Paschaltide Gospel Reflection – Great Love Stories: From Good Shepherd Sunday toward Pentecost (Cycle B)

While we read the Gospel stories about the Resurrection: How the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples and how they came to understand the Resurrection for the first three Paschaltide Dominicas, the Gospel readings for the rest of the Paschaltide Dominicas are about who Jesus is in his relation to us and to the Father. Within this Christological context, Jesus also reveals the Holy Spirit, to prepare us to witness his Ascension and to experience the infusion of the powerful Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

On Cycle B, this year, we begin Paschaltide Christological Sunday reading on Dominica IV in Paschalae, also known as Dominica Bonus Pastor.  

For Dominica IV in Paschalae, Gospel reading is from John 10:11-18, and Jesus metaphorically identifies himself as the Good Shepherd, who lays down his own life to save the sheep that the Father in heaven has entrusted him to care for. Also in this Gospel narrative, Jesus describes that his relationship to us is like the trust-based relationship between the shepherd and the sheep.  As the sheep, we hear the voice of our shepherd, Jesus, and follow him, while he guides us to the greener pasture, namely, the Kingdom of God, our destiny.  This exegesis of the Bonus Pastor narrative of John 10:11-18 also gives us an impression that our Good Shepherd, who has already laid down his own life to save us on the Cross is now leading us to our ultimate greener pasture, the Kingdom of God, where there is the heavenly banquet, reflecting Psalm 23:5 and Revelation 19:11-13.

Another important factor in John 10:11-18 is that Jesus speaks of his relationship with the Father, who has sent him for us. In the Gospel narrative, he speaks of his relationship with the Father, characterized with love.  This love that bounds the Father and the Son, Jesus is agape in the New Testament and chased in the Old Testament.  By being chased, the love-bond between the Father and the Son is unbreakable.  The Father loves Jesus, the Son, as he puts it in John 10:17-18, for extending this love for His sheep, whom he is called by Him to care for, to the point of laying down his own life for.  This is where the chesed-agape love that binds the Father and the Son, Jesus, to reach out and affect us through chachamim.  This Hebrew word, chachamim, is often translated as mercy in English (eleos in the New Testament Greek, misericordia in Latin). In the Hebrew etymology, chachamim is related to the Hebrew word, rechem, which literally means womb.  This suggests that womb is the seat of mercy, and the fact that Jesus shed his blood and water while laying down his life for us on the Cross is fitting to understand that it was him showing his chachamim , as the blood and water also come out of the womb during labor into child birth. To this, the Father loves His Son, Jesus, as He was pleased that his chesed with him has touched His sheep, us, to our cores, through his precious blood and water, which are further reflected on the two rays of the Divine Mercy light (Diary of St. Faustina, 299; St. John Paul II Divine Mercy Sunday Homily, 2001, 5).

The Gospel narrative of John 10:11-18 for Dominica IV in Paschalae helps us appreciate the meaning of the Paschal Mystery, with the death and resurrection of Jesus, in light of the Father’s chesed-agape, made in the human flesh of the Good Shepherd, Jesus the Son, through his Paschal Sacrifice as he has laid down his life, touching us with God’s chachamim in his blood and water, flowing out of the chased-agape of the Father-Son unity.

In fact, as the Gospel reading for Dominica IV in Paschalae, John 10:11-18, is so, the all the Gospel readings for the rest of the  Dominicas Paschalae are great love stories – the love stories of God from John’s Gospel.   The love stories are three-fold: the love between Jesus and us; the love between Jesus and the Father; how these two love relations are related.  With this understanding, we can certainly deepen our appreciation of the Gospel Reading for Dominica V in Paschalae, John 15:1-8, in which Jesus relates himself to us as the vine and its branches.  In juxtaposition of John 10:11-18 and 15:1-8, just as Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are the sheep and the Father is the owner of the sheep, he is the vine and we are its branches and the Father is the vine grower.  Jesus reminds us that we are the branches that the Father the vine grower did not cut off when He pruned the vine.  

Because of the Gospel that Jesus has spoken to us, we remain with him, the vine. This also suggests that we remain with the vine because of our Good Shepherd, who shed his blood and water, while laying down his own life, on the Cross.  So, Jesus calls us to remain in him to stay alive and to become fruitful.

