Experiencing the Resurrection, One-on-One

Noli me tangere, Fritz von Uhde, 1894.

Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvationsound aloud our mighty King's triumph!

Today we celebrate the culmination of salvation history in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The One who was crucified is not in the now-empty tomb; rather, “he has been raised just as he said.” In the encounter with these disciples at the tomb, we see the new world that Christ is recreating begin. All the horror of His Passion and death is being undone, and the work of salvation, as Jesus said from the Cross, “is accomplished.”

Our liturgy – indeed the entire life of the Church from this point on – speaks to how Christ makes this salvation present to the world. During His Passion, we saw groups of people acting against Jesus. The Apostles ran and abandoned Him in the garden; the guards arrested Him; the Sanhedrin questioned and judged Him; the crowds cried out for Him to be crucified; the nameless criminals on the crosses also jeered at Him; the curious onlookers watched as He suffered and died.

Even now, we know that the Apostles are cowering in the Upper Room for fear – a huddled mass of scared disciples.

However, as I said, today we celebrate a new beginning; and all of that fear, anger, violence, and weakness is being undone and made anew. Jesus is the author of this new creation with God the Father. Because of His death we are redeemed as a people, as humanity. But, we are saved as individuals, as persons who encounter Jesus in a real, human, and meaningful way.

Now, in Christ’s encounters after the resurrection, He begins to gather the Church – to re-form the People of God. But He does not do this anonymously or generally in a large group setting, like those “multitudes” who gathered to hear Him preach. Rather, Jesus encounters people personally, even intimately, to bring them into the wonderful mercy and salvation that God has now revealed.

Pay attention to these encounters! See how Jesus meets his dear friend, the Magdalen, at the tomb and speaks her name, “Mary.” Watch has He enters the Upper Room and peers into the eyes of His brothers and offers them “Peace”; and later how he takes the time to encounter Thomas who doubts, allowing him to even touch His wounds. Recall how Jesus accompanies two bewildered disciples on the road to Emmaus and even takes the time to share a sacred Meal with them to bring them to faith again. Remember the Lord’s final walk on the beach with Peter, offering him reconciliation and charging him to “Feed My sheep.”

All of these are personal encounters with Jesus.  After the resurrection, Jesus did not run to CNN or Fox News to broadcast His return. He chose to be present one-to-one for those who love Him. And so it is with us. Jesus wants to encounter you in a real, intimate, and personal way because you are important to Him. Even in His greatest moment of victory, His concern is that you know that He loves you and that all this is for you. Not just “for all humanity,” but for you.

There are no unimportant people for Christ. Everyone has a part to play in the great drama of the Church. Jesus began that Church with His breath of new life upon His first disciples, and He charged them (and now us) with the task of sharing that new life with the world. This is how it has always been.

Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness. Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice, arrayed with the lightning of his glory, let this holy building shake with joy, filled with the mighty voices of the peoples.

It is our task to encounter others and continue Christ’s Easter mission, which is the mission of the Church. We know that we cannot do everything; Jesus knows that we cannot do everything!  This was never the plan. Even in that Resurrection, Peter could recognize that “This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance,who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.”

Brothers and sisters, we too “eat and drink with Jesus” now that He is risen from the dead. This is our privilege as disciples, each called individually to be a part of this marvelous work of the Church. Today, Jesus encounters you – personally, as He always does – and He gives you the great joy of that Easter message: Rejoice, for Christ is risen. Alleluia!