23 March 2021
Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Jesus does not give answers that we always understand first. I liken it to the experience of hearing a piece of advice, and wondering how it applies to the situation. Eventually you understand what the mentor was saying, yet you were not in the position to recognize. Or the experience of a couple preparing for marriage who have a certain conception of what married life will be like. Only years later do they appreciate the transformation of their lives into a form that would have been possible with their spouse. We often go through experiences which we do not understand in the moment, and further experiences allow us to understand what was happening all along while we are unaware.
For the early Christians, the resurrection of Jesus is like a lightning bolt which flashes and illumines all of history. The trajectory of world history has changed. The context of the Resurrection makes Jesus’ statements in the Gospel today intelligible. The Pharisees with whom Jesus is speaking are understandably confused. Jesus is speaking about going to a place where they cannot come. The authors of the Gospel know the continuation of the story where will suffer and die for the redemption of all. The resurrection validates that Jesus is who he says he is. Rather being cryptic and mysterious, he is being transparent and revealing of his mission in a way people need to hear. The passage ends today that people were moved to believe by the way he spoke.
For the Church today, the horizon of mean-making remains the same in the view of the resurrection. Our lives are radically different for the resurrection of Christ. The grace of our baptism makes us sharers in Christ’s life and mission. We may pray during this Lenten season for those moments of insight that give comfort and strength to continue to live boldly in ways marked by faith, hope, and love.
What does Christ’s resurrection mean in your daily life?