Post-Resurrection Lesson from St. Mark’s Spiritual Growth from Failure

April 25 is the feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist, the man who allegedly wrote the Gospel of Mark, which is chronologically first written Gospel. And his feast day usually comes during Paschaltide.

Given his spiritual growth and his abilities to commit to his apostolic mission that we can recognize from the Acts of the Apostles, as well as, the Pauline epistle to the Colossians, and the First Petrine espistle, it is fitting to commemorate St. Mark (John Mark) and his life during Paschaltide.  It is because we are called to grow in our renewed faith upon the Resurrection of the Lord. As the disciples grew in their faith as they recognized the truth of the Resurrection, though they failed to do so at first upon seeing the empty tomb, they not only rejoiced but their understanding of the scriptures increased. Thus, their faith grew strong and mature enough to be commissioned for their apostolic mission on the day of Jesus’ ascension and to receive the Holy Spirit, the Power, to launch forth on their apostolic missions, as their encounters with risen Jesus.

Placing ourselves in the positions of the disciples, we, too, have personal encounters with risen Jesus for the first 40 days of Paschaltide, in order to be enlightened with the Word and renewed by the Holy Spirit in risen Jesus’ breath. This is an indispensable process during Paschaltide so that we can grow spiritually mature enough to be commissioned for our apostolic missions on the feast day of the Ascension and to be sent out to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature, to drive our demons, to lay hands pm the sick (Mark 16:15-18).

As a young man, Mark and his mother, Mary, witnessed how the disciples worked, as they gathered his house for prayer (i.e. Acts 12;12). When Paul began his first missionary journey, Mark and his cousin, Barnabas, joined, but Mark dropped out of the mission in Pisidia and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). And this turned his relationship with Paul rather sour (Acts 15:36-40). Perhaps, Mark was not spiritually mature enough to engage in a missionary work.

Mark did not end up to be a quitter, though. He obviously worked on his spiritual growth to strengthen his faith upon leaving Paul’s first mission journey. Perhaps, Peter mentored Mark, while other Apostles prayed and provided practical assistance to endure his growth. Because of this, Mark was restored by Paul as his trusted co-worker on a mission(2 Timothy 4:11; Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24).

When Peter wrote his first epistle from Babylon, Mark was mentioned affectionately (1 Peter 5:13). This makes it clear that Mark had a close relation to Peter. In his “Against Heresies”, St. Irenaeus of Lyon describes Mark as Peter’s interpreter.  And St. Clement of Alexandria wrote in his commentary on 1 Peter that Mark wrote his Gospel mainly based on what he learned from Peter. It indicates that Mark was not only a co-worker of Paul but also a follower of Peter.

Though we have received all three Sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation, and though we want to serve Christ, we find ourselves failing to fulfill our commitment to Christ’s will on us.  In this regard, we are like Mark who failed to keep his commitment to Christ through Paul’s first mission journey. What we need then is to work on our growth, so that we can be mature, enlightened, and strong enough to be commissioned and sent and to be re-commissioned and sent again, as necessary. Mark’s growth from his own dereliction to the exemplary fulfillment of his commitment to his mission shall be an inspiring model that we can reflect on and learn from.

It is important to note that Mark did not recover from his failure all alone or by chance. Not to mention, it was God’s grace that healed him and prompted his growth into the maturity. And the grace came through mainly Peter’s mentorship to guide Mark to his enlightenment with the Word and maturity with the Holy Spirit.  It is indicated in Peter calling Mark, “my son”(1 Peter 5:13). Otherwise, Mark might not reconcile with Paul, who seemed to have thought of him worthy to be on mission (i.e. Acts 15:38), and worked with him again (2 Timothy 4:11; Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24).

As the disciples needed to be retaught by risen Jesus after his Resurrection until the day of his Ascension for them to grow strong enough to be baptized with the Holy Spirit (e.g. Mark 1:7), and as Mark needed to be grow mature and enlightened to be restored after his failure, we, too, need to grow and enlightened during Paschaltide so that we will be commissioned and sent out to the world, preaching the Gospel of Jesus to all creation, driving out demons, removing obstacles to believing, and healing the sick for building the Kingdom of God (i.e. Mark 16:15-18).

Post-Resurrection “Object Constancy” for “Secure Attachment: A Case Study of Mary Magdalene's Anguish into Joy - Tuesday within Paschal Octave

The Sacred Scripture is a plethora of stories where God and humans interact, especially, in the New Testament, as God dwells among them as incarnated in the human flesh of Jesus. Therefore, it is helpful to read it through applicable psychological theories or concepts.  For the Gospel Reading of Tuesday within Paschal Octave (John 20:11-18), I have found that Margaret Mahler's concept of "object permanency", as well as, Jean Piaget's "object permanence" and "secure attachment" concept of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, can give helpful insights into the post-resurrection Paschaltide psychospiritual growth, with the case study of Mary Magdalene.

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During Paschal Octave, Gospel Readings are about the Resurrection and First Readings are drawn from the Acts of the Apostles, focusing on Peter upon Pentecost. This calls us to reflect and ponder how the resurrection of the Lord prepare us for Pentecost: How our renewal through the death and the resurrection of Jesus prepares us for our apostolic life upon Pentecost through charismatization. Keep this in mind as we engaged in the Word of God in Mass Scripture readings during the first eight days of Paschal Season.

Starting on Resurrection/ Paschal Sunday, lasting 50 days until Pentecost Sunday, Paschal Season is also the critical period to cultivate what Margaret Mahler calls “object constancy” so that we grow psychospiritually mature enough to be sent out to engage in our apostolic mission, as the Apostles did, reflected in the Acts of the Apostles. It means that we do the work of Jesus even though his physical presence is no longer recognized in our naked eyes after his ascension (i.e. John 14:12), as he did his Father’s work (i.e. John 5:17; 9:4).  We will be able to carry out the work of Jesus on his behalf even though he will not be visible to our naked eyes (John 14:12).