Just as sheep cannot survive without their shepherd’s care, we, the branches, cannot stay alive unless firmly connected with the vine. It means that our existential bottom line is Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and the vine, just to reflect the Gospel readings for Dominica IV in Paschalae and Dominica V in Paschalae – John 10:11-18 and 15:1-8, on Cycle B.  As the sheep of God, our obedience to the Good Shepherd is emphasized for Dominica IV in Paschalae. On the other hand, for Dominica V in Paschalae, we are not only obedient but fruitful as we remain in Jesus so that the Father will be glorified. Indeed, our union with Jesus, just as the sheep is united with the Good Shepherd, and the branches are in union with the vine, is to reflect, “Gloria Dei est vivens homo”, as St. Irenaeus wrote in “A Treatise Against the Heresies”.   “Glaria Dei” – glory of God – is found as we are alive and well in our union with Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd and the vine. Therefore, Jesus’ invitation to follow him as we hear his voice and to remain in him is for “Gloria Dei”.   Because we are not just alive but become fruitful, in remaining with Jesus, who is the vine, our union with him is “ad majorem Dei gloriam”!

In the Gospel reading for Dominica VI in Paschalae, John 15:9-17, in continuing his Last Supper discourse on the vine and its branches, Jesus reveals that he is for and with us, as Immanuel, because of agape-chesed, from which chachamim-eleos  flows.  The shepherd-sheep and the vine-branches metaphors in the Gospel readings for the two preceding Dominicas , John 10:11-18 and John 15:1-8, are to tell us this bottom line of “love”.

To address “love”, these words of Jesus, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), in the Gospel reading for Dominica V in Paschalae are reiterated in these words, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete”(John 15:9-11).  These words of Jesus are to teach us not only that we exist because of “love”, which is the totality of chesed-agape and chachamim-eleos, of God but also that our union with Jesus means the union with this “love” of God so that his joy may be in us and our joy may be complete. He also says that remaining in him, remaining in his love, means to keep his commandment to love one another (John 15:12), restating his Mandatum Novum in John 13:34, symbolized with foot-washing service.  To remain in Jesus, the vine, and his “love” – the sacrificial and salvific love of the Good Shepherd, we must keep his Mandatum Novum: To love one another as he has loved us. Then, Jesus tells what the greatest love of all, recalling his words in John 10:11, 17, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Because as the Good Shepherd, Jesus has already laid down his life for us, we are now understood as the friends of Jesus. However, Jesus wants us, as his friends, to do what he commands us (John 15:14). And, what he commands us to do direct us on our apostolic mission and to make our mission fruitful. Then, he repeats his Mandatum Novum again, in John 15:17, as mutual love for each other is of essence on our apostolic mission.

Because Dominica VI in Paschalae is the Dominica before the Ascension, Jesus leads his discourse on love to indicate our apostolic mission.  As the Gospel reading for the Feast of Ascension, Mark 16:15-20 on Cycle B, reminds us that Jesus commissioned his original Apostles for mission just before his Ascension, the Gospel reading for Dominica VI in Paschalae, John 15:9-17, concludes with an implication of our apostolic mission, which is to share the love of Jesus, in which we remain, with those whom we reach out.  Given Mark 16:15-20, our apostolic mission is to spread the teaching of Jesus and to bring healing as he did, reflecting our call for both spiritual works and corporal works of mercy.

Finally, the Gospel reading for Dominica VII in Paschalae, John 17:11-19, reflects a sense of farewell, as this is taken from Jesus’ final benediction before his arrest in Gethsemane upon the Last Supper. We read this because Dominica VII in Paschalae falls after the Feast of Ascension (though some dioceses replace this last Dominica in Paschaltide with the Feast of Ascension, making it “Ascension Sunday) before Dominica Pentecostes.

Jesus is speaking directly to the Father, “I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are”(John 17:11). In order to appreciate this in reflecting the time between Ascension and Pentecost, we juxtapose the Ascension of Jesus to the Death of Jesus on the Cross. Though Jesus spoke these words actually on the night before his death, they can be applied for us to remember him before his Ascension.

This prayer of Jesus reflects his love for us, directed to the love of the Father. He wants to make sure not only that we remain in him but also that we remain united as one – reflecting the unity between the Father and Jesus the Son (John 10:30). For this, we must keep his Mandatum Novum of love (John 13:34;15:12,17).  Though his visible presence may not be recognized in our eyes upon Ascension, he never leaves us like orphans, as he promised in John 14:18. That is why he has instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26-29//Mark 14:22-25//Luke 22:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).  While Jesus remains with us through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, as the Holy Spirit is infused into the bread and wine on the alter, with epiclesis, resulting in transubstantiation (as addressed by St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Ephraim), Jesus keeps his promise in John 14:18 through the Pneuma Hagion, whom he calls allon Parakleton (John 14:16).  Because “parakletos”(para + kaleo) literally means “a call to be besides “, it is fitting for Jesus to call Pneuma Hagion as another Parakletos (allon Parakleton). This means that Jesus himself is Parakletos, as translated in English as “Advocate” and “Comforter” (1 John 2:1).  This way, Jesus and we remain in union, as the Father and he is, reflecting the unbreakable covenant loyalty of chesed.  Indeed, Jesus, who is Immanuel, meaning “God with us”, remains with us, no matter where his physical appearance may be, keeping his promise in Matthew 28:20.

