Jesus Our Good Shepherd In Good And Bad Times!

 (Homily for the 4^th Sunday of Easter Year A)

     In today’s readings, Jesus speaks to us in different capacities, in the first and the second readings He spoke to us through St. Peter. But in the Gospel we listened to Jesus himself, who spoke to us in first person: “I am the good shepherd; I am the door.” The Gospel passage began with the phrase: “At that time, Jesus said”. That is so many years ago, to few persons with different mentality and problems from ours. But in the same Gospel we see the actuality of the words of Jesus, for immediately after that phrase he continued: “Truly, truly, I say to you…” therefore he is referring to us in the here and now, no longer only to few listeners so many years ago. He speaks to us as his present disciples. He said he came so that we will have life and have it abundantly. This is the consoling message of today’s gospel. He speaks to us, He is here with us for our fullness of life.

     Jesus as the Door of the Sheepfold is a metaphor that synthesizes the message of today. In the Gospel He says of himself: “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheepfold” (Jn. 10:7). St. Peter in the first reading exhorts his listeners: “Repent and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for sins to be forgiven” (Acts 2:38). Repentance and baptism no doubt are the door through which we come to experience life in Christ and enter into the Christian community (cf. CCC 1213-1214). In the second reading, Peter writes to the Christian community of Asia Minor reminding them: “you had gone astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1Pt. 2:25). This image epitomizes the life, mission and work of Jesus. It exemplifies the features of his authority and leadership. However, in today’s Gospel Jesus lays emphasis more on the image of “door”, the door through which we go in and out to find pasture. The episode of the Gospel is the fulfillment and realization of the prophecy of Ezekiel thus: “As I live, I swear it, declares the Lord Yahweh, since my flock has been pillaged and for lack of a shepherd is now the prey of every wild animal. For the Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I myself shall take care of my flock and look after it. As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is with his scattered sheep, so shall I look after my sheep” (Ez. 34: 8.11-12). However, it behooves us to affirm that the Good Shepherd is not only a model for the clergy and the religious; He is the model for us all in all our tasks.

     Reflecting upon today’s Gospel passage (Jn. 10:1-10), the tenth chapter of the fourth Gospel, we may well affirm that St. John used different images which tend to explain the reality of the Christian community, of the Church and her head: sheepfold, door, shepherd etc. The allegory of the sheepfold is a representation of the community of the faithful in Christ. Jesus is the door of the sheepfold, the Shepherd, as opposed to the mercenary, the Pharisees (cf. Jn. 9:13), or false doctors and prophets. The Gospel passage is made of two parables, the first (vv.1-3a) pictures a sheepfold into which two parties seek to enter, a thief and the Shepherd himself; while the second (vv.3b-5) depicts the relationship that exists between the sheep and the Shepherd and the stranger. The Johannine Christ identified himself with the Door and the Shepherd. However, the identifications of Jesus as Door and Shepherd point to the fact that the risen Christ is He who nourishes his people through his word and sacraments, and gives them abundant life. Jesus is the Good Shepherd that shows concern and mercy to the dejected crowd, and this is the distinguishing mark of the Good Shepherd in the Gospels of Mathew and Mark, “And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd (Mt. 9:36); “so as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mk. 6:34).

      In this Gospel passage, we see a detailed presentation of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus himself explains the intimate relationship that exists between the sheep and the Shepherd. In the subsequent verses, he talks about a mutual knowledge that co-exists between the Shepherd and the sheep: “I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (v.14). Not just a mutual knowledge but also a personified knowledge: “the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out” (v.3). He knows his sheep individually and calls each one by name. It is indeed a personified knowledge that reveals the level of love and care that He has towards his sheep. Every one of his sheep is unique and irreplaceable because each has its name (identity). As such, it is not a relationship where one is active, and the other is passive, not a subject-object relationship, but in the vocabulary of Martin Buber an “I-Thou” relationship. That is the type of relationship that should co-exist between the Shepherd and the sheep; else the sheep may listen and follow pseudo-shepherds.

      We would like to focus our attention a little on those Jesus defined as “thief” and “stranger” in the Gospel passage. Indeed, Jesus thought of the false prophets of his time who pretended to be God’s sent and deliverers of the people, when in actual fact they were not. In our own time, these strangers who do not enter through the door, but break into the fold, those who steal sheep and kill them are fanatic visionaries or cunning profiteers, who speculate on people’s good faith and ingenuity. Jesus told us that by their fruits we shall know them (Mt. 7:16), and their most common fruits are prosperity gospel, empty promises and religious bigotry. On the other hand, the immense spiritual damage of those who let themselves be convinced by these self-acclaimed Messiahs, is that the lose Jesus Christ and the abundant life He gives.

     Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd, but also the Door to the sheepfold (sheep-shelter). Jesus presents himself as the Door (v. 9). He is the Door through which we have access to life. He promises that those who go in and out (through Him) will find pasture, that is, they will lack nothing. Here “in and out” entails that through Jesus we gain access to ourselves and to God. Jesus is the Door to the rediscovery of true humanity and the Door towards God. The Door is the place through which the sheep go out of the sheepfold for good pasturing. What are these good pastures for the Christian community? Word of God, Sacraments and good examples of the brothers in the faith. The access Door is Jesus Christ, the Word of God and the Authentic “Exegete” of the Father. Door of the sheepfold is an instrument of protection and defense for the sheep inside and outside.     