According to Margaret Mahler, “object constancy” is a milestone of psychological development in early childhood, no longer feeling anxious and left alone even though one’s primary caregiver (mother) is not physically seen in the immediate eyesight. It is because a child is able to internalize her presence. This developmental psychological concept makes a good case study with Mary Magdalene in the Gospel Reading of Tuesday within Paschal Octave (John 20:11-18). This is for us  to understand that Paschaltide is a critical period of our psychospiritual growth to have risen Jesus internalized as our object constancy (i.e. John 14:20; 15:4-11; 17:21, 23), not as a mere object to cling to (i.e. John 20:17a).

In this context, our primary object to form “object constancy” with, in other words, to internalize whose presence, is risen Jesus, who is to ascend in 40 days from the day of his resurrection (Acts 1:3) to complete his threefold glorification of death, resurrection, and ascension (i.e. Hebrews 2:9).

The Gospel Reading of Tuesday within Paschal Octave (John 20:11-18), which plugs in between the Gospel Reading of Paschal Sunday (John 20:1-9) and the Gospel Reading of the Second Sunday of Paschaltide (John 20:19-31), is about Mary Magdalene’s psychospritual growth from what Margaret Mahler describes as “separation-individuation” phase to “object constancy” through her encounter with the empty tomb of Jesus and risen Jesus.

According to John, it was Mary Magdalene who discovered that the cover stone of the tomb of Jesus was removed in the morning of the first day of the week, and she reported this matter to Peter and John, who rushed to the scene and saw the empty tomb, as read on Paschal Sunday (John 20:1-9). After that, Peter and John left the scene, but Mary Magdalene stayed outside the empty tomb, weeping (John 20:10-11).

It was not that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb of Jesus to see the resurrection but to make sure that his tomb was not disturbed or tampered to assure herself that his body was securely laid in the tomb. Had she ever been confident about the resurrection of Jesus, she would have responded to what she saw in the tomb and the man standing by her differently than what is described of her in the Gospel text.

Mary Magdalene remained very loyal to Jesus, as she followed him to the foot of his Cross with his mother, Mary, and her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas (John 19:25). She had been supporting Jesus and his public ministry early on, upon taken seven demons out of her by him (Luke 8:3). Given her closeness to Jesus, it is no surprise that she came to see his tomb early in the morning and did not feel like going home upon seeing his tomb empty. She was in anguish and weeping out of her grief by the tomb. In light of Margaret Mahler’s psychological theory, she was going through a chaotic condition in the separation-individuation phase before attaining object constancy by internalizing the presence of risen Jesus. This is also similar to Jean Piaget’s concept of “object permanence” to grow out of the sensorimotor phase and to move on to the preoperational phase in cognitive development. While Mahler’s “object constancy” is about internalizing an object dear to the person, “object permanence” is the ability of forming cognitive schema of such an object, whether the object is visibly recognizable or not, knowing that the object is not lost. And this is also a sign of developing what John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth describe as “secure attachment”.

At that time, Mary Magdalene was still in the “separation-individuation” phase before “object constancy” (Margaret Mahler) and “sensorimotor” phase fore “object permanence” (Jean Piaget). That is why her loyalty to Jesus was not yet based on the “secure attachment”(John Bowlby & Mary Ainsworth) but more like physical clinging.

The rest of the Gospel narrative (John 20:12-18) describes how Mary Magdalene began her transition from the “separation” side of the “separation-individuation” phase toward “object constancy”, as well as, “object permanence” , through her encounter with the two angels in the tomb and risen Jesus, to form “secure attachment” with him.

Feeling permanently separated from Jesus, Mary Magdalene was not just weeping. She could not help but peek into the tomb, so she bent over. Inside the tomb, two angels in white sitting in the tomb, one where Jesus’ head was placed and the other where his feet were (John 20:12).

Head was where kingly anointment was done, as reflected in David’s Psalm (Psalm 23:5; cf. 1 Samuel 16:13; cf. Ecclesiastes 9:8). And his feet were anointed by Mary of Bethany six days before Passover (John 12:1-3), for which he died as Paschal sacrifice lamb (John 19:31-42; cf. Exodus 12:1-14). And Jesus is the Davidic Messiah King (e.g. Matthew 1:1-16; 2 Samuel 7:5-16; Isaiah 11:1-16). Thus, the positions of the two angels sitting in Jesus’ empty tomb match where he was anointed.

And the angels asked her why she was weeping, and Mary Magdalene said, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him”(John 20:13).

She had no idea who took the body of Jesus away from his tomb in her assumption of the empty tomb. It means that the resurrection of Jesus foretold by him did not really registered in her, though she might have thought to believe it.

Mary Magdalene was still in the phase of separation-individuation, more of separation, thus, anxious about where the body of Jesus was while in her anguish of grief.

Then she turned around and actually saw risen Jesus in her naked eyes – but she did not recognize him as Jesus (John 20:14).

Why she did not recognize him?

In her physical eyes, Mary Magdalene sure saw Jesus but in her eyes of faith, no. And this is related to her assumption: the body of Jesus was taken by multiple persons, and it was because the resurrection was not registered in her. Thus, it was because her faith was not steadfast yet.

Jesus asked her, just as the angels did:

Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for? (John 20:15a).

Thinking that the very man, risen Jesus, in front of her, was a gardener, Mary Magdalene replied:

Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him (John 20:15b).

Then, Jesus said to her:

Mary! (John 20:16a)

In response, Mary Magdalene said to him:

Rabbouni! (John 20:16b).