See, how Jesus’ Good Shepherd Discourse leads us to our commissioning for our apostolic mission.?

After reflecting on the Resurrection for the first three Dominicas in the Paschaltide, we keep our eyes ahead on Pentecost, while the First Readings taken from the Acts of the Apostles continues to inspire us for our post-Pentecost apostolic mission.

The Gospel readings above-mentioned teach us that the union that we make with one another by keeping Jesus’ Mandatum Novum of loving each other (John 13:34) as in John 15:12, 17, reflects the union between the Father and Jesus the Son.  The union is characterized by “love” (chesed) that the Father and Jesus the Son are kept in one and poured out to us as Jesus has laid down his own life as our Good Shepherd and as he instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We now have the way to the Father (John 14:6), as we are one with Jesus and with one another.

As we remain in one, the Father sends down powerful Pneuma Hagion on Pentecost, so that our union shall become Ekklesia, which literally means “being called out of “ (ek + kaleo), namely, the Church, the new body of  Christ, as Paul indicates in 1 Corinthians 12 and St. Teresa of Avila’s prayer  in her “El Castillo Interior.  Jesus , the Good Shepherd, calls us to him – not just to our ultimate greener pasture, the Kingdom but to be in union with him. So, we are united with Christ as the vine and its branches, reflecting the chesed oneness of the Father and him. And, this union of ours with Christ cannot be formed without our union with each other by keeping his Mandatum Novum of loving one another. As Jesus ascends so that Pnauma Hagion as allon Parakleton comes to us on Pentecost, we know that the Good Shepherd’s voice is actually calling us (kaleo) out of (ek) the world to become the Ekklesia, the Church, the new body of Christ.

St. Mark the Evangelist: Our Inspiration for Apostolic Marathon

April 25 is the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist. With the title, “Evangelist”( Euaggelistes), Mark is believed to have written the Gospel of Mark, one of the four Evangeliis Canonisis and one of the three Evangeliis Synopticus.

St. Mark running away from the scene of Jesus' arrest. 

It is interesting to note that the young man who ran away naked at the time of Jesus’ arrest (Mark 14:51) was believed to be Mark. It means that  Mark was just like Peter in abandoning Jesus when he was arrested in the basin of Gethsemane.  

If this is the same Mark, mentioned in Acts 15:38, then, he not only deserted Jesus but also Paul and Barnabas during Paul’s first mission journey.  By dropping out of Paul’s mission, Mark became a reason for Paul and Barnabas to split, as Barnabas was in disagreement with Paul in regard to bringing Mark for the second mission trip (Acts 15:36-41).

These written facts about St. Mark in the New Testament give an impression that Mark was too weak in faith to earn the title, “Saint”, severely lacking loyalty to the Lord.  Nevertheless, as Peter not only reconciled with Jesus (John 21:15-23), Mark also mended his mangled relationship with Paul, given that Paul mentioned Mark as his co-workers in evangelization in Colossians 4:10. Furthermore, in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul wrote about Mark as a helpful colleague in his ministry.

Given 1 Peter 5:12, as read for the First Reading for his feast (1 Peter 5:5b-14), Mark also worked with Peter but more closely with him than Paul. In that verse, Peter calls Mark “his son”.  This closeness between Mark and Peter is one factor to suggest that Mark wrote his Gospel based on Peter’s homilies on Jesus, as he faithfully accompany him to Rome as his interpreter, as well.

Mark not only reconciled with Paul but grew in faith to have made significant contributions to the growth of the nascent Church together with the two pillars of the Church: Paul and Peter. Not to mention, his ministry in working with Paul and Peter, especially with Peter, enabled him to write the Gospel of Mark.

Indeed, St. Mark is a reminder that we can make it to the sainthood, even though we may find ourselves frustrated with the weakness in our faith – even we stumble in our efforts to follow Christ. St. Mark’s story gives us hope and assurance that we will be just fine to be sent on our respective apostolic journeys – to run and complete our “apostolic marathon” upon Pentecost.

