Month: April 2023

When I reflect on the New Testament stories about the Risen Christ, I am always struck by the image of Jesus running after His disciples. Jerusalem is abuzz with His Crucifixion – the city is obsessed with a man claiming to be the Son of God. Although Pilate has dispatched extra security to guard the tomb of Jesus, the grave is now empty! What is happening?! Who is in charge? Government officials and religious leaders alike are on edge, trying to maintain some semblance of control. The disciples, fearing for their own lives, have scattered.

In the midst of this chaos, the Risen Jesus goes running after His disciples, wanting them to understand everything that has happened. When Jesus first appears to his Eleven disciples, this is what He says:

“’Why are you troubled, and why do questionings arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, He said to them, ‘Have you anything to eat?’ They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate before them.” Luke 24: 37-43

As the Risen Jesus returns to His disciples, He spends time helping them to connect these recent events to Scripture and to the visions of the ancient prophets:

“’These are My words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled … you are the witnesses of these things.’” Luke 24: 44, 48

At this point, Jesus’ disciples must decide whether they will believe Him. They must decide to let go and to surrender to the plans Jesus has for them, and for all of us:

“’Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.’” John 14: 12

As Andrew Greer and Randy Cox so aptly describe in their memorable book Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth, the prospect of surrender can be difficult and confusing:

“Surrender’s definition often gets entangled with the modern implications of being submissive (which, when skewed, can enable oppression). But submission within healthy parameters – or within divine permission – advances genuine freedom. The privilege of surrender is the liberation to simply (though often self-complicatedly) let go. When we finally relinquish our obsessions, our pride, our white-knuckled need to control, we unbind the chains and unlock the door to our true potential, benefitting not only ourselves but also our entire circumference of community.¹”

I love their words: “The privilege of surrender is the liberation to simply … let go.”

So I return to the Sea of Tiberias, by the morning fire Jesus has prepared on the shore. It is here that we witness the powerful surrender of Peter.

Jesus asks Peter three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” (John 21: 15-17) His questioning of Peter is notably reminiscent of the scene in the high priest’s court where Peter denies knowing Jesus three times, following Jesus’ arrest in Jerusalem. (John 18: 15-18, 25-27) There is no doubt that Jesus is testing the resolve of Peter to carry on His earthly mission of redeeming souls.

But Jesus also knows that His beloved friend and confidant, Peter, is still distraught over the fact that he actually denied knowing Him. Because of this, I imagine that Jesus also showers Peter with much mercy, that morning. As Peter affirms his love for Jesus three times over, perhaps Jesus has this to say:

I love you so much, Peter. Let go of that scene in the high priest’s court, and drop all that shame you feel over what happened. Forget it. I know that is not who you are – everyone sitting around this fire knows that. There was so much chaos and confusion after I was arrested. Things were moving so quickly. You did not even fully understand all these things that had to happen. But now you see and understand everything. So let go of the past, and move forward with Me, okay?

Peter and all the disciples must have been filled with such joy and relief, as they spoke with Jesus that morning. Their hearts and minds must have just been bursting with the knowledge of how much Jesus loves them. In witnessing the forgiveness and surrender of Peter, they understood that they, too, could trust in the Divine Mercy and Love of Jesus.

Jesus loves all of us so much. Trust in His Mercy. Surrender your ideas and plans to Him and let Jesus help you to pick out the pieces that can be combined with His ideas to create the most goodness.

I was so afraid of surrendering my heart to God at first. I feared that I was not good enough for Him. I feared that I would fail Him, or myself, or others. The truth is that there are days when I still fear all these things. When my fear rises up, I run right back to Him. This is all part of our journey, learning to navigate the uncertainties of our lives and our faith, while surrendering the things we hold deeply within our hearts.

It is hard to wrap our minds around the fact that God will never stop loving us. Here on earth, we regularly experience the loss of love. This Easter season, I hope Jesus increases, within each of us, our understanding of His Divine Mercy and Love. One of the last things Moses tells us, right before he dies, is that God will never leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31: 6) Within that same passage, Moses also reminds us to be strong and courageous.

Can we trust in the Mercy and Love of Jesus?

Are we ready to let go of the things that keep us from knowing Jesus more deeply?

“I believe our behavior, no matter how abhorrent, could never capture the essence of who we are, nor could any achievement, no matter how glorious, fully characterize how much we are loved. So give it up, my friend. The shame you carry from those relationships and circumstances that were in and out of your control – hand it over. The trophies you worked so hard to earn in order to obtain favor and acceptance from your peers, your family, from yourself – lay them down. They are not who you are. Through the practice of surrender we discover the stunning perspective of heaven – we are beloved by God.²”

Jesus loves you so much.