See the change in Mary Magdalene’s psychological state at that moment.

Calling risen Jesus “rabbouni”, which means “teacher”(rabbi). But, rather than calling him “rabbi”, calling him “rabbouni” shows that Mary Magdalene had a strong affection to her “rabbi”, Jesus. He is her dear loving teacher. Not just a teacher.

Overwhelming joy replaced her anguish in finally recognizing risen Jesus.  So, she probably did not know that she was holding Jesus dearly, as she would not want to “lose” him again. She would not want to go through the anguish of grief over “losing” her beloved “rabbouni”.

But, Jesus said to her:

Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, “I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17).

Why did Jesus have to say such a thing to Mary Magdalene as if he would not want to share her joy of discovering the real presence of him?

In fact, Jesus wanted his dear student, Mary Magdalene, to grow psychospiritually, for the time after his ascension to the Father so that she, too, would receive the Holy Spirit on Pentecost together with the rest of his disciples (John 16:7). He did not want her to weep again upon his ascension. He wanted her to develop “object constancy”, as well as, “object permanence”, internalizing his presence, which is omnipresence, for having “secure attachment” with him. The process toward the “secure attachment” through “object constancy”, as well as, “object permanence”, by internalization is actually what Jesus was calling his disciples for.

So, Jesus said to the disciples during the Last Supper:

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me (John 14:1).

This is the first step to make transition from “separation-individuation” phase toward “object constancy”.

Jesus said further:

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you (John 14:16-20).

Jesus assures that not seeing his physical presence does not mean that they are separated from him. He remains with them through another Advocate (ἄλλον Παράκλητον/allon Parakleton) (John 14:16), namely the Holy Spirit upon Pentecost (i.e. John 16:7), as he himself is the Advocate (Παράκλητος/Parakletos)(1 John 2:1).   The word, “Παράκλητος/Parakletos” literally means a person who is called to be close to someone:  para(παρά) (besides, close to) +  kaleo (καλέω)(called to be). The Παράκλητος/Parakletos remains with us, in the flesh of Jesus, upon his resurrection, and comes to us in the Holy Spirit, as another Advocate, after his physical presence ascends to the Father. And this is all possible because of the homoousios between Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In fact, this is within the Trinitarian hypostatic union of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as Jesus the Son and the Father are in consubstantial oneness (John 10:30), as Jesus is in the Father, and He in him (John 10:38; 14:10-11).  This means that Jesus the Son always has the Father as his “object constancy”, as well as, his “object permanence”, having the Father internalized. This is why Jesus has testified:

I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me (John 8:16).

The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him (John 8:29).

But, nobody saw the Father with Jesus but only Jesus physically, because he was referring to his homoousios with the Father in his consubstantial oneness in the hypostatic union, as he is in the Father, He in him (John 10:38; 14:10-11),  reflecting Jesus’ “object constancy” with the Father. And Jesus wants his disciples to have such a union with him, namely, by internalizing his presence, forming “object constancy” for “secure attachment” by saying:

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you (John 14:20).

In other words, Jesus called the disciples to form “object constancy” by internalizing him, as he has internalized the Father for “object constancy” to know that he is always with Him, whether he is with Him in heaven or he is sent to the earth to be with them.

And this “object constancy” of Jesus by internalizing him also means to have “secure attachment” with him, as these words of Jesus reflect:

Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 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 15:4-5).

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 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 (John 15:7-10).

In Jesus’ prayer to the Father for his disciples at the end of the Last Supper, Jesus reiterated his desire on us to have him internalized for “object constancy”:

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. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me (John 17:21-23).

Because Mary Magdalene is Jesus’ dear and loyal disciple-student, the same applied to her.

Thus, through her encounter with risen Jesus and his call for “object constancy”, Mary Magdalene goes through “object constancy”,  she became fit for “secure attachment” with Jesus. And the physical presence of risen Jesus for 40 days until his ascension to the Father served as the “transitional object”. And by the time of Jesus’ ascension, Mary Magdalene and the rest of the disciples were to develop “object constancy” of Jesus, having him internalized, as he in them, them in him, just as he in the Father, He in him, for having secure attachment with him. This way, their faith is strong enough to receive the Holy Spirit on Pentecost to be sent out to make disciples of all nations without worries as they know he is always with them (Matthew 28:19-20).

Mary Magdalene had to learn from risen Jesus that he was not an object for her to cling to physically but rather to be internalized for “object constancy” to form “secure attachment”, which is transcendental and eternal.

As she began transitioning to this, her anguish of grief was replaced with elating joy. So, she gleefully announced, “I have seen the Lord!”(John 20:18).

Fast-forwarding beyond Pentecost, in the First Reading (Acts 2:36-41), we see how Peter, who successfully formed “secure attachment” to risen Jesus, through “object permanency” by internalizing him, confidently gave testimony to him. And, this netted 3,000 new disciples to let the nascent Church grow. But, Peter may owe this not only to Jesus but also to Mary Magdalene, because it was she who called his attention to the resurrection (John 20:2, 17-18).

Lumen Christi Paschalis vs Tenebris Malum in Mundo - Monday within the Paschal Octave

There is a contrast between the glorious and joyous light of the resurrection (vv.8-10) and the darkness that tried to cover-up the truth of the resurrection (vv. 11-15) in the Gospel Reading of Monday of Paschal Octave (Matthew 28:8-15).