See how St. Mark had grown in his faith, as he was a coward, who ran deserted Jesus at his arrest and ran away from a missionary journey, but became a reliable missionary worker and evangelist. It is also believed that St. Mark’s final destination on his “apostolic marathon” was Alexandria, establishing the Church there and being martyred.

In his Gospel, St. Mark recorded these words of Jesus spoken before his Ascension, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15)”, as read for the Gospel Reading on his feast (Mark 16:15-20).  We shall hear these words of Jesus when our “apostolic marathon” begins on Pentecost. 

Because a winged lion with the Bible symbolizes St. Mark, we shall “run” our “apostolic marathon” like a lion, proclaiming “Eugelion” with the roaring voice like a lion, to the whole world, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Man Born Blind (John 9) and the Good Shepherd (John 10): A Pastoral Perspective

Have you wondered why Jesus said that he is the Good Shepherd, who lays down his own life for his sheep ? To whom was he addressing this?

To find this out, we must read from John 9:1 through John 10:21, of which, John 10:1-21 are known as the Good Shepherd Discourse.

It all began with the disciples’ encounter with a man born blind. They asked Jesus who had sinned to let him be born blind, him or his parents (John 9:2). This suggests that the disciples were influenced by the Pharisaic teaching: if you face affliction in life, it is God’s punishment for a sin of yours or your parents. Attributing one’s suffering to sin was rather not uncommon at that time, in reference to Exodus 20:5, Numbers 14:18, Jeremiah 32:18 and so forth.  However, Jesus gave a totally different view on suffering. According to him, suffering is not necessarily God’s punishment for anyone’s sin but can be a channel for God’s glory to manifest. To demonstrate this, Jesus cured this blind man. By this act, Jesus saved his disciples from becoming judgemental – preventing them from being like the Pharisees.

Then, here came a problem. As Jesus let God’s glory manifest through the blind man’s suffering, those who were self-righteous and taught suffering as God’s punishment for sin became furious about Jesus for what he had done to the blind man. Jesus began to debate with them. Jesus’ Good Shepherd Discourse was a development in his debate with these hypocrites, whom Jesus indicated as the spiritually blind.

So, why did Jesus began speaking metaphorically about the shepherd, sheep, and sheepfold in arguing with the spiritually blind?

Jesus was rebuking the spiritually blind with these words, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see”, our sin remains” (John 9:41). This is the end of John 9. But, Jesus went on speaking in the same breath, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:1-4) to begin his Good Shepherd Discourse.

Just as the spiritually blind were unable to see God’s glory manifestation in Jesus’ act of curing the blind man, they were not able to understand this figure of speech that Jesus made (John 10:6). So, Jesus again said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 7-11).

Of course, the spiritually blind still did not understand what Jesus meant by these words.

How about us? Do we understand Jesus’ figure of speech on the shepherd, sheep, and thieves in the Good Shepherd Discourse, on the heel of healing of a man born blind by Jesus?

First of all, Jesus’ figurative words in the Good Shepherd Discourse must be interpreted in conjunction with the event of Jesus healing the man born blind and the Pharisee’s reaction to this. People in suffering, like the man born blind, were excluded from the society, because the public did not want to associate with sinners, whose marks were believed to be seen in their suffering. The Pharisees prided themselves as the champion of keeping spiritual purity, doing whatever it takes to exclude those who were associated with sin, like those who suffer in their community. This was the reality that Jesus challenges as through his debates with the Pharisees, and this debate turned into Jesus’ Good Shepherd Discourse.

Those who were marginalized because they were assumed to be sinners for their suffering were the sheep, whom Jesus shepherds. They were the lost sheep, for whom Jesus came to this world to redeem them into his fold, which is namely the Kingdom of God that he teaches. On the other hand, those who marginalized the “sheep” by judging them as “sinners” for their suffering, make out of their self-righteousness, such as the Pharisees are the thieves. Their hypocrisy makes those who suffer “lost sheep” by marginalizing them. There is a contrast between the one who redeems the lost sheep and saves his sheep as the Good Shepherd and those who harm the sheep because of their judgemental self-righteousness, like the Pharisees.

Sheep are helpless animals on their own. They cannot survive without a good shepherd’s care. For them to survive, they must listen to their shepherd and follow his lead. The man born blind in John 9 was helpless, as he kept begging for help. However, once Jesus the Good Shepherd reached out to him and came to believe in him, this man was no longer “lost sheep”, as he was redeemed into his sheepfold.

