Transformed by the resurrection

Some people have commented that they have not seen any blogs from me in a while. 

But I teach. And I want to give my students a solid Roman Catholic education. They are the future: we count on them to bring the Gospel message of truth and love. We are Christians: and teach others what Christ taught; and to live ourselves the message of the Gospel. There is but one Saviour: Jesus. The message has not changed.

Is this not what the Acts of the Apostles tell us in our First Reading: “You know the message…” To whom does “you” refer? The Apostles? Us? The Apostles are the witnesses and recorded what they observed, namely, the empty Tomb. And following the Apostles, our faith tells us we can believe their  testimony and teach others the same: our Saviour was risen from the dead.

Of course, this presupposes faith. If people lack faith, or if they are skeptics, or doubt, how will they come to have faith. To believe is the work of Grace; but also the effort of our intelligence.

But Christians are a people of hope; we even hope for the conversion of others to the Christian faith, to accept what God wants to give them – and us – Eternal Salvation. This is why Jesus came into the world.
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Conversion is for sinners. Spiritual and moral transformation from sin to sanctification --possible by God’s grace -- if we are humble enough to acknowledge we need help. If we do not believe we are sinners, then, we have no need for a Saviour. We have no need for the Gospel, for this message of salvation. The Gospel of Our Lord is about being saved from sin. This is why Jesus died. Christ did not come for the righteous but sinners. Christianity is more than humanism where we are “nice” to each other; our religion is about bringing the fullness of truth to others which means to live in light and not in darkness -- Jesus is the light; and to offer the love of Jesus to others which is self-giving love takes the shape of the Cross.

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​We do not like admitting our sins because it takes humility followed by “change” and “growth.” Change so we conform ourselves to Christ and His teachings. Who wants that? Aren’t we happier to live our own comfortable life in our secure surroundings than to be destabilised by a message that says, “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)? To meet Jesus means that our life is forever changed.

Yes, the Gospel shakes us up. Christ forces us to re-think about how we live and relate to others. Perhaps we were happy in our comfy world. So God permitted a Coronavirus to shake us up. God wants to connect us with reality. God is Real. Jesus is Real. This is why Catholics can speak of the Real Presence referring to the Blessed Sacrament. God finds and will find ways to lead us to Him and the perfect way for our return to God is through His Son. There is no other way that brings us into Communion with God because only the 2nd Person of the Trinity became flesh so we might have eternal life.
Based on our Reading from Acts, what do we know about Jesus?

• John baptised Jesus;
• God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power;
• Jesus did good; He performed exorcisms;
• The Apostles were witnesses of Jesus’ work;
• Jesus was executed on a tree;
• On the third day God raised Him [from the Friday this brings us to Sunday];
• Jesus appeared to the Apostles ate and drank with Him after the Resurrection;
• Jesus commanded to preach and to witness that He is the Chosen One to judge the living and the dead;
• The prophets testify to the coming of Jesus;
• Whoever believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His name.

This sums the life of Jesus, His Mission, why He came into the world, why He was executed, and His Resurrection from the dead. Jesus is the One who reconciles us with God by the forgiveness of our sins. He is the One who gives us Everlasting Life.

Paul’s Letter to the Colossians is a reminder of where our thoughts should be directed: seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. We already hear in St. Paul’s Letter the anticipation of the Ascension.

“Seek things that are above.” The problem with earthly attachments and possessions is that they possess us. We become the possession of things that will not let go of us. And so our possessions suffocate our soul so we can no longer set our thoughts on “things above.” The weight of being possessed keep our eyes, hearts, and minds fixed on material goods and pleasure. How can our soul ever be nourished?

And this brings us to St. John’s Gospel:
The first to witness the missing stone in front of the tomb is Mary Magdalene who went to the tomb early in the morning.

Mary Magdalene’s reflex is to go to the Apostle who exercises authority, namely, Peter. She could have gone to the other women, or to other Apostles, but she goes to Peter and the “beloved” disciple,” John.

We are given details: the two disciples reach the tomb but one disciple, the  younger one, John, outruns the older, Peter. But what does John do although he looks into the tomb, and notices the linen lying in the tomb, John refrains from going into the tomb.

When Simon Peter arrives, he goes right into the tomb. We are told the cloth covering Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen but rolled into a place by itself. The fact that the cloth was rolled meant someone had to roll it and place it apart from the linen wrapping. With such details John is clearly an eyewitness of these events.

Linen lying there, linen rolled up. Jesus is not there. Something very unusual happened.
At this point after Peter examines the tomb, John goes in to join Peter. We are told that John, “saw and believed.” “For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead”: now it made sense. The disciples began to connect the dots -- the meaning of the Scriptures, Jesus’ teaching, life, and crucifixion. Jesus was not in the tomb because rose from the dead. They understood and believed.

Mary Magdalene who remains behind after the disciples left the tomb is weeping thinking that Jesus was removed from the tomb not knowing what happened to Jesus. When she does see a man in the tomb she believes him to be the gardener and asks him where Jesus was laid thinking the gardener moved Jesus from his last resting place.

Mary Magdalene hears a voice call out her name, “Mary”; and she recognises Jesus’ voice, “Rabbouni,” “Teacher.”

Jesus tells her: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father; to my God and your God.” Jesus tells us we have the same God, the same Father in Heaven, and Jesus is the Divine Son.
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Mary Magdalene leaves the tomb with excitement and joy to tell the Apostles: “I have seen the Lord.” Now it is for us with the same faith to proclaim the words of Mary Magdalene, “Christ is Risen!”

Alleluia! Alleluia!