At the dawn of the first day of the week, after Passover sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, who can be Mary the mother of James and Joseph (Matthew 27:56), came to see the tomb of Jesus (Matthew 28:1). And a great earthquake happened as an angel of the Lord descended and rolled back the stone of the tomb (Matthew 28:2). The angel, whose appearance was like lightning and whose clothing was white as snow (Matthew 28:3), told the women about the resurrection of Jesus and instructed them to tell the disciples of the resurrection and to go to Galilee to meet risen Jesus (Matthew 28:5-7). In the meantime, the Roman soldiers who were guarding the tomb were mortified (Matthew 28:4).

The women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, were fearful but overjoyed, to have learned that Jesus’ tomb was empty because of his resurrection, and ran to announce it to the disciples, as told by the angel of the Lord (Matthew 28:8). While these women were running from the tomb to where the disciples were, risen Jesus appeared and greeted them, and they did him homage and embraced his feet (Matthew 28:9). And Jesus said to Mary and the other Mary:

Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me (Matthew 28:10).

And the disciples went to Galilee and were commissioned for their apostolic missions to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20).

Galilee was where Jesus began his public ministry and where he recruited these eleven disciples (Matthew 4:12-25). Judas was the only one from Judea, and he had committed suicide by that time after betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:3-10).

Starting  anew after the resurrection in Galilee, where it all started, tells that the resurrection of Jesus was to renew the pastoral life of his disciples for their apostolic mission upon Pentecost. And, this strain of events from fearful encounter with the empty tomb to joyful encounter with risen Jesus reflects the beginning of the new joyful light of the resurrection.  This is symbolically represented with the lightening of a new paschal candle at Paschal Vigil Mass, as Lumen Christi .

In contrast, there was the darkness trying to cover Lumen Christi of the resurrection by the religious leaders in Jerusalem, who conspired the Roman authority to have Jesus killed.

The day after the death and burial of Jesus, the chief priests and the Pharisees asked Pilate to send some of his soldiers to guard Jesus’ tomb until the third day from his death, because he said he would rise again after three days (Matthew 27:62-64a; cf. Matthew 16:21). And they said to Pilate that the disciples of Jesus would come and steal the body and make a deceptive public announcement of the resurrection (Matthew 27:64b).

They are the wicked people mentioned by Peter (Acts 2;23), and they are not only the evil to have Jesus killed but also tried to prevent the resurrection from being known. They are enemies not only to Christ but also the resurrection.

The wicked did not want Jesus to be around. So, they forged the blasphemy charge (e.g. Exodus 20:7; 22:28; Leviticus 24;16) against Jesus by means of false witnesses, though their attempts to find false evidence did not succeed (Matthew 26:59-68). But when they brought Jesus to Pilate the Roman governor, they fabricated a different charge against him, “the king of the Jew”, in addition to the charge of calling himself the Christ, though Pilate did not find any of these charges to be warranted (Matthew 27:11-24). Sensing that Pilate did not find the case against Jesus, these wicked religious leaders kept pushing him to execute Jesus, by turning the crowd into fanatic mob, persistently demanding Pilate to execute Jesus, to the point that he had to give in (Matthew 27:22-26).

The wicked did everything they could do to silence Jesus – even it takes them to violate the Law that they taught (e.g. Exodus 20:16; Leviticus 19:11, 15; Deuteronomy 5:20; 18:18) and used to fabricate the blasphemy charge against him .

Some of the Roman soldiers who were guarding the tomb of Jesus reported to the incident of the empty tomb to the chief priests, and they bribed the soldiers to make false testimony that the disciples of Jesus stole his body from the tomb in the night while they were sleeping, upon their consultation with the elders (Matthew 28:11-13). And these wicked leaders, servants of the darkness, assured the soldiers that they would not be accused for what was paid by them: making false testimony about the body of Jesus (Matthew 28:14). The wicked bribed the Roman soldiers to lie about the body of Jesus, as stolen by the disciples, so that people would not believe in Jesus and his resurrection. Because of this, the resurrection of Jesus has been a matter of controversy (i.e. Matthew 28:15).

This is just like the Newton’s third law: the principle of force and counterforce.  In reaction to the Lumen Christi Paschalis of joy and renewal, the evil darkness of the wicked tried to obscure this light.

As disciples of Jesus today, we are in constant battle with the darkness in the world. We carry reflect the Lumen Christi Paschalis, as the light of the world through our good deeds against evil and injustice of the world (i.e. Matthew 5:14-16). It is our mission to make children of light out of the darkness in the world (i.e. Ephesians 5:8), and this is one way to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).

Would the Empty Tomb be Enough Evidence to be Convinced of the Resurrection? Paschal Sunday

This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad! (Psalm 118:24, Responsorial Psalm refrain for Paschal Sunday) Praise and give thanks to God! (Isaiah 12:4-5) Alleluia!

But, on that early morning of the Resurrection, who was rejoicing?

According to the Gospel Readings of Paschal Vigil (Matthew 28:1-10(A); Mark 16:1-8 (B); Luke 24:1-12 (C) ) and Paschal Sunday (John 20;1-9), it all began with anxious confusion about the missing body of Jesus upon discovering that his tomb was empty.

Imagine – you visit the grave of a person dear to you, bringing some flowers. Then you discover that the grave is a hole in his grave, as if it were dug out. And you see the buried casket open and empty. Would you rejoice at the grave? Would you be glad that this person dear to you had resurrected? Perhaps, your first thought would be who dug the grave and stole the body.

It was just how the disciples started their journey to come to terms with the Resurrection of the Lord. They began with fearsome confusion about the empty tomb, wondering why the body of Jesus was missing there.

What does it tell you about the disciples, including Mary Magdalene?

Do you think that they really believed what Jesus had foretold about his suffering, death and resurrection?

Are we also like them, thinking that we think we believe but not really sure?