As a matter of fact, a shepherd was not a highly regarded occupation. Rather, it was considered to be an unclean job for its constant contact with animals. Shepherds live with sheep, rather than a mainstream human community, where the Pharisees liked to gather public respect for their “righteousness”. And Jesus chose to call himself a shepherd – the Good Shepherd. It means that Jesus brings himself to the marginalized section of the world to dwell among the marginalized so that he can for and lead them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd came to this world to redeem the “lost sheep” the marginalized by the hypocrisy of the spiritually blind into his sheepfold. This is also reflected in these words of Jesus to the Pharisees, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance”(Luke 5:31-32).  He cares for them by bringing the Good Tidings, healing and nourishing with his Word and the Eucharist. He leads them even through the valley of death to the ultimate pasture – the Kingdom, as reflected in Psalm 23.

The sheep of Jesus the Good Shepherd were no longer “blind” as being redeemed and saved by him. He has laid down his own life to ensure that all of his sheep are not “blind” so that they enjoy eternal life.

Who are we? The “lost sheep” ? The “redeemed and saved sheep”? Or, the “thieves and bandits”, who harm the “sheep” by being self-righteous and judgemental because of the spiritual blindness?

Our Good Shepherd hears our cries and reaches out to us in our suffering. He does not dwell among the hypocrites, who cannot see the truth in him and his teaching. Rather, he dwells among us, who listen to him and see the truth in his voice. As our Good Shepherd, he provides so that we say that his grace is enough (2 Corinthians 12:9), echoing these words of David, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (because I now lack nothing)”(Psalm 23:1).

Good Shepherd –Divine Mercy Challenge before Pentecost: Can We Also Lay Down Our Own Lives to Be One with Christ?

In the Gospel reading for Good Shepherd Sunday (4^th Sunday of Paschaltide) on Cycle B, John 10:11-18, Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd, who lays down his own life for his sheep to save them from any harms (v.11). Theologically, this reminds us that Jesus is Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi (John 1:29), as the salvific Zebah Pesach (Exodus 12:1-12).

 

As our Good Shepherd laid down his own life on the Cross, his blood and water gushed out (John 19:34) as a fount of the Divine Mercy for us to trust in Jesus (Diary of St. Faustina, 84), reflected by the red ray and blue ray of the Divine Mercy light to save and justify us (Diary of St. Faustina, 299). This means that our Good Shepherd himself is the Divine Mercy and love, as well (Diary of St. Faustina, 1074).

The Gospel story of the Good Shepherd Sunday, in light of Divine Mercy, does not simply end with our salvation and justification. Having been saved and justified, as Jesus the Good Shepherd has laid his life on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Resurrection Sunday, we are now called to respond to this great favor he has done.  To help us discern our Paschaltide calling in reference to the Good Shepherd and Divine Mercy, it is important to listen to these words of Jesus, as spoken to St. Faustina in his revelation:

When I was dying on the cross, I was not thinking about myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed for them to my Father. I want your last moments to be completely similar to mine on the cross. There is but one price at which souls are bought, and that is suffering united to my suffering on the cross. Pure love understands these words; carnal love will never understand them (Diary, 324).

Jesus, having saved us, by laying his own life as the Good Shepherd, now challenges us to imitate him – to be love and mercy to one another. Ultimately, Jesus invites us to unite ourselves with him as we also lay our own lives for one another or for him. In history, many have laid their own lives for others to be saved, while others have did so for Christ to be glorified. They are heroes and martyrs.

How about us? Can we take up this challenging call by Jesus, our Good Shepherd, to imitate him? If not, what is the point for us to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday and Good Shepherd Sunday during Paschaltide to prepare for our Pentecost commissioning? We shall be sent out, ultimately to lay our own lives for one another and for Christ. It is the surest way to be united with Christ, our Good Shepherd and the Divine Mercy.

As the Good Shepherd’s sheep, we hear his voice to follow him (John 10:14,27). Hasn’t he spoken to us, “Take up your cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34; Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23)? It means to die to ourselves, as our ego gets in the way to hear his voice and follow him. Our ego sure keeps us from laying our own lives. It means that our ego is a stumbling block to be united with him in his suffering. Therefore, we must overcome our ego and put others ahead of ourselves, in remembering these words of Padre Pedro Arrupe, S.J., hombres para los demás, in light of Mandatum Novum of Jesus, “Diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos ut et vos diligatis invice” (John 13:34). The ultimate way to observe this mandatum of our Good Shepherd is to imitate his love by laying our own lives for others, as he has done for us.