     Jesus presents himself as one who enters through the door, and not through the fence as thieves and brigands do, who come only to steal, to kill and to destroy (v.10a). There are three important facts we need to grapple here: ●First, Jesus is the True Shepherd that walks with his sheep, He indicates the way, and gives signal of a danger. ●Second, Jesus is the door through which souls can go in and out freely, to have full freedom. There is freedom for the sheep, because they find refuge and security, and they can go in and out for the real pastures of truth, love, grace and life. Little wonder Jesus affirms “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full” (v.10b). And “life” in the parlance of John is interconnected with divine and earthly life, fullness and meaningful life that has already started here on earth. Jesus is the Guarantor of our fullness of life. ●Third, the affirmation of Jesus about himself “I am the Door” has to do with all who wants to gain eternal life, but essentially to those who want to be sure and legitimate guides of souls. Jesus is the door through which they have to pass, true and legitimate pastors must be called by Him, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn.15:16). They are sent by him, “as the Father sent me, so I send you” (Jn. 20:21); and they are carriers of the message: “go and preach the gospel to the whole world” (Mk. 16:15). And the basic characteristics of those called and sent to be heralds and continuators of the mission of the Good Shepherd should be that of readiness to give one’s life for souls, as Jesus did.

          Still on the image of the Door, the Door is a place through which we enter into the sheepfold, in the community of faith. This Door is Jesus Christ, died and risen, who through the covenant of his Blood has constituted a new sheepfold. A Christian passes through the door of salvation to the new community of faith by means of baptism. Whoever that desires to enter to the sheepfold, to belong to the church, without passing through the Door, which is Christ is “a thief and a bandit” (Jn.10:1). We cannot separate our faith in Christ from our belonging to the church. As such, the popular slogan “Christ, Yes, Church, No” is totally inconceivable (cf. Benedict XVI reflection presented March 15, 2006). For according to the Pope “this individualistically chosen Jesus is an imaginary Jesus…We cannot have Jesus without the reality he created and in which he communicates himself”. In the fourth Gospel particularly, we cannot dissociate ecclesiology from Christology (that is the Church and Christ), therein we have a Christocentric ecclesiology.

          The Easter Event is indeed, a perfect demonstration of the Good Shepherd who gives his life for his sheep. His death, descent into hell and Resurrection exemplify really that He is the Door, the Door to the Father and to Eternal life; the Guarantor of safety and divine coverage. We can see the marks of the Good Shepherd in his readiness to give his life for his sheep. His cross is an insuperable obstacle for the wolves that come and that will come to harm his flock. Indeed, the responsorial Psalm (Ps.23) presents well the relationship between the sheep and the Shepherd. And it is in conformation to the affirmation of the Good Shepherd at the end of the Gospel: “I have come so that you will have life and have it to the full” (Jn. 10:10). But existentially speaking, sometimes we may question about this promise of fullness of life, for there are many things that rub us of it. However, his affirmation will be reconfirmed in his words: “I am the way, the truth and the life” (Jn. 14:6). Let us therefore invoke Our Good Shepherd for the fullness of life he has given us is being threatened by so many actors and factors today, ranging from brigands, pseudo-shepherds to suffering, hunger and sickness of all sorts.

          The first reading (Acts 2:14a.36-41) presents the tail end of Peter’s kerygmatic sermon on the day of Pentecost and it indicated as well the reaction of his listeners. Peter stood up and spoke with a loud voice thus: “Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). And upon hearing these penetrating words of Peter his listeners “were cut to the heart” (v.37a). They were touched and moved. They recognized the need of and for transformation in their life, and they asked Peter “What are we to do brothers?” (v.37b). This indeed, is a moral-existential question. And Peter responded them thus: “You must repent…and every one of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the Holy Spirit” (v.38). Peter explained to the Jewish crowd that are not yet believers the meaning of the death of Christ, and thus he instilled in them the desire of faith and conversion. The fisherman of Galilee made his first experience as a fisher of men: “That very day about three thousand were added to their number” (v.41).

          Therefore, the answer to their question is: Repent and be baptized. We must have heard so many times the word of God and the different sermons, but do they cut us in the heart? Are we really touched and moved by his word? Do we recognize the need for transformation, for a change, for renewal? Or everything remains the same. The fruit of hearing or listening to the word of God is repentance, is this true for us? For the prophecy of Isaiah says, “so it is with the word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me unfulfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do (Is. 55:11). The preaching of Peter can be summed up in a Christological formula: God made this Jesus whom you crucified to be Lord and Christ. Meanwhile, these two Christological titles are functional, for from the Resurrection onwards the risen One, the exalted Christ exercises the functions of Messiah and Kyrios. Interesting, in responding to his listeners, Peter recommended repentance and baptism, and the theme of Baptism brings us once again to the theme of the Door, for Baptism is the sacrament through which converts are brought into the sphere of Christ salvation and into his Body (the Church). Through the exalted Christ, God exercises his Lordship, which includes shepherding, that is nourishing and defending his people (his sheep).

          In the second reading (1Pt.2:20b-25) we are called to welcome the invitation of Peter, his exhortation to bear sufferings with patience. Here, St. Peter was addressing converted slaves, but this is valid for us today as well. The reading ends with the words: “By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1Pt. 2:25). Thus, bringing us once again to the central theme of today. And the vital question is: How did we return to the Shepherd? The same text tells us: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1Pt. 2:24), tree here represents the Cross with reference to the book of Deuteronomy (21:23). St. Peter speaks of Christ’s passion not merely as an example of patience, but he expounds its redemptive dimension: “He bore our sins in his body.” This indeed, is the mark of the Good Shepherd. Jesus is therefore the Good and the True Shepherd: ●For he gave his life for his sheep. ●He won victory over death through his resurrection. ●He was constituted by God: only Lord and Savior. It is still Apostle Peter who speaks, but here he speaks to a Christian community, that is to believers who for some time have been in the Church. To them he does not demand only faith in Christ, but also the imitation of Christ: “Christ suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in his steps” (v.21).So the pertinent question we have to ask ourselves is this: In the different sectors and spheres of life we are called to work or to serve, do we render our services like the Good Shepherd?