Matthew tells us that Jesus spoke to his disciples of the prospect of  his suffering, death, and resurrection four times before entering in his passion to death (Matthew 16:21-28:17:22-23; 20:17-19;26:1-2). Despite this, none of the disciples really believe the resurrection.  If they had believed, then, they would have rejoiced upon seeing the empty tomb.

In the Gospel Reading of Paschal Sunday (Resurrection Sunday)(John 20:1-9), we see chain reactions of confusion and fear being passed on from Mary Magdalene, who first discovered the tomb to be empty to Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved, namely, John.  She thought that someone taken the body of Jesus out of the tomb (John 20:2). Having learned from Mary Magdalene about Jesus’ tomb to be empty, Peter and John raced to the tomb. John ran faster than Peter (John 20:4). Why? Because Peter’s heart was very heavy with the guilt of denying Jesus three times (John 18:15-18, 25-27), as foretold by Jesus during the Last Supper (John 13:36-38).

John only bent down and saw that the tomb as empty, left with Jesus’ burial cloths, but did not enter (John 20:5). On the other hand, Peter actually entered the empty tomb and saw the same (John 20:6).

This makes a contrast to the fact that John entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus, but Peter did not enter and stayed at the gate outside, on the night before Jesus’ death (John 18:15-16a). Then, John came out and spoke to the gatekeeper and let Peter in (John 18:16b). John was known to the high priest but Peter was not (John 18:15, 16).

Peter did not follow Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, while John did when Jesus was taken there for the inquisition by Annas for Caiaphas the high priest, until John came to asked the gatekeeper to let him in (John 18:12-24). Peter entered the empty tomb of Jesus. But John did not enter (John 20:4-6).

Why was this?

Though the fact that John was an acquaintance to the high priest, Caiaphas (John 18:15-16) made it easier for him to enter the courtyard of the high priest, a true reason for Peter not to enter at first was the same reason why he could not run as fast as John in coming to the tomb of Jesus. It was because Peter was more with fear, compared to John. Peter was prone to fear even before feeling guilty by denying Jesus.

When Peter entered the empty tomb, he saw the burial cloths of Jesus were neatly placed (John 20:7). So, this indicates that the tomb of Jesus was not robbed. It shows that Mary Magdalene’s assumption of the body of Jesus to be taken away was less credible. If the body of Jesus was taken by a grave robber, then, the burial cloths would be scattered.

Then, finally John entered and saw the neatly placed burial cloths of Jesus, and believed that Jesus rose from the dead as foretold (John 20:8), though neither he nor Peter understood the scripture that foretold the Messiah had to rise from the dead (john 20:9).

Where in the Scripture prophesizes the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah?

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let your devout one see the pit.  You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever (Psalm 16:10-11).

Because of his anguish he shall see the light; because of his knowledge he shall be content; My servant, the just one, shall justify the many, their iniquity he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the many, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, Because he surrendered himself to death, was counted among the transgressors, Bore the sins of many, and interceded for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:11-12).

Though Peter was left in confusion and fear with his heavy heart of guilt for denying Jesus, John believed the resurrection without seeing the body of the risen Jesus.

So, nobody rejoiced in the morning of the resurrection. But, John believed that the empty tomb with Jesus’ burial cloths neatly folded and placed in the empty tomb, meant the resurrection.

In the Gospel Reading of the following Sunday (Second Sunday of Paschal Season)(John 20:19-31), contrast John in this Sunday’s Gospel (John 20:1-9) to Thomas, who did not believe in the resurrection even though he saw the body of risen Jesus – until he actually put his hand to the wound marks on the body of risen Jesus.

Jesus said:

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed (John 20:29).

Though not yet rejoicing, at least John began to believe without seeing the body of risen Jesus.

Imagine that you were one of the disciples and followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem. You had heard Jesus foretelling his suffering, death, and resurrection multiple times. After the death of Jesus, after the burial of his body in the tomb, you came back to his tomb and discovered that it was empty, with his burial cloths neatly placed.

Would you believe that Jesus had actually resurrected as he foretold? Would the empty tomb with Jesus’ burial cloths neatly place be enough to be convinced that he rose from the dead? Or would you need more physical evidence to believe?

Whether you would be more like John or Thomas depends on your faith. And it determines whether you rejoice sooner or later.

Last Supper - Jesus Institutes the Sacrament of the Eucharist - Spy Wednesday: Wednesday of Holy Week

Wednesday of Holy Week is known as “Spy Wednesday”.  It is because Judas made a deal with the chief priests to serve as their spy to have Jesus to kill, in the first part (Matthew 26:14-16) of the Gospel Reading of this day (Mathew 26:14-25). In the late evening of the next day, he sure brought those who wanted to kill Jesus to his presence to have him arrested (Matthew 26:47-48). As the chief priests’ “spy” Judas served the wicked people, who wanted to kill Jesus, betraying the one whom he should serve.

What follows Spy Wednesday is Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday because it was when Jesus gave his new commandment (mandatum novum).

According to Matthew, as well as, Mark and Luke, the Last Supper (the Lord’s Supper) was held as Passover Seder, which is held after sundown of the 14^th day of the month of Nisan, to begin the seven-day feast of the Unleavened Bread (Matthew 26:17// Mark 14:12//Luke 22:7; cf. Exodus 12:6-20; Leviticus 23:4-8; Numbers 28:16-25; Deuteronomy 16:1-8). On the other hand, John indicates the Last Supper was held on the night before the night of Passover (John 13:1-2), as he describes the death of Jesus on Good Friday in light of the Paschal lamb sacrifice which needs to be done to prepare for the Passover night (John 19:31-42).