As our Good Shepherd desires his beloved sheep to be united with him for eternal life, as he is one with the Father (John 10:27-30, cf. John 10:38; 14:10-11,20; 17:23). Therefore, bearing our shares of his suffering of laying his life for us for one another and for his glorification is also for our eternal life –namely, our salvation.

In our preparation for Pentecost, during this Paschaltide, let us make ourselves ready to imitate Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1) in his suffering as the Good Shepherd, who has laid his life to save and justify us, also as the Divine Mercy.

After all, the Good Shepherd is the Divine Mercy to unite us with him as one as the way to the Father in heaven. We may lose our lives for this but it is only to gain eternal life. 

The Third Sunday of Paschaltide (Dominica III in Paschalae) Mile Mark on Apostolic Marathon Training

Taking from Fr. Michael Sparough, S.J.'s Ash Wednesday homily, which juxtaposes Lenten journey to a marathon training,  I also applied a marathon metaphor to Paschaltide journey from Resurrection Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. Now, we have passed the mile mark of the Third Sunday of Paschaltide Quinquagesima, it is a good time to check how we are doing with our marathon training. Just as we need a good coach for our marathon training, we need Christ, the risen Christ, to coach us for the post-Resurrection phase of our Apostolic Marathon training. For this, we must personally meet him.  And, it's time for Boston Marathon. Just as runners for this elite marathon have spent months in training, we conitnue on our Apostolic Marathon training with the risen Christ. 

                                                   *****

Have you encountered the risen Christ personally?

Two full weeks have passed since Dominica Resurrectionis, as it is Dominica III in Paschalae.

The Sunday Gospel readings (Evangeliums quia Domicis in Paschalae) for the first three Sundays in Paschalae Quinquagesima (John 20:1-9; John 20:19-31; Luke 24:35-48 for Cycle B) describe how the disciples came to witness the risen Christ on the very Sunday of the Resurrection.

Evangelium quia Dominica Resurrectionis (Dominica I in Paschalae), John 20:1-9, paralleling to Mark 16:1-7, which is for Resurrection Vigil Mass, reminds that the witnessing the empty tomb of Jesus was the beginning of the disciple’s gradual realization of the Resurrection. None of the disciples could recognize the Resurrection through the empty tomb for sure – though John believed that the empty tomb could mean the Resurrection rather than burglary of the tomb (John 20:8-9). Then, Evangelium quia Dominica II in Paschalae (Dominica Divina Misericordia), John 20:19-31, and Evangelium quia Dominica III in Paschalae, Luke 24:35-48, describe how the disciples actually witnessed the risen Christ and how they came to recognize the Resurrection for sure. These narratives remind us that the disciples, though they had heard Jesus speaking of his death and resurrection, citing the scriptures, were rather slow to realize the Resurrection. It was because their faith in Christ was not yet firm, thus, leaving room for doubt, fear, anxiety, and confusion. The narrative of Luke 24:13-34 describes that Cleopas and the other disciples were also slow to recognize the risen Christ, while the passages in John 20:11-18 describe how slow Mary Magdalene’s eyes to open to the Resurrection.

Despite their uneasy initial encounter with the risen Christ, the disciples’ resentment for abandoning their master, confusion about the empty tomb, doubt about the resurrection, and fear of possible consequences of their master’s death, gave their ways to unparalleled joy once they recognize the Resurrection. For Mary Magdalene, Cleopas, and the other disciples, they ran to tell the good news of witnessing the Resurrection to the rest of the disciples. The joy of the Resurrection ignited their hearts and mobilized.

How about us? Are we still stuck in darkness of confusion and doubt between the death and resurrection of the Lord? Or, are we already rejoicing our encounter with the risen Lord, with our heart burning?

Because Evangeliums quia Domicis for the rest of Quinquagesima in Paschalae make a thematic shift form reflecting how the disciples witnessed the Resurrection, we must have a personal encounter with the risen Christ by the end of the third week of these 50 Paschaltide days until Pentecost.

On Pentecost, we will be commissioned by the powerful Holy Spirit to run our Apostolic Marathon. The fact that Mary Magdalene, Cleopas, and the other disciples, upon personally encountering the risen Christ, ran, is a blue print for us to run our personal Apostolic Marathon to share Evangelium of the risen Lord, in the spirit of ite missa est for the Lord’s command in Mark 16:15-18, as well as, Matthew 28:18-20.