     Today as we contemplate Jesus the Good and True Shepherd, Pope John Paul II years back declared the fourth Sunday of Easter a Day of prayer for Vocations. Christ himself said to his followers, “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38). We must pray insistently for vocations, but equally for the perseverance of those who have answered and are answering the call, for their sanctification and fruitfulness in their endeavors. We pray for the enabling grace to listen to the voice of Jesus who speaks to us in different ways. We cannot but remember that priests and religious are like watchmen who open and close the door for the sheep. And we pray that Jesus the Good and True Shepherd may continue to raise up shepherds after his own heart in the Church. We earnestly pray asking Our Good Shepherd in good and in bad time to come and rescue us from all that do not allow us to savour the fullness of life he promised us. Our True and Good Shepherd, make our life to be full again: meaningful and hopeful! Amen!! Happy Sunday to you all!!!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

With Burning Hearts: The Immanuel Experience!

 (Homily for the 3^rd Sunday of Easter Year A)

     The above-mentioned theme introduces us into the three readings of today, with burning hearts, because the two disciples upon listening to the words of Jesus, the unknown stranger, had the experience of their hearts burning. The words of Jesus were warming their hearts. Secondly, as suggestive of the second part of our theme, it was really an Immanuel experience for the disciples experienced Jesus truly as the Immanuel, the Risen Christ became their companion in their journey. Indeed, it is as if after the Resurrection of Jesus, he is bent on establishing the fact that he is truly the Immanuel. The God with, for and in his people; in the three readings he manifested himself as the God with and for his people, but incredibly towards the end of the Gospel passage he manifested himself as the God in his people, for as soon as the disciples ate the broken bread, Jesus vanished out of their sight, because he now lives in them, and that is what happens when we receive Him in the holy Eucharist. The mystery of Jesus’ Resurrection is the nucleus of the fulfillment of all that God promised in the Scriptures. The Event of Christ’s Resurrection is at the center of today’s readings. In the three readings we see a convinced proclamation of the realism and thus the credibility of the Resurrection, for what was a mere figure in the Old covenant became in Jesus a reality. The three readings proclaim incessantly the realism of the Resurrection of Jesus, as basically the work of God.

     In fact, as St. Augustine would have it, “The New Testament is found hidden in the Old Testament”, as such he indicated the process of continuity in the Revelation of God, in the course of Salvation history. Little wonder, Jesus explained the Scriptures to the two disciples of Emmaus, what Moses (The Pentateuch) and the Prophets said about His Event. What could be the texts that Jesus was alluding to when he was speaking to these disciples? Even though St. Luke does not mention any here, but reading through the Old Testament we can make references to Deut. 32:29, where God is revealed as the One “who gives death and life”; Amos 9:2, where it is said that “God has power even over Sheol”, and in Psalm 16:10: “for you will not abandon me to Sheol, you cannot allow your faithful servant to see the abyss” etc. In as much as we talk about continuity in Divine Revelation, we cannot but emphasize that the New Testament surpasses the Old Testament, mainly the passage from the presentation of  Resurrection as a mere figure, to the reality itself of Jesus’ Resurrection in the New Testament. The mystery of the Resurrection was hidden in the heart of the Father, and he left a spark of it in the Old Testament in order to reawaken hope in his people. In the New Testament the Father reveals His Heart not by mere words, but through facts and actions, by raising Jesus from the dead. An insuperable mystery that surpasses the strength of reason and the revelation of the Old Testament, as it continues to be “scandal”, for the Jews and for unbelievers. But for us, who believe, it is the power of God and the wisdom of God (cf. 1Cor. 2:1-5). In fact, as St. Thomas Aquinas puts it melodiously in the Benediction Song, Tantum Ergo we sing: “Types and shadows have their ending for the newer rite is here. Faith our outward sense befriending makes the inward vision clear” and truly when Jesus renewed their faith and revitalized their hope the inward vision of the disciples of Emmaus (that was burning in their heart) became clear.

     In the Gospel (Lk. 24:13-35) St. Luke presents one of the most interesting narratives in the New Testament and the most beautiful of all the appearances stories. It is indeed, a Gospel in a Gospel. Jesus got attracted to their discussion, do our discussions attract Jesus? Jesus in this encounter sums up the whole history of salvation and shows us three major ways of recognizing him: through the broken brothers, the broken word and the broken bread (the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Eucharist, as it takes place in every Mass), two elements that are intrinsic to his person, identity and mission. Truly, this story warms the heart; it makes our heart burn also. The narrative revolves around two disciples, popularly identified as the disciples of Emmaus, who were on a retrogressive journey to their Land. On their way, they were talking and discussing, but shrouded in doubt and fear, with some dints of unbelief. “Jesus drew near and went with them” (v.15). Now in their midst, he walked with them, He accompanied them (A God who is a companion of man), he reminded them of His words and taught them the Scriptures. Yet, his appearance did not take their doubt and fear away, rather something was gradually happening deep within them, which they will confess at the end.

     If we paid attention we see that St. Luke talks about two disciples, but he mentioned the name of one of them Cleopas, and the other is unknown to us as far as the Lucan Gospel is concerned. There is a traditional belief that it could probably be a man Cleopas and his wife. But in my reflection I would like to consider the idea of not mentioning the second name as symbolic, for the unknown disciple is a representation of all mankind, you and I. While Cleopas represents the specific disciples, the other disciple is you and I. For the Event of Jesus is to reach the whole of the earth, to cover the whole world, and to touch all mankind. It has to reach geographically everywhere. It has to cover socially all human affairs and conditions. And above all, it has to touch spiritually the deepest depth of man, his heart, mind and conscience. Drawing the issue further, I would like to remember another interpretative key to this narrative given by Bishop R. Barron in his homily with the caption: “Emmaus and Genesis”, he considered the journey of the two disciples as a journey away from the Garden, from salvation, like Adam and Eve they turned to walk in a wrong direction. No matter what we do God comes to walk with us, like in Genesis he comes seeking us out from our hideout.