¹Andrew Greer and Randy Cox, Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (Tennessee: Worthy Inspired, 2017), 126.

²Ibid, 127.

As the Easter season continues, the Resurrection of Jesus remains on my heart. In particular, I find myself thinking about Simon Peter, or Peter.  

The New Testament provides four lists of Jesus’ first twelve disciples:  

• Matthew 10: 2-4,
• Mark 3: 16-19,
• Luke 6: 13-16, and
• Acts 1: 13.

Within all four lists, the same twelve men are named – and the first name to appear in all of the lists is “Simon, whom He named Peter.” (Luke 6: 14) “Peter” was a nickname, so to speak, given to Simon by Jesus. In its Greek form, “Petros” is a proper name signifying “a stone, a rock, a ledge or cliff; used metaphorically of a soul hard and unyielding.¹” Peter’s prominent position within the lists of early disciples, coupled with his nickname, signifies his role as leader and spokesman for the group.

Peter was a fisherman by trade. He had not received much formal education or training (Acts 4: 13), and yet Jesus calls Peter to be a “fisher of men.” (Matthew 4: 19) One of the most well-known of the twelve disciples, his love for and commitment to Jesus was undeniable. Peter was also headstrong and emotional. Not shy about asking Jesus questions, Peter also had a tendency to speak before thinking, which sometimes led him to say foolish things. Despite being one of Jesus’ closest confidants – remember, Peter was one of the three disciples who witnessed the stunning Transfiguration of Jesus high upon a mountain (Mark 9: 2-13) – Peter could also be weak in his faith. It is Peter who denies knowing Jesus three times, following Jesus’ arrest in Jerusalem. (Mark 14: 66-72)

So many of us can relate deeply to Peter – I know that I do.

The early days following the Resurrection must have been incredibly intense for Peter, as he strives to keep the other disciples calm and focused, all the while trying to reconcile within his own heart and mind what has happened to Jesus’ body, following the Crucifixion and Burial.

Mary Magdalene is the first to discover that Jesus is missing from the tomb. She reports this to Peter, who races to the tomb, along with John. The Gospel of John describes the scene in riveting detail:

“Peter then came out with the other disciple [John], and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen [burial] cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin which had been on his [Jesus’] head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He [Jesus] must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.” John 20: 3-10

Brave Peter is the first to enter the empty tomb of Jesus. He does not find a tomb in disarray, which frankly would have been indicative of a robbery or mischief. Instead, Peter finds the linens and tomb to be in an orderly manner. In particular, the linen that covered Jesus’ head is neatly folded, in a place by itself, much as a house guest might leave their bed linens following an overnight stay. My parish priest recently reminded us that Jesus and his twelve disciples had been traveling together for three years. Peter would have known how Jesus tended to His personal items. We can only imagine the thoughts racing through Peter’s mind and heart, as he takes in the scene within the empty tomb.

Later that same day, in the evening, Peter and the disciples are together behind locked doors, for fear of the Jews. Jesus suddenly appears to the disciples:

“Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” John 20: 19-20

Jesus’ initial visit with His beloved disciples seems brief, but we know that this is the first of several appearances Jesus will make. He is trying to give His earliest disciples the knowledge and support needed to continue their earthly mission of drawing souls to God. Jesus is clear, on that first day, about the Father’s intent:

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you.’” John 20: 21

Shortly thereafter, Jesus leaves the disciples; but we deduce from the Bible that Jesus likely spends His remaining days on earth engaging with other disciples as well. A few days ago, I recounted the story of Jesus’ appearance to Cleopas (or, Clopas) and another unnamed disciple who is believed to have been Cleopas’ wife, Mary. The Gospel of John identifies Mary as “the wife of Clopas” (John 19: 25), at the foot of Jesus’ cross. While Cleopas and Mary dine with Jesus, they suddenly recognize Him and understand that He is helping them to connect recent events with Scripture and the Old Testament prophecies. Cleopas and Mary immediately return to Jerusalem, to report what has happened to Peter:

“And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the Eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ They [Cleopas and Mary] told what had happened on the road [to Emmaus], and how Jesus was known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Luke: 24: 33-35

Given Peter’s leadership role in the establishment of the early Church (Matthew 16: 17-19) – a role designated by none other than Jesus Himself – we can only imagine Peter’s joy in observing Jesus calling his most ardent disciples back to Him, so that they may become true apostles in this beautiful, shared mission.

The wonder of it all takes our breath away.