Now, we are on the second phase of our Apostolic Marathon training with our heart burning with resurrection joy.  After all, as Pope Francis, in his apostolic exaltation, citing Matthew 5:12, inspires us, “Gaudete et Exsultate” for our Apostolic Marathon!

Second Sunday of Paschaltide Quinquagesima: A Critical Lesson on the Divine Mercy through “Doubting Thomas”

The Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Paschaltide Quinquagesima is taken from John 20:19-31 on all cycles of the liturgical calendar.  The Gospel narrative is about “Doubting Thomas” – Thomas, called Didymus, who was skeptical about the resurrection of the Lord and how he came to believe.

The Second Sunday of Paschaltide Quinguagesima – the Sunday after Resurrection Sunday – has been known as Low Sunday since the pre-Vatican-II era and has been celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday since 2000 upon the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska by St. John Paul II (then Pope John Paul II). The Second Sunday of this festive period in celebrating the resurrection has become Divine Mercy Sunday to honor these words of Jesus, spoken to St. Faustina,” I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it”(Diary of St. Faustina, 341). 

The image is Jesus radiating the rays of his Divine Mercy : read representing the precious blood of Jesus and blue representing water of justification (Diary of St. Faustina, 299). These, in fact, evoke the blood and water gushing from the side of Jesus’ crucified boy (John 19:34), and reflected in this Divine Mercy chaplet prayer: O blood and water, which gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in you (Diary of St. Faustina, 187).

“Doubting Thomas” and Divine Mercy…..Red ray and light blue ray radiating out of the body of Jesus….it looks like the resurrected Jesus, from whom the rays are coming……and we say, “Jesus, I trust in you”.  With these, we may make an exegesis of John 20:19-31 in the  Divine Mercy context.

In the Gospel narrative for Divine Mercy Sunday – the Second Sunday of Paschaltide Quinguagesima, Thomas was not with the rest of the disciples on the evening of the day that the Lord resurrected and appeared to them. The Gospel does not tell why he was not with the rest of the bunch on the evening of the very day of the resurrection. It does not say where he was, either. Probably, that is not so important.

Since Thomas missed to see the risen Lord on the evening of the very day of the resurrection, the disciples who met the risen Lord in the Upper Room told Thomas about their encounter with the resurrected Lord. But, skeptical Thomas did not buy what the rest of the disciples said. So, he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe”(John 20:25).

So, on the evening of the following Sunday from the resurrection Sunday, Thomas was with the rest of the disciples in the Upper Room. He probably thought that he could check to see if they were telling the truth – to see if the Lord had really risen.  He obviously thought that he would see the nailmarks in the resurrected body of Jesus – had he really risen, as they told him.

And the risen Lord sure appeared to the disciples, again, on the Sunday after the Sunday of his resurrection – just as he did, somehow coming into the firmly locked room and saying, “Peace be with you”. But this time, instead of offering his breath, which he called the Holy Spirit, this time, Jesus invited Thomas to “test” his doubt, saying, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe”(John 20:27).  Jesus obviously knew that Thomas was “testing” his resurrection. So, he tested Thomas’ “test”. Then, the Gospel narrative says, “Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”(John 20:28).

The narrative does not say if Thomas actually put his finger on the nailmarks of Jesus’ resurrected body.  Probably, not. Thomas must have come to believe the resurrection instantly at the moment when Jesus invited him to touch his nailmarks.

Now, few important things to reflect on.

If not Thomas, any of us could be in the place of him, on the Sunday after the Resurrection Sunday in the Upper Room.  “Doubting Thomas” in the Gospel narrative represents us when we are in doubt – when our faith is shaky.

It is lukewarm faith of Thomas that the risen Jesus responded with his Divine Mercy.  As Thomas was already touched by it, he did not have to actually touch the nailmarks on Jesus’ risen body.

In her diary (580), St. Faustina recorded these words of Jesus as he revealed them:

“I am more deeply wounded by the small imperfections of chosen souls than by the sins of those living in the world.” It made me very sad that chosen souls make Jesus suffer, and Jesus told me, “These little imperfections are not all. I will reveal to you a secret of My Heart: what I suffer from chosen souls. Ingratitude in return for so many graces is My Heart’s constant food, on the part of [such] a chosen soul. Their love is lukewarm, and My Heart cannot bear it; these souls force Me to reject them. Others distrust My goodness and have no desire to experience that sweet intimacy in their own hearts, but go in search of Me, off in the distance, and do not find Me. This distrust of My goodness hurts Me very much. If My death has not convinced you of My love, what will? Often a soul wounds Me morally, and then no one can comfort Me. They use My graces to offend Me. There are souls who despise My graces as well as all the proofs of My love. They do not wish to hear My call, but proceed into the abyss of hell. The loss of these souls plunges Me into deadly sorrow. God though I am, I cannot help such a soul because it scorns Me; having a free will, it can spurn Me or love Me. You, who are the dispenser of My mercy, tell all the world about My goodness, and thus you will comfort My Heart.”