This difference on the date of Passover between the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and the Johannine Gospel has something to do with what each evangelist wants to emphasize. Matthew, Mark, and Luke emphasize the institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30//Mark 14:12-26// Luke 22:7-23. In this, the bread that Jesus broke and distributed to his disciples as his body to be eaten is the ultimate Passover matzo, And the cup of wine, which he raised and passed on to them is the cup of the new covenant (Luke 22:20) and the ultimate Passover wine.  On the other hand, John portrays the Last Supper as the table fellowship for teaching. This is why John puts the Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet to teach the servant leadership (John 13:1-17) in connection to his new commandment to love one another (John 13:34-35), and his extended discourse and prayer over the Supper (John 13:31-17:26). Then John describes the death of Jesus as the slaughtering the Passover lamb during the day of preparation before the sundown to start Passover (John 19:28-42).

With the above background, let us look into the second part of the Gospel Reading on Spy Wednesday (Matthew 26:17-35), the Lord’s Supper (Last Supper) (vv. 17-29) and Jesus foretelling Peter’s denial upon moving to the Mount of Olives (vv. 30-35).

It was the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread when the disciples asked Jesus where to make Passover Seder dinner preparation (Matthew 26:17). It means that they asked Jesus about the Seder preparation during the day time of the day when Passover was celebrated in its evening to begin the seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread to commemorate God’s deliverance of the Israelites from the misery of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:6-20; Leviticus 23:4-8; Numbers 28:16-25; Deuteronomy 16:1-8).

Knowing the fast-approaching hour of his passion into death, just as he had prearranged for his ceremonial entry into Jerusalem so that his disciples could bring a donkey and her colt to him (Matthew 21:1-7), Jesus  had prearranged for the last Passover Seder supper so that his disciples could prepare smoothly (Matthew26:18-19).

The day of the preparation ends with the sunset, and Passover sabbath begins in the evening to start the seven-day fast of Unleavened Bread.

The evening before his death came, Jesus reclined at the dinner table with his twelve disciples, and the Seder dinner began (Matthew 26:20). While the disciples were eating, Jesus announced about the betrayer:

Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me (Matthew 26:21).

Then, the disciples reacted rather defensively, saying to Jesus and to one another, “Surely, it is not I, Lord? “(Matthew 26:22).

Imagine how anxious the disciples became with the sudden announcement of the betrayer to be among them.

So, Jesus stated a bit more about the betrayer:

He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me (Matthew 26;23; cf. John 13:26).

Jesus’ words, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me” means fellowship. It was a custom to reflect fellowship to dip fingers together into the dish, like charoset.

Given that all the disciples dipped their fingers into the dish for the table fellowship with Jesus,  it was not certain as to who the traitor would be, at that point. However, Jesus made it clear that the one who would betray him was in this fellowship, as to fulfill these words of David:

Even my trusted friend who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me  (Psalm 41:10).

Dipping finger into the same dish is rather synonymous to sharing the bread, to express mutual trust and fellowship with affection, as reflected in these coating words of Boaz to Ruth:

Come here and have something to eat; dip your bread in the sauce (Ruth 3:14).

So, Jesus was telling that the betrayer was present at the Passover Seder table of fellowship, among the disciples, among those who were so close to him and to each other.

Imagine and feel the tension in the air at that moment.

Jesus continued on:

The Son of Man indeed goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born (Matthew 26:24).

Jesus knew that he was about to fulfill the fourth servant song in the Book of Isaiah 52:13-53:12), referring it to be written about him – his passion, death, and resurrection. And he also knew not only Judas was ready to betray him but also he would condemn himself later for his treacherous act (Matthew 27:3-10; cf. Acts 1;16-20). Jesus knew that Judas could not be saved. For this reason, he lamented that it would have been better if Judas had not been born.

Judas knew that Jesus was speaking of him though the rest of the disciples had no ideal whom Jesus was referring as the betrayer.

So Judas said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”(Matthew 26:25a).

There is a sense of sarcasm in this statement of Judas. By calling Jesus “Rabbi”, Judas was somewhat emotionally distant from Jesus, while Peter and the rest of the disciples called him “Lord”.

And Jesus replied:

You have said so (Matthew 26:25b).

Judas knew that he was the one to betray. But he tried to make himself look just like any other disciples. It tells what type of person that Judas was.

Then, Jesus proceeded to institute the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, first, taking bread, which is matzah, not puffed leavened bread, blessing it, and breaking it and giving it to the disciples, and saying:

Take and eat; this is my body (Matthew 26:26).

At that time, nobody asked Jesus what he meant by his body to be eaten by giving the bread that he blessed and broke. It was because they already heard him speaking of his flesh as the living bread of life back in Galilee (John 6:35-40, 43-51, 53-58).

Then, taking a cup and giving thanks, Jesus said:

Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father (Matthew 26:27-29).

There are four cups of wine for Passover Seder, reflecting the four promised that God made to Moses, according to the Tulmud, based on Exodus 6:6-7:

I will remove you from the burdens of Egypt.

I will save you from their bondage.

I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments.

I will take you to be my people and I will be your God.

It is not certain which one of the four cups that Jesus took. Nevertheless, the cup that Jesus took had its roots in the four redemptive promises of God to the Israelites from the slavery in Egypt. The redemption of the Israelites from the slavery in Egypt was an old covenant. Now at the Lord’s Supper, Jesus was making it the new Passover Seder to establish the new covenant with the cup that he gave thanks to. And it is for forgiveness of sin – to redeem us from the slavery of sin (i.e. John 8:34).

No question was raised about how Passover Seder wine is related to the blood of Jesus as the disciples had already heard about the life-giving nature of Jesus’ blood for eternal life of those who drink (John 6:53-56; cf. Diary of St. Faustina, 299). Under the old covenant, it was the blood of the Passover sacrificial lamb that protected those whose houses were marked with it so that they would not perish in Egypt (Exodus 12:13). Under the new covenant, which is the blood of Jesus, who is the Lamb of God (John 1:29), its redemptive power is to deliver us from the slavery of sin (i.e. Revelation 1:5).