     The Lucan episode of the appearance of the Risen Lord to the two disciples of Emmaus serves in no small way as a help for Christians of all times, to be on the move towards the discovery and rediscovery of the presence of the Risen Lord. This is one of the most suggestive passages of the Gospel of St. Luke. The two disciples on their way to Emmaus were downcast and disappointed, they were already conjugating their hope in the past, “We thought he would be the one to set Israel free” (Lk. 24:21). Like them, sometimes we are so heavy burdened by fear and unbelief that we begin to conjugate our hope in the past. “I thought, I was thinking, Had it been, But” etc. Certainly, they were aware that some of the women and the apostles talked about a vision of an Angel who affirmed that He is alive, they were also aware that some of the apostles ran to the tomb and they saw the tomb empty. This certainly must have been a trying moment for the apostles, but instead of scattering, they gathered together in Jerusalem, yet after hearing all this, these two disciples set out on a journey of separation from the community of believers. Practically they did not believe in the Resurrection of Christ, disappointed as they were, they wanted to distance themselves from Jerusalem, from the other disciples. The journey away from Jerusalem to Emmaus, could be compared to a journey from the rising sun to the setting of the sun, from light to darkness, from hope to desperation. But incredibly, the mystery of Jesus’ Resurrection is a “moving mystery”, as they try to run away from it, the mystery goes to meet them. He walks alongside them, he flanked them, but they could not recognize him.

     Along the journey Jesus rebuked those two disciples for their disorientation and lack of understanding. They were walking with the main Actor of their discussion and story without recognizing Him. But they needed to open their hearts and see with the eyes of faith. However, we see a gradual knowledge of Jesus by the two disciples in that journey. They distanced themselves from the rest of the disciples. Here there is a movement towards Emmaus, distancing themselves from the Holy City, but they will embark on a converse journey, going back to Jerusalem, this second movement is a journey of conversion, leaving their old life and reality and going back to the new life that the Risen Christ offers in the midst of the brothers. As we can see, Jesus called the two disciples to a change of destination, from their houses and the plan of going back may be to their former life, to go and be united with the other disciples in Jerusalem. So that they will be part of the movement for his Mission. Today Jesus is still meeting and accompanying us on our different existential roads, and he continues to call us to be part of the movement for his Mission. Today, some of us are heading towards wrong destinations but he is calling us back, we pray to have the Immanuel experience so as to rediscover his presence and turn towards the right destination.

     In this passage we see in the Risen Lord a God who goes to encounter man in his doubt, unbelief and even desperation. A God who does not impose himself, rather he proposes to man. Even, in the journey he respected the pace of each one. Little wonder, he respected their doubts, their unbelief and their fear, even though he reproached them and reminded them of His words concerning his Event. He re-explained to them the Scriptures and when they approached their destination, they invited this unknown stranger to stay with them. The Lord accepted their invitation and manifested himself conspicuously in the breaking of Bread. To crown it all, at table “he took the bread and blessed and broke it.” Certainly with a gesture well known to them and so typical of him; lo and behold, all fears, all doubts, all unbelief, all desperation disappeared. Now no more doubt! It is He! They now understood why their hearts were burning. Jesus is recognized at the breaking of the bread, not only with his explanation of the Scriptures and in the brokenness of the brothers. Therefore, we may well affirm that the sacrament illumines the word of God. In this encounter, the two disciples had a personal experience of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. After the breaking of the Bread, and when Jesus disappeared from their midst without hesitation they began their journey back to Jerusalem, to go and share with the apostles what has happened, and there they found all attesting that “truly the Lord is risen and he has appeared to Simon” (Lk. 24:34). They went back to Jerusalem in order to rediscover the value of community, being together and sharing the Immanuel experience. Indeed, the highest spiritual experience is to feel and have the assurance of being accompanied by God, and that is the Immanuel experience. When Christ walks alongside with us, even when we are erring, he will redirect our steps to the Father. In the Immanuel experience the presence of Jesus revitalizes, vivifies, redirects our steps and sets us on the move!

     By means of this life changing event on the road to Emmaus, St. Luke intends to communicate to us as he did to the early Christians that Jesus the Risen Lord is alive, and he is in our midst even today. In synthesis as emanating from this passage Jesus manifested and continues to manifest himself in four different ways or modalities: ●First, He manifests himself in the broken brother (s), in his own brokenness as a stranger. Also, Jesus met them in their brokenness and upon breaking the word and the bread gradually he mended their brokenness. ●Second, He manifests himself in the broken Word (Sacred Scriptures). Little wonder, in their brokenness Jesus began to mend their heart with the word of God, re-explaining to them the Scriptures. The incarnate Word of God was explaining the written word of God to the disciples of Emmaus. ●Third, He manifests himself in the broken Bread and today we encounter Him in the celebration of the Eucharist, “at the breaking of the Bread”, as did the two disciples of Emmaus. As Jesus broke the Bread, He broke their fear and despondency, and thus, mended their brokenness. Their inward vision became clear and they set out to return to Jerusalem. In the Eucharist Jesus breaks himself for us, he breaks himself to mend our brokenness, just as he did for the disciples of Emmaus. ●Fourth, Jesus manifests himself in the community of brothers and sisters, in the Christian Community that professes her faith around Peter and with Peter. The Risen Christ is encountered in the community that works in his name, sanctifying souls through the sacraments and healing bodies by the power of his name. We remember the miracle at the Beautiful Gate by Peter: “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” (Acts. 3:6).

     In the first reading (Acts 2:14.22-33) we see part of the kerygmatic speech of Peter on the day of Pentecost. It introduced the central events of the death and resurrection of Jesus, with a reference to the earthly ministry of Jesus and ends with the proof of the resurrection. For Peter the faith in the Risen Christ cannot be closed up in the private, deep within the individual consciences, rather it has to explode in a joyful and courageous proclamation. He is a prototype a true Christian, a splendid example for every disciple of Christ. A Christian is one who proclaims with a high voice his faith in Jesus Christ died and raised, he or she proclaims it courageously and publicly.