To share one last scene involving Peter and Jesus, after the Resurrection – there is the appearance of Jesus to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias in Galilee. Peter and the disciples have been waiting for Jesus there. Worried and perhaps a bit disappointed that His arrival has been delayed, they set out one evening to do some fishing. Their fishing is not productive until at last, Jesus arrives on the scene:

“Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ‘Children, have you any fish?’ They answered Him ‘No.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. That disciple [John] whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord … [he] sprang into the sea, [to swim to shore].” John 21: 4-7

When Peter and the disciples arrive on shore, they find Jesus by a small fire, with fish and bread cooking over the charcoal. Jesus asks the disciples for some of the fish they have caught, adding their catch to the fire. I love this gesture of Jesus. Obviously, He can provide more than enough fish and bread for the disciples’ breakfast. But Jesus wants the disciples to contribute to the meal. They have worked hard that night to tow their catch to shore. Jesus is clearly signaling to the disciples – and to all of us – His strong desire and need to work with us, in bringing His Word out into the world.

Jesus also does not need our help in cultivating believers. If He wanted to, Jesus could override our free wills and draw us to Himself, forever. But that’s not how life with Jesus works. Jesus wants us to choose Him, and to choose God the Father. This is why we have been given the precious gift of a free will.

As we begin to love and trust in Jesus, we are each asked by Him to share that love and understanding with others.

Breakfast by the Sea of Tiberias concludes with Jesus reminding Peter of his new mission on earth:

“Jesus said to Peter the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because Jesus said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’” John 21: 17

Through this scene, Jesus is reminding us all of our shared mission as believers.

I cherish these glimpses of Peter – the imperfect disciple forever transformed by the Love of Christ.

May this beautiful Easter season with Jesus bring transformation within each of our imperfect hearts as well.

“And after this Jesus said to Peter, ‘Follow Me.’” John 21: 19

¹THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com

It is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.

St. John Paul II, 15th World Youth Day, Prayer Vigil Address, August 19, 2000

Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection was and remains an unprecedented act of God’s Love for us. We know from the Bible that Jesus remained on earth for 40 days, after His Resurrection:

“After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.” Acts 1: 3

While there are not a lot of details about Jesus’ activities during this period, we know enough to understand that He returned to those whom He loved, to encourage His disciples and to help them to tie these events to Scripture, so that they might go forward, proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

The reality of Jesus’ friendship is a gift of amazing love.

The very name “Jesus” conjures up so many images in our hearts and minds, right? When asked to describe Jesus, we use words like brave and holy and pure and immortal. We also describe Jesus as prophet, teacher, Messiah, the Son of God – and Savior. It is perhaps easier, on some level, to accept Jesus as all these things, as these attributes reinforce His divinity.

Jesus was also a friend to those around Him. It is the acknowledgement of Jesus’ friendship and humanity that changes everything.

I love this image of Jesus from The Shack, by William Paul Young. The Shack is the fictional story of a grieving father, Mack, who finds God in the midst of a devastating tragedy. In Chapter 7, Mack and Jesus go out to the dock to look at the stars. Here is an excerpt from the chapter:

“They made their way three-quarters up the dock and lay down on their backs, looking up. The elevation of this place seemed to magnify the heavens, and Mack reveled in seeing stars in such numbers and clarity. Jesus suggested that they close their eyes for a few minutes, allowing the lasting effects of dusk to disappear for the night. Mack complied, and when he finally opened his eyes, the sight was so powerful that he experienced vertigo for a few seconds. It almost felt like he was falling up into space, the stars racing toward him as if to embrace him. He lifted his hands, imagining that he could reach out and pluck the diamonds, one by one, off a velvet-black sky.

“’Wow!’ he whispered.

“’Incredible!’ whispered Jesus. ‘I never get tired of this.’” – Excerpt from The Shack, by William Paul Young

This scene within Young’s story always makes me cry. The tenderness and humanity that unfolds within Young’s book paints an amazing, humbling picture of Jesus as our friend. It is how I imagine Him.

I am not going to kid you – inviting Jesus into our lives changes things for all of us. In Young’s book, Mack’s encounter with Jesus compels him to ultimately make peace with the tragedy that has occurred in his family. Forgiveness is an unthinkable act for Mack, and yet with Jesus’ friendship and love, the unthinkable happens.

When we invite Jesus into our hearts, we learn that walking with Jesus is about learning to rely on and trust in Him as our Savior – and as our friend. Jesus desires that we become steadfast and immovable in our faith – so that, ultimately, we might love as He loves.

Remember that Jesus is Love:

“Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is Love. This is how God shows His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is Love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us [first] and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4: 7-10

Jesus knows that by loving those who are His own in the world, He is sharing with them the love of God the Father. So too, when we love, are we sharing the love of Jesus and God with the people He has blessed us to know.

