New Life

04-18-2021Weekly Reflection© J. S. Paluch Company

Peter saw Jesus after the resurrection. He listened as Jesus told the disciples all that have been written about him in the Scriptures, all that he had said and done when he was ministering among them. Peter heard how Jesus said fulfilled all in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms. Jesus the Messiah had come to be among them to bring them peace, to offer forgiveness of their sins. Peter shared this good news with the crowd together to hear him tell the secret story, the story of God’s love, poured out and Jesus the Christ and offered to the whole world. All who here and believe her offer new life, life in which God’s love is perfect in them. Are you listening? Are you ready to share in this abundant new life?

Not What was Expected

Have you ever waited for something for so long you begin to think it might never happen? Your graduation day or the day of your marriage or the birth of a child perhaps. The Israelites had waited for centuries for the coming of the Messiah. Yet when Jesus, the long-awaited anointed one came, then he failed to believe at him. He wasn’t what they expected. The Messiah was supposed to be a strong powerful commander of armies, not humble, compassionate and suffering. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and explained all that he had said in his time with them, opening their minds to what had been written in the Scriptures so that they could except his suffering and death and rejoice in his resurrection.

God‘s Love in Flesh and Bone

While the disciples have come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, his crucifixion and death had left them fearful and confounded. The news of the empty tomb and his appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus added to their confusion. It seems that at first, Jesus‘s presence with them did not alleviate their uncertainty. In fact they were “startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost“ (Luke 24:37). Jesus saw that they needed physical proof that it was he who stayed among them. They needed to see the nail marks in his hands and feet, to see God‘s love and flesh and bone, and one who ate among them. Only when their fear and confusion had been quelled could they hear the story, the secret story of how the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead. Only one they were filled with the peace of Christ would they be ready to witness, to share the sacred story with others. We too are invited to hear the secret story and to perceive God‘s love for us and Jesus Christ.