     In the second reading (1Pt.1:17-21) St. Peter affirms rigorously that God raised Jesus from the dead. And this is the fundamental nucleus of our Kerygma. This is always the joyful proclamation: The crucified and risen Christ. However, St. Peter invites each and every one of us to recognize and be conscious of the price that was paid for our Redemption. A call therefore, to value his Presence, the Immanuel experience! In that bid, he affirmed that in the Christ Event “we were ransomed by the blood of the lamb”, thereby interpreting the death of Christ in terms of the Passover. Again, blood alludes to the event of the cross, where Jesus surrendered himself totally to the Father for our liberation.

     Above all, in today’s Gospel passage St. Luke intends to give us a consoling message, his intent is to help us to rediscover the presence of the Risen Lord, to be conscious that he walks with us, He is our companion in our earthly and spiritual journey, especially those moments we are disoriented, confused and at the verge of giving up. He is close to us with his Words (The Scriptures) and the Sacrament of His Body and Blood. Invariably this narrative of St. Luke is replete with a message of hope for us, the present disciples of Jesus, and that is the fact that Jesus is alive, he has risen and he is present in the world. Towards the end of the passage when the disciples approached their destination and Jesus did as if to continue, they invoked him saying: “Stay with us Lord, because it is evening.” They needed his presence. This invocation is at the heart of the Immanuel experience. Their caring heart and gesture occasioned the breaking of the Bread. If they had not invited him, they would not have recognized Him. May we all join our voices together to those of the disciples in saying: “Stay with us Lord”, in our life, in our families, and in all that we do! Let us thank the Lord Jesus for making Himself available to us, for being so ready to accompany us in our daily life and equally desirous of giving himself to us in the Eucharist. May the Risen Christ help us not to remain slaves to our interpretations and world views. May He open our hearts to welcome his words and his presence in our life. Happy Sunday Friends!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)

An Encounter with The Merciful Lord!

 (Homily for the 2^nd Sunday of Easter Year A)

Divine Mercy Sunday

     If the last Sunday, Easter Day underlined the mystery of the Resurrection, this present one is more of the human response to the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection and his Absence-Presence. The “apparitions” or rather appearances of the Resurrected Christ to his apostles and disciples are not mere apparitions, but they are encounters, meetings with the person of the Risen Lord, because the concept of “apparition” tends to limit the event to an appearance of a ghost. But it is the concept of “encounter” that depicts very well the realism of the Resurrection. Having established the credibility of this realism, he sends his apostles out. As we read in the Gospel, Apostle Thomas is probably the paradigm of every man in the journey of faith: a passage from incredulity to faith in the Risen Christ, from the search of evidence to the joyful profession of faith, from skepticism to certitude of faith, occasioned by the immensity of Divine Mercy. In the first reading, the community of Jerusalem proclaims her faith in the Risen Lord, when they reunite every Sunday to listen to the teachings of the apostles and to celebrate in fraternal communion the breaking of the Bread: sign of the mystery of Christ’s Death and Resurrection. In the second reading St. Peter applauds those who believe without seeking for evidence: “You have not seen him, yet you love him, and still without seeing him you believe in him” (1Pt. 1:8).

     Today being Divine Mercy Sunday we are called to celebrate God's Mercy, for the whole world is enveloped in and by the mercy of God. Indeed, it behooves us today to affirm and reaffirm that Mercy is the most eloquent attribute of God. Mercy is the interpretative key to all the Mysteries of God and to all the Events of our Lord Jesus. For instance: ●The creation of man is a sign of God's merciful love. ●The incarnation of Jesus is purely a manifestation of the Divine Mercy. ●The signs and miracles performed by Jesus are equally splendid manifestation of God's mercy. ●The Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ are maximum expressions of Divine Mercy. ●The Resurrection doubtlessly is also an ultimate manifestation of God's mercy. As Pope Francis would say, Mercy is another name of God. In her Diary, St. Faustina attributed the following words to the Merciful Lord: “Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins that there are grains of sand in the world, all will be drowned in the immeasurable depths of My mercy”. Indeed, the responsorial Psalm picks up this theme of the endless mercy of God: “His mercy endures forever.”

     It is reassuring to all of us sinners to know that God’s mercy is beyond our imagination and the human doubt. Jesus invited Thomas to the Sacred Heart and He is doing same to us today. The story of Thomas no doubt is so appropriate for this Divine Mercy Sunday. The words of Thomas reveal to us a journey of faith and the journey reaches its apex in the mercy of our Lord. Even though he was one of the apostles but nothing much was known about Thomas, however he spoke and intervened four good remarkable times in the Gospels: ●First, when Jesus received the news of the death of Lazarus and wanted to go there even after the threat of the Jews, he said: “Let us go also and die with him” (Jn.11:16). ●Second, when Jesus says he was going to the Father, he spoke up: “Lord, we do no not know the where you are going; how can we know the way? Jesus answered I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn.14:5-6). ●Third, is his famous doubt in today’s Gospel passage: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (Jn.20:25). ●And lastly, his surrender and proclamation of faith: “My Lord and my God” (Jn.20:28). These four interventions of Thomas depict four emotions that characterize a journey of faith: frustration, questioning, seeking proof and proclamation of faith.

     In the Gospel (Jn. 20:19-31) we are presented with the account of the two appearances of the risen Lord: first, to the disciples on Easter evening, and second to Thomas a week later, and the latter is peculiar to St. John. In this episode the purpose of the appearances of the Risen Lord is now seen as a way of establishing his identity. Prior to this, the earlier tradition presented the Risen Lord from a more spiritual dimension, here instead, we see an emphasis on the physical reality of the risen One, and this preserves the truth, the realism and the identity of the crucified – risen Christ. St. John underlines with vigor that Christ who appears and who is in the midst of his disciples is a living and real Being, the same Jesus  that was nailed on the Cross, for this he shows the hands and the side, those are the signs of martyrdom (v.20). He equally underlined the different ways of manifestation of Jesus before and after the Resurrection. There is a profound difference: He enters now unexpectedly, even when the doors are locked. Indeed, this Gospel periscope is replete with many themes, ranging from apparitions of the risen Lord, faith of the apostles, to the gifts of the Risen Lord to his people.