In reference to his discourse on the living bread of life (John 6:35-58), thus, Jesus established the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist with the species of Passover unleavened bread, matzah, and Passover wine as his body of flesh and his blood, to sustain life for eternal life, for forgiveness and freedom from sin. Given the thanksgiving nature of Passover Seder, expressing gratitude for redeeming from the slavery in Egypt, this new Passover Seder, which is the Lord’s Supper, was to thank God for redeeming offspring of Adam and Eve from the bonds of sins through the body and the blood of His Son, sent to us, incarnated in the human flesh of Jesus. This is why the body and the blood of Jesus, in the species of the unleavened Passover matzah and Passover kosher wine, is called the Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving” (εὐχαριστία/eucharistia – eu (well), charizesthai (to show favor).

Jesus commanded the disciples to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of him until his return. It means that we celebrate the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in remembering him, especially in his discourse on the living bread of life (John 6:35-58) and at this supper (e.g. Matthew 26:26-29), until his return as the King of the Universe to have the heavenly feast (Revelation 19:1-17).

After the establishment of the Holy Eucharist at the Lord’s Supper, singing a hymn, perhaps, citing from Psalm 118, Jesus and the disciples moved from the Upper Room (Cenacle) to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30). Then Jesus said, citing Zechariah 13:7:

This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed’; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee (Matthew 26:31-32).

In the Book of Zechariah, the shepherd to be stricken by God is a bad shepherd, who was rather detrimental to God’s people. However, in citing from Zechariah, the shepherd to be stricken is Jesus himself, who is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14). And he was about to be stricken by those who were evil. And sheep in this context is his disciples, who would be scattered upon their shepherd’s arrest (Matthew 26:56).

There is an interesting contrast between Zechariah 13:7 and the way Jesus quoted to foretell his death in Matthew 26:31b. Though it was a bad shepherd to be stricken by God (Zechariah 13:7), it is Jesus the Good Shepherd (John 10:10, 14) to be stricken by God as he made himself sin for us in order to save us (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is how the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the salvation of the sheep under his care (John 10:14-18) to fulfill the prophesy in Isaiah 53:3-12.

And the Good Shepherd expressed his desire to meet back in Galilee upon his Resurrection. Perhaps, it was because Galilee was where his public ministry with the disciples started. So, it suggests that Jesus wanted to renew the public ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem with the disciples upon his Resurrection so that they would be ready to receive the Holy Spirit and be sent out to all nations from Jerusalem on their Apostolic missions(Matthew 28:19). And when he was risen from the dead, Jesus told Mary Magdalene to tell the rest of the disciples to go to Galilee to meet him (Matthew 28:1-10).

Sensing his death was rather imminent, Jesus once again, foretold of his death and resurrection to his disciples. But, he was confident that the Father would be with him and ensures his strength to go through his passion and death, as reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 50:4-9a).

Obviously, Peter is the most sensitive and vocal about Jesus among the disciples. And this time, he sensed that the stricken shepherd would mean Jesus’ death. So, he said:

Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be (Matthew 26:33).

Peter meant well for Jesus. He wanted to stand out for his loyalty to his master. But, Jesus knew that Peter’s faith was not strong enough - yet.

So, Jesus said to Peter:

Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times (Matthew 26:34).

Jesus knew that Peter’s faith was not firm enough to withstand fear and anxiety. He sure remembered how Peter failed to walk on the water because of his weak faith subject to doubt (Matthew 14:25-31).

But, Peter, must have felt underestimated by Jesus. So he protested, saying:

Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you (Matthew 26:36).

And the other disciples echoed.

Peter and the rest of the disciples, except Judas, meant well in pledging their loyalty to the point of martyrdom. But they just did not have the necessary strengths because their faith was not made firm and steadfast by the Holy Spirit yet. For this, Jesus had to die, to be raised, and ascend – so that the Holy Spirit would be poured upon them to empower and make their faith firm (i.e. John 16:7; Acts 1:8).

If Peter were to be true to his words of loyalty for Jesus, he would be like the servant reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 50:4-9a). But, Jesus, his Lord delivered him from the timidity by laying his life down and offering his body and blood. And, Jesus, our Lord, does the same for us so that we are free from fear – even we would go through suffering to death.

Two Types of Servants: Betrayer and Denier – Tuesday of Holy Week

 In the Gospel Reading of Tuesday of Holy Week (John 13: 21-33. 36-38), we see how Judas Iscariot was activated by Satan to prepare his treacherous act against Jesus (vv. 21-33) and Jesus foretelling Peter’s denials (vv.36-38) during the Lord’s Supper.

Sensing that the it was almost the hour that he would enter into his Passion toward death, during the Supper, as prophesized in the fourth servant song in the Book of Isaiah (52:13-53:12), Jesus was in distress and announced to the disciples that one of them would betray him.

This is like a dropping a bomb at the dinner table, as it was during the time that Jesus and the disciples were dining together after having the disciple’s feet washed clean (John 13:1-20). In fact, during the washing of the disciples’ feet, Jesus already hinted about the presence of the betrayer among them, by saying:

Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so that you are clan, but not all. Not all of you are clean (John 13:10-11).

Then, at the supper, Jesus further spoke of the betrayer more specifically:

I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me”. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me (John 13:18-21).

Then Jesus said, “Not all of you are clean”(John 13:11), none of the disciples seemed to be so concerned about this matter, as they were having their feet washed by Jesus. But, as the supper began, in response to Jesus’ more specific words on the betrayers, “The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me”(John 13:18), the disciples reacted with great anxiety as to whom Jesus was referring as the betrayer. So, John, prompted by Peter, asked Jesus who that would be (John 13:25). And Judas left the supper. Thus, Jesus’ words, “The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me”(John 13:18) began to be fulfilled.