Jesus’ compassion and humanity, on broad display throughout the Bible, is both humbling and inspiring. His desire to be our friend is as real today as it was centuries ago, during the 40 days He walked the earth once again, having risen from the grave. There is a scene in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 24: 13-35), where the Risen Jesus appears alongside Cleopas and another unnamed disciple. The two disciples are making their way to a village called Emmaus. This is one of my favorite scenes: The two disciples are discussing everything that has occurred – the arrest, the trial, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection – when Jesus shows up alongside them, on the road. They walk and talk for some time, with Jesus not revealing to them His true identity. Jesus keeps His identity hidden at first, listening and talking with them, and helping them to understand what has happened within the context of Scripture and the prophets. But then at dinner, Jesus reveals Himself fully, and the disciples suddenly recognize Him:

“When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” Luke 24: 30-32

Jesus knew how hard it would be for His disciples to understand all that had happened. He understood that His disciples would be filled with awe and fear and uncertainty, so He took extra time and care to help them, before returning to the Father.

Jesus’ desire to be our friend is real. He makes this same promise to each one of us, still today:

“I am with you always, even until the end of time.” Matthew 28: 20

The longing that exists deep within our hearts, to love and to be loved, is an invitation to know Jesus.

With each new sunrise, recognize the reality of Jesus’ friendship.

“From the very first time I came to know the Lord, the gaze of my soul became drowned in Him for all eternity. Each time the Lord draws close to me and my knowledge of Him grows deeper, a more perfect love grows within my heart.” – Excerpt from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (Diary, 231)

The love and friendship of Jesus will change your life.

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!’

“So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

“Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

“They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’

“‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put Him.’ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

“‘Woman,’ He said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’

“Thinking He was the gardener, said said, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.’

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’

“She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).

“Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to Me, for I have not returned to the Father. Go instead to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’

“Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that He had said these things to her.'” John 20: 1-19

JESUS IS RISEN AND ALIVE!

GOD IS WITH US!

Tonight begins the start of the Easter Triduum – the three days from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. These sacred days mark the humanity and divinity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery. We ponder and celebrate the journey of Jesus to save us from sin – from His Life and Death on the Cross, to His Resurrection and ultimate Ascension into Heaven.

It is difficult to fathom the love and mercy and courage of Jesus. He was 33 years old when He died – a young man, full of life.

Placing ourselves there beside the disciples, within the scenes unfolding before Jesus’ death, we can imagine the chaos and uncertainty and fear that surrounded Jesus’ twelve disciples.

The Gospels provide us with treasured glimpses of the final hours of Jesus’ life on earth. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He shares a final meal – The Last Supper – with the disciples. The Gospel of John describes that, as the meal is being served, Jesus gets up from the table and begins washing the feet of His disciples. His disciples are stunned by this for, in Jesus’ time, a foot-washing slave was at the very lowest point of the social order. The disciples had personally witnessed Jesus display His power by performing miracles. They had heard him speak with great authority and authenticity. They had observed others recognize Jesus as the very Son of God. And yet through this act of unselfish love, Jesus shows his disciples a new way of living – a world in which the most important people are those who care for and serve others:

“’Amen, Amen, [I tell you the truth], no slave is greater than his master, nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it,’ [says Jesus, to His disciples].” John 13: 16-17

As the evening continues, Jesus reveals that one of the twelve disciples will betray him to the Jewish and Roman officials. Again, the disciples are shaken by this revelation. A disciple asks Jesus which follower will betray Him. Jesus answers the question directly:

“’It is the one to whom I hand the morsel [of bread], after I have dipped it.’ So, He dipped the morsel and [took it and] handed it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.” John 13: 26

After Judas leaves them, Jesus continues to comfort His disciples, reminding them always to love one another:

“’I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’” John 13: 34-35

After some time, they left the room where they were dining and went into the Garden of Gethsemane so that Jesus could pray. It is John’s record of these final prayers of Jesus that resides deeply, within my heart and mind:

“’Father, the hour has come … I am coming to You. I speak this in the world so that they may share My joy completely. I gave them Your Word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world but that You keep them from the evil one. Consecrate them in the truth. Your Word is truth. … I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.’” John 17: 1, 13-17, 20-21

In the moments before Jesus is handed over to the authorities, He is praying for all of us – His beloved disciples who lived and loved and worked with Him, and for all others who have come to love and believe in Him, through the centuries to this very moment.

What a blessing, to have Jesus pray for us.

What a beautiful display of tenderness and love.

What a sacrifice, to lay down His Life for us, that we may have eternal Life.

What an amazing Hope and Joy we have in Jesus.

Let us love one another, this Easter Triduum.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3: 16-17