Note that risen Lord really does not like to see anyone being like “Doubting Thomas”, who represents lukewarm faith.  Such a shaky faith fails to appreciate the Paschal Mystery, especially the death and resurrection of the Lord.  Lukewarm faith also cannot appreciate the blood and water gushing from the side of the body of Jesus on the Cross, reflected in the rays of the Dive Mercy: read and light blue – salvation and justification.

The Gospel narrative does not say if Thomas actually put his finger on the nailmaks as he first demanded to believe the resurrection. Perhaps, it was not specified so that we can make an exegesis in light of the Divine Mercy message.  Because John did not pen down any more specifics, we can see the lukewarm faith of “Doubting Thomas” was made “hot” immediately at the moment of the Divine Mercy rays affecting him.  The red and blue rays of the Divine Mercy out of the risen Lord’s body made immediate conversion of Thomas’ skeptical heart. No wonder, “My Lord, my God”(John 20:28). No more argument with the risen Lord. To translate these words of Thomas upon his immediate conversion, Thomas was saying, “Jesus, I trust in you”, as we repeatedly say to the risen Jesus in the image of the Divine Mercy that Jesus wants us to venerate.  The Second Sunday of Paschaltide Quinquagesima, which is also Divine Mercy Sunday, is to take a critical lesson from “Doubting Thomas” on the Divine Mercy messages of Jesus through St. Faustina.

On this Sunday, we all say, “Yes, Jesus, I trust in you, and my faith is not lukewarm. There is no space for doubt in my faith”.   

Apostolic Marathon Training Continues on beyond the Cross: From Empty Tomb to Pentecost

Gaudete! Quia nunc Christus resurrexit a mortuis primitiae dormientium! Alleluia!

Christ has died, as our Paschal Lam, so that God’s judgement at that time could pass over us….and, with a heavy heart, we gathered at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday to kiss that empty Cross  – the Cross, from which Jesus’s corpse was removed.   In the very early morning, while it was still dark, of the third day from his death on the Cross, he has risen!  Lord Jesus Christ has risen to conquer death so that we sing, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”  (1 Corinthians 15:55) and the eternal life that he promised (i.e John 10:27-28). Therefore, let us rejoice because Christ is risen now and lives among us and in each of us! Alleluia!

It is Easter now.  During these 50 joyful days, we experience the unfolding effects of the Resurrection gradually but increasingly.

Now, we are experiencing the risen Christ living among  us in ekklesia and his presence in us makes our hearts burning, like the two disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24:32).  As our hearts on fire, we are on the phase II of our marathon training during the Eastertide – so that we can start our apostolic marathon on Pentecost.  The Easter marathon training (Phase II) , which starts from the empty tomb, is the continuation of the Lenten marathon training (Phase I), which started on Ash Wednesday and lead us to the Cross, through Via Dolorosa.

With the Cross as the climax, completing Jesus’ public ministry, the empty tomb of Jesus symbolizes the consummation of the Paschal Mystery.  While the Cross symbolizes the death of the Lord, and the empty tomb represents the Resurrection of the Lord. For us, the Cross is the crossroads of God’s salvific chesed to us and our agape for each other. God’s everlasting chesed (i.e. Psalm 136) is represented with the vertical line of the Cross, while our mutual agape, which reflects Mandatum Novum of Jesus (John 13:34), is represented  with the horizontal line of the Cross.  

Now, we have passed Via Dolorosa, which ended with the Cross, as we have done with the Phase I of our apostolic marathon training during Lent.  Having passed the Cross and moved to the empty tomb, we have started the Phase II of our marathon training.

As we continue our apostolic marathon training until Pentecost (actually taking it easy from the day of Ascension), being more empowered by the risen Christ in us, keeping our hearts burning with passion. With our hearts on fire, carrying our cross is no longer as heavy as it used.  Like the tomb was emptied, so did our heart emptied ego. Therefore, we can run much lighter now.

Let us keep running with our zeal for our apostolic marathon! Let us run joyfully, shouting, “Alleluia!”, as our Lord has risen! Let us run strong as we are entitled to eternal life!