EASTER SUNDAY 2018 B
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LOVING EYES, LIVING
CHRIST
Easter is a season of stories of
people who have seen the Lord after his Resurrection. While so many witnessed
the passion of Jesus, from his triumphant entry to Jerusalem to the death and
burial outside the city walls, not all those present then had an encounter with
the Risen Lord.
In the beginning, even the ones
who were with Jesus in his life and ministry, and who stayed close by during
his passion and death, had some difficulty visualizing the Lord in his new and
glorified state. Mary Magdalene mistook the Lord Jesus for a gardener. But when
Jesus spoke Mary’s name, her heart warmed up with all the thoughts of her days
staying with and following the Lord, her moments at the foot of the cross, and
her anointing his body for burial. The voice of Jesus ignited the love in her
heart and then she could clearly see him now.
John the beloved is another Easter
figure. In his case, he did not see the Lord immediately too. But while
investigating the tomb, he saw the linen cloths and he believed. In the Bible,
to believe is connected to the act of love. Believing is cherishing, loving,
trusting. John’s love for Jesus inflamed his faith in the meaning of an empty
tomb. He remembered the Lord’s words,
his promises, and above all, his relationship with him. His love told him to
believe: The Lord is not here, because he is risen!
Some people have posed the
question why the Lord did not also appear to the Pharisees, the leaders of the
Jews, Pilate and the Roman guards. Surely they would have immediately reversed
their attitude towards Jesus and become his instant disciples. But without
love, one cannot recognize the Risen Lord. They will see, yes, but only with
doubtful and suspicious eyes. Catholics see the Eucharist and say It’s Jesus
himself. Others see the same and proclaim its only a piece of bread.
As Christians, we cannot also see
the Lord face-to-face while on earth but because we love him, we rejoice at the
little signs of his love all around us. We see him in the small victories, in
small kindness, in small miracles. The Resurrection makes sense to those who
love Jesus because in love, the Lord becomes present although he may be absent
or distant from our eyes.
Today is the day of Resurrection.
Today is the day we see the Lord through love. Let us open our eyes of faith to
perceive the love of God working in our lives even in small things. When we
feel his love in our hearts we can proclaim to others that he is indeed
victorious over sin and death!