And Jesus answered:

It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it (John 13:26).

And Jesus dipped the morsel into the cup of wine and handed it over to Judas, and Satan entered him, activating him to begin preparing for his treacherous act against Jesus (John 13:26-27a). Then, Jesus urged Judas to do what he had intended to do against him (John 13:27b).

Judas received the dipped morsel from Jesus at the Supper. In this action, Jesus showed his endearment to him, as Boaz called his beloved Ruth to share his morsel with her dipped in the cup (Ruth 2:14), though knowing of his betrayal to be imminent. It seems that Jesus wanted to show Judas that he always loved him, even though he was to betray him soon, through this intimate table fellowship gesture of sharing the morsel dipped in the cup with him.  

Even to that point, the disciples seemed to have no clue about Judas to betray Jesus, as they thought that he left the dinner table for an errand as he was in charge of money (John 13:28-29). And it was night (John 13:30). But, it was not simply when the evening darkness had fallen but marked the beginning of the spiritual darkness that Judas’ betrayal would bring and in which Jesus would go into his Passion to death. And this darkness is reflected in the Tenebrae service that takes place on Holy Thursday night.

After Judas left, Jesus said:

Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in Himself, and He will glorify him at once (John 13:31-33).

What did Jesus mean by these words about himself?

Jesus now signals that the time for his glorification process begun as the spiritual darkness began to fall, and the glorification points to his death on the Cross, his Resurrection, and his Ascension. And this was echoed as Jesus began his final prayer at the end of the supper (John 17:1), and he confirmed the glorification during his prayer shortly before his arrest (John 17:10).

Why is his death to be glorification? It is because his life will be hidden in the Father upon his death until his Resurrection – just as our lives will be hidden in him upon our death (Colossians 3:3). In fact, Jesus had already shown the preview of the glory in his Resurrection during his Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8//Mark 9:2-8//Luke 9:28-36). And, the glorification completed with his Ascension (1 Timothy 3:16; cf. John 7:39; 16:7).

Jesus had already touched upon his glorification by the Father during his argument with his accusers (John 8:54). He also mentioned this to the crowd in Jerusalem earlier during his last week before his Passion (John 12:28-29).

So, Jesus said to the disciples remaining at the supper:

My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, “Where I go you cannot come”(Jon 13:33).

Now Jesus indicates the imminence of his departure, which has two-fold meaning: his death (John 13:36-37) and his return to the Father through Ascension (John 7:33; 8:21-23).

And Jesus gave the remaining disciples his new commandment to love one another as he had loved them, as a mark of their discipleship (John 13:34-35).

Then, Peter asked Jesus where he would go (John 13:36), in regard to the statement indicative of his departure (John 13:33). Peter also said to Jesus, “Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you” (John 13:37).

It is obvious that Peter really wanted to follow Jesus – though he would soon prove that all he had for Jesus was mere feeling but he did not have the necessary spiritual strengths to truly love Jesus with all his life.

So, Jesus foretold Peter of his denials:

Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times (John 13:38).

In the Gospel Reading (John 13:21-33, 36-38), we peak into the scene of Holy Thursday with two themes: betrayal by Judas and denial by Peter. Both Judas and Peter were disciples whom Jesus picked.

Prior to the scene of the Gospel Reading of this day (John 13:21-33, 36-38), Jesus was teaching the disciples that service to one another, symbolized with washing the feet, as demonstrated by their servant-master, Jesus (John 13:1-17). And Jesus capped the service as an act of love in his new commandment (John 13:34-35). So, we have two servants in the Gospel Reading: Judas and Peter, to reflect on.

Judas turned out to be a servant who betrays the master, while Peter was the servant to deny his affiliation with his master three time. Judas’ betrayal was motivated by his greed (i.e. John 12:6). It suggests that Judas was not loyal to Jesus, and perhaps, he did not have much affection for Jesus as he followed Jesus for his personal advantage. That is why he was able to “sell” Jesus for some cash for his money bag (Matthew 26:14-16). Had he believed in Jesus, he would be too afraid to betray God. But because of his lack of faith, Judas could have thought it was like one of these human trafficking business. On the other hand, Peter really loved Jesus in a way to be his number one disciple. That is why he pledged to be the most loyal disciple to die for him (John 13:37). Peter meant well. But, he was not really thinking when he said that. And he did not know himself well when he made that pledge of loyalty to Jesus. He did not know that he lacked the substance to die for Jesus. And he was not ready to die for him until he received the power, namely, the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 1:8; 2:1-14; 4:8-29). Peter was always faithful, but his faith was not strong enough at the time of Lord’s supper. So, he was afraid to be arrested for his association with Jesus. But, he just could not forget about his beloved master, Jesus. That is why he followed Jesus from the distance (John 18:15-18, 25-27).

The First Reading (Isaiah 49:1-6), which is drawn from the second servant song in the Book of Isaiah (49:1-13). And this reflects what kind of servant Jesus is to his Father, who sent him. In this, we can see that Jesus put his steadfast trust in his “master”, his Father. And he knew that his service to the Father leads to the glory (Isaiah 49:3).

What about us?

We say we are Christians. So, we go to church. We read the Bible. And we do our best to do as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. But, are we serving our Lord with humility and love, as exemplified by Mary of Bethany (John 12:1-11)? Are we serving him as Jesus served his Father? Or did we become Christians for certain self-serving reason, as Judas joined the discipleship? Is our trust in the Lord strong enough to die for him, as Peter had to learn?