     However, the episode of the Gospel is equally situated in the context of a Christian community. Let us take into consideration the two great gifts that the Risen Christ brought to the first Christian community of the apostles reunited in the Cenacle: Jesus gave them the gift of peace “Peace be with you”. Peace biblically embraces all the divine promises: grace, blessing, divine benevolence, interior serenity and salvation. Secondly, he gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit. “He breathed on them and said: receive the Holy Spirit”. Upon this, he gave them a mandate as well: “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained” (Jn. 20:23). The Holy Spirit was given to the first Christian community and to the entire church, specifically for the remission of sins, and for the regeneration of men in the life of grace. Having received this Gift are we regenerated?

     Thomas wanted to see him in his presence before he would believe in his absence. After his appearance he disappeared. Every time he was recognized off he was. In fact, in a way the Easter story is much more a story of his disappearances, than of his appearances. Indeed, it was as if he wanted to tell them something, to tell them: Now up to you, even though I am alive, but I will be absent, so it is up to you, little wonder he breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit. Anyone who has the Christ experience must have a change or transformation of life. And the attitude of Jesus towards Thomas the unbelieving apostle, reflects greatly God’s faithfulness and mercy, who condescended to accept the incredulity of man, in order to bring him to an unwavering faith, to a solid and definitive faith: “My Lord and My God”. This has become an uninterrupted confession of faith of the Church in the Resurrection of Christ.

     The evangelist wants to present Jesus to the Church in the new existential condition of the Risen, as the one to whom “every power in heaven and earth” (Mt.28:18) has been given to, and he transmits this power to his Church, the first is to forgive sins and second, the proclamation of the Lordship of Christ, and this is truly the real meaning of Easter, “It was for this purpose that Christ both died and came to life again: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living” (Rm. 14:9). In order to express their certainty in the presence of Jesus, the first disciples of Jesus, were using the title Lord, in Greek Kyrios, Jesus is the Lord, this was the oldest and simplest form of the profession of faith of the Christians, “if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rm.10:9). The Lordship of Jesus is founded on his resurrection, and he continues to reign. And it is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to make this proclamation of faith, for “nobody is able to say, Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit” (1Cor. 12:3).

     The episode of today’s Gospel relative to the two apparitions of the Risen Christ teaches us also the importance of faith in our relationship with Christ. In fact, Thomas that was not present in the first appearances, did not believe the testimony of the other apostles. He wanted to see Him personally, touch Him, he wanted to have a direct personal experience with Him. And he was satisfied when Jesus appeared the second time, after eight days. This time, Thomas was present, but Jesus does not applaud the unbelieving apostle, rather He says: “You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn.20:29). As such, we should not ask for the tangible demonstration or sensible experience, as Thomas did, rather the grace to grow in a pure and genuine faith. To believe entails confiding and entrusting oneself to Christ and the testimony of the apostles: a faith that wants to see, touch, and experience is not a true faith, but distrust and diffidence to Christ and the first witnesses: the apostles. The Risen Lord declared blessedness for those who believe without seeing, and it does not mean that they (believers) will be immune to sufferings and trials.

     The first reading (Acts 2:42-47) gives us indications on how we can express and nourish this faith. As exemplified with the experience of the first Christian community, “they were assiduous in listening to the teachings of the apostles, in fraternal communion, in sharing of bread and in prayers.” Therefore, listening to the Word of God, fraternal communion, Eucharist and common prayer were the principal nutrients and the authentic expressions of our Christian faith. Faith has to be translated into works of charity. And indeed, in the first Christian community “they sold their goods and possessions and distributed the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed” (Acts 2:45). Is this working among us today?

     The first reading presents the first Christian community in her specific characteristics, as we have seen. They are the characteristics that should distinguish every Christian community. Do we see these characteristics in our own Christian community? May be in part yes, we gather to listen to the teachings of the apostles and of Christ (even though we may not be really assiduous and faithful like the first Christian community), we break together the Eucharistic bread in the celebration of the Mass, we gather together, and also there is certain level of fraternal communion amongst us. However, of all these elements the one that is majorly lacking in our communities is that which makes a Christian community to be what it really is, not just an anonymous assembly of people. And that is fraternal union, being one heart and one mind, being a family of God’s children. Even though, there may be some objective difficulties: big population (human rapport becomes difficult). But to actualize this, there is need to conquer individualism and spiritual inertia that block the gestures of opening up to others. We cannot be Christians without being brothers and friends; we cannot be strangers to each other. As it happens, sometimes during kiss of peace, some people bring out their hands like corpse, no interest, no warmth, and no concern! Where then is the fraternal communion?

     The second reading (1Pt. 1:3-9) on its part addresses the experiences of a Christian community and of a Christian community of the future, that will come to believe in Christ unlike Thomas: “You have not seen him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him you believe in him and so are filled with a great joy so glorious that it cannot be described” (v.8). This is the birth of a future Christian community that loves, believes and announces Jesus Christ and his Resurrection. St. Peter encourages a Christian community that has to pass through trials, difficulties and persecutions, but nevertheless joyful: “This is a great joy to you, even though for a short time yet you must bear all sorts of trials” (1Pt. 1:6). What is great joy for them? Even in the midst of their trials, from where comes this joy? As we can see in the preceding verses it springs up from three motives: ● The consciousness of being regenerated, the new life received by virtue of the faith in the Resurrection. ● The living hope to attain salvation and to gain the eternal inheritance promised by Christ. ● The conviction that trials serve to purify and fortify our faith. Therefore, we have a lot to learn as a church, as a Christian community and as individuals. Sometimes also we face trials and we are persecuted in all angles. However, let us not be melancholic or attempt to withdraw into ourselves, rather we should have peace of mind and interior serenity, with the conviction that also trials and persecutions fortify and purify our faith. Above all, the joy of this community springs from the fact of being proclaimed blessed (cf. Jn.20:29) for not seeking for evidence before believing: “You have not seen him, yet you love him, and still without seeing him you believe in him” (1Pt. 1:8).

