are graces in doing so.
But one must look. And those who do see an empty tomb and a risen Christ. They will find Him calling their name in a way that they recognize as personally as they know their own soul. His is a voice gentle and meek, uniquely recognizable for He has been speaking to you since your beginning.
Today's Gospel Luke 24:13-35
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
The men on the road to Emmaus were confused about Jesus and the story they had heard about the tomb. As we have seen though, Jesus is very good at “opening eyes”. He had done so with Mary in the Garden, John at the tomb, Peter, and now the men on the road to Emmaus. All encountered the risen Christ in their dispair and confusion. In the end there was never any question. And there was always amazement and joy! Have you encountered Him? If so, may your days be filled with the same wonder and happiness as at the beginnings of the church..
Yesterday's Gospel John 20:11-18
Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.
Who are you looking for? It seems to be a tome of this era. In it we are inundated with american "Idols", dancing "Stars", and celebrigossip, with next to nothing about Him who is the "bright morning star". Rev_22:16 A place where one has to make extra effort to hear and know the gospel. Perhaps that is why prayer and Scripture reading is indulgenced (see The Enchiridion Of Indulgences – Other Grants Of Indulgences numbers 38 and 50 “Oratio mentalis: and “Sacrae Scripturae lectio”.) Those who find Him rarely need prodding. But just in case there are graces in doing so.
But one must look. And those who do see an empty tomb and a risen Christ. They will find Him calling their name in a way that they recognize as personally as they know their own soul. His is a voice gentle and meek, uniquely recognizable for He has been speaking to you since your beginning.
Today's Gospel Luke 24:13-35
Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. ‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.
The men on the road to Emmaus were confused about Jesus and the story they had heard about the tomb. As we have seen though, Jesus is very good at “opening eyes”. He had done so with Mary in the Garden, John at the tomb, Peter, and now the men on the road to Emmaus. All encountered the risen Christ in their dispair and confusion. In the end there was never any question. And there was always amazement and joy! Have you encountered Him? If so, may your days be filled with the same wonder and happiness as at the beginnings of the church..
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posted by Joe S. 
at
4/15/2009 10:12:00 AM
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