     Beloved as we celebrate His Mercy today, let us take to heart the invitation of Jesus: "Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate" (Lk.6:36). As such, we are called to be objects and subjects of God's mercy. As daily recipients of God's mercy, we are called to be merciful to others. Another striking element is that after the Resurrection the wounds of Jesus remained, the wounds reveal the victory of his Resurrection and the fact that he is forever fixed in the act of loving for which he died. And when we reflect on this in the light of our human sufferings, it shows that his mercy does not seek to cover the harsh realities of life or to remove suffering, but gives us courage to persevere and win. In this period more than ever, Jesus is present in our midst saying: “Peace be with you”, receive His Peace and be made whole. May God continue to show us his mercy especially in our world today, torn apart by the presages of war, violence, hatred, fear and despondency. May the freshness of his mercy (Lam. 3:22-23) heal us and heal our world. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world! Jesus our trust is in You!! Amen!!!

(Fr. Vitus M. C. Unegbu, SC)

Christ Our Hope Is Risen!

 (Homily For Easter Sunday Year A)

     Today we celebrate the great mystery of our redemption, and it launches us into another liturgical season. In the new calendar, Easter season is a journey of 50 days in which we are invited to reflect upon the post-resurrectional appearances of the Risen Lord, the consequences of Easter event in the life of the Church, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise of eternal life. The season does not run forty days to Ascension, but now fifty days to Pentecost. This could be linked to the fifty days in which the Israelites enjoyed the fruits of the land. Similarly, the church this season reflects in these fifty days on the fruits of Christ’s Resurrection. As I have opined in my previous reflections, the Event of the Resurrection is foundational to our Christian faith, for its realism gives credence to our faith. As a matter of fact, only in the New Testament we encounter about 213 references on the death and Resurrection of Christ. In fact, in Pauline letters alone we have about 81 references; this in no small way reveals the importance of this event in the life of the Church. In the first reading Peter preached to Cornelius and to his entire household, that “God raised him on the third day”. While in the second reading St. Paul opines that the Resurrection of Christ and the consciousness of this mystery is the foundation of Christian ethics, for this he invites us to seek and look for the things that are above. In the Gospel, St. John seems to center the whole story on the empty tomb, because it resonates the faith of the “beloved disciple” on the Resurrection, but the credibility of the event is founded more on the apparitions.

          In the first reading (At. 10:34.37-43) we can see that the Easter appearances are revelatory encounters which founded the Church and launched the Christian Mission. Our Easter faith and the credibility of the Resurrection depend majorly on the testimonies of the first witnesses. Indeed, the credibility of the realism of the Resurrection is by no means an irrational leap of faith. In this passage, we heard about the formidable discourse of St. Peter, where he situated the realism of the Death and Resurrection of Christ at the centre of his preaching. The apostles too declared themselves witnesses of the Resurrection: “Chosen witnesses”. They are indeed witnesses, who ate and drank with Jesus after his Resurrection. They had a first hand and direct experience of the Risen Lord. More than that, the apostles are witnesses with their life, for the Resurrection completely changed and radically transformed them. They really demonstrated the reality and the efficacy of Christ’s Resurrection with their life, for later, they all paid with their blood and martyrdom.

     The Gospel of today (Jn. 20:1-9) invites us to join our voices together to that of Mary Magdalene in shouting “Christ my hope is risen”. Upon encountering the Angel, three tasks were given to the women: ●To believe in what Jesus has already said concerning his death; ●To share the message to the apostles and to others; ●And to rejoice (chairete), for the Resurrection is a message of great Joy. We have to affirm with vigour and conviction our faith in the Risen Lord. That Jesus Christ is truly risen is a given fact, a historical fact, indeed the realism of this event cannot be jettisoned. Concerning the realism of the Resurrection, the Gospel makes reference to the apparitions of the Risen Lord to the women, and to the apostles, and as St. Paul would testify, that Jesus appeared to more than 500 disciples gathered together, some of whom were still alive when Paul was writing (cf. 1Cor.15:16). So, the empty tomb alone does not exhaust the question of the credibility of the Resurrection. It remains a pointer, and even more, a reason of our hope and joy. When they could see Him and find His body, Jesus was alive and victorious.

     Besides, in the gospel of John we have two accounts or stories on the Resurrection. The first in the twentieth chapter, while the second in the twenty-first chapter. In the second account, John shows us that the Risen Lord encounters us in our moments of fragility and in the futility of our everyday life (Jn. 21:1-14).The disciples laboured all through the night, but they didn’t catch any fish, when they were already disappointed and weary. They saw a man standing at the bank. He spoke to them in a lovely manner and invited them to go once more to cast the net. “They cast the net and could not get it in again because it was so full of fish” (Jn. 21:6), then the disciples recognized that “it was the Lord” (Jn. 21:7). The Risen Lord can turn our helplessness and hopelessness into an avenue of and for blessing and favour.

     In the Second reading we have two alternative readings (Col. 3:1-4 or 1Cor. 5:6-8) and both of them accentuate the ethical implications of the Resurrection. This is evident in the imperatives: “seek” the things that are above, “set” your mind on them. Drawing the issue further, in the words of St. Paul, we too are spiritually risen with Christ and in Christ, we are buried with him and risen with him (Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12). With and through our baptism we are made partakers of the gifts of Resurrection: ●We have passed from death of sin to the life of grace. ●We have passed from the condition of death through our original sin, to the condition of being alive in Christ and for Christ. It is upon this consciousness that St. Paul invites us to walk in the newness of life, to which the Risen Christ has put us (1Cor.5:6-8). We are called now to “look up” to the Risen Christ and to where he has ascended to, at the right hand of the Father. That is our goal! Let us take to heart the words of St. Peter thus “For you know that the price of your ransom from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors was paid, not in anything perishable like silver and gold, but in the precious blood as of a blameless and spotless lamb, Christ” (1Pt. 1:18-19).

     The passage from the epistle letters points out few existential indications on how to render the Resurrection of Christ evident in our life and actions. In the words of St. Paul “Brothers, if you are risen…” (Col. 3:1-4). Indeed, we are risen effectively with Christ in Baptism, we are risen anytime we turn from our sinful ways to the life of grace in God, through the sacrament of reconciliation. Brethren, let us pray and ask God the grace to live and to walk in the “newness of life” following the example of the Risen Christ. For through his Resurrection Christ renews, recreates and restores creation to Himself.

     As a matter of fact, our reflection on Christ’s Resurrection cannot but draw us closer to the total self-emptying of Jesus and as such an entrance into Kenosis, to the extent that he was subjected to all sorts of evil. On the cross all sorts of evil befell on Jesus. How did Jesus die on the cross? He died with the profession of the great Hope: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”. Even in the midst of all these evils Jesus did his profession of hope. Little wonder, on Good Friday the Holy Mother Church proclaims the Cross “sign of hope”. Here Jesus transformed the cross to an icon of love and hope. The Resurrection of Jesus is the response of the Father to the hope of Jesus. For St. Paul, Jesus does not only teach us hope, he is our Hope (cf. 1Tm. 1:1). On the other hand, the silence of the Father reveals that the paternity of God is not a paternalistic paternity. Little wonder, his absence during the crucifixion was apparent. Why was it unshakeable the hope of Jesus?  Indeed, because it was founded on the communion with the Father. At the basis of the communion in question, there is the Holy Spirit “Vinculum comunionis.” Jesus dies abandoning himself to the Father who brings the dead to life and calls into existence what does not yet exist (Rm. 4:17).

          Dear brethren in the Resurrected Lord, even in the present economic, moral, political and religious crisis we may be experiencing, together with St. Paul it is my utmost desire to reawaken in you the knowledge of the nature of the hope founded on the God of hope (cf. Rm. 15:13). On discovering this, St. Paul averred: “Our hope will not disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Rm. 5:5). Therefore, “we should always have our answers ready for those who ask us the reason for the hope that we have” (1Pt. 3:15). Our Hope is Jesus and the Resurrection is the reason for that hope. Yes, Christ among us, is our hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

          In which ever situation we may find ourselves, I repeat we should not give in to sadness and desperation, as the Resurrection is the response of the Father to the cry of Jesus on the cross. The Resurrection is an act of God, indeed God raised Him from the dead (cf. Acts. 2:24; Rm. 10:9; 1Cor. 6:14). Similarly, in the Resurrection of Christ we find the answer to all our questions for meaning. We only have to allow ourselves to be drawn and attracted by Him, as St. John affirmed “They will look to the one whom they have pierced” (Jn. 19:37). Let us look up to Him. The love of the Risen Lord does not leave us indifferent, He Himself confirmed it when He said “when i am lifted up from the earth i shall draw all people to myself” (Jn. 12:32). Let us allow ourselves to be drawn and attracted by the spectacle of the Cross and the Resurrection.

          Beloved in Christ, let us rejoice for Jesus has giving and consumed himself in love and out of love for humanity. He is the Love of the Trinitarian God manifested to us. Therefore, in the Easter season irrespective of the ravaging pandemic and the consequent panic, let us not give room to sadness and depression. Let us rejoice for the Faithful God has risen His Faithful Son from death. Jesus Christ the Crucified-Risen has healed our infirmity of sin. He lowered Himself so that we might rise; he lowered Himself for our salvation. The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is an event beaming and anchored on hope. In fact, it is ad rem to affirm that the life of Jesus is a life anchored on hope. His was a life lived in a total abandonment in the hands of the Father. More than anything else, the cross is the icon par excellence of Jesus’ hope, and indeed from his cross we learn how and what it entails to hope. The Resurrection should reaffirm our faith and reanimate our hope in Jesus. The Resurrection is indeed an affirmation that the Cross is only a provisional collocation according to Don Tonino Bello, which means is not a permanent place. Even the common cross that the entire humanity is carrying at this period in her history and your own personal cross is provisional. Jesus through His Resurrection is emptying any form of tomb in our lives, in order to set us free from bondage. As the Father listened to his voice and answered him with the Resurrection, may the Risen-Lord hear the cries and lamentations of the entire humanity and raise us from the death-tomb experience of violence, hatred, war and lack of respect for the dignity of human life. May He restore and reanimate our hope. Amen! Lord in your Resurrection is our hope. A wish of a Continuous Resurrection!! Happy Easter to you all!!!

(Fr. Vitus M. C. Unegbu, SC)

He Is Not Here! He Has Risen!!

 (Homily For Holy Saturday Year A)

     This according to St. Augustine is the Mother of all vigils, because this night we Christians relive the fundamental event of our faith, the passage from death to life, to life in Christ, the passage from darkness to light, the Holiest of all nights. We celebrate the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over sin and death. The Risen Lord is the Eternal Light that dispels the darkness of the world, the darkness that obscures our existence. The Liturgy tonight and the different texts chosen for the readings all revolve around the theme of life, of new life springing up from the power of God. The Liturgy of Light and the renewal of baptismal promises intone a hymn to the new man, risen together with Christ. The Easter proclamation focuses on three major themes: the deliverance of Israel in the Exodus, the baptismal deliverance of the new Israel (Christians); the Resurrection of Christ. The biblical readings for the Easter Vigil recall the saving acts of God like: the creation of the world and of humanity (Gen. 1), the abundant blessings of Abraham (Gen. 22), the liberation of Israel from slavery of Egypt (Ex. 14), this is considered to be the most important reading, because the crossing of the Red sea is a type of Christ’s Death and Resurrection, the restoration of Israel (Is. 54:55; Bar. 3; Ez. 36). In the light of all these readings, the resurrection of Jesus is presented as the climax of the proclamation that God indeed is not the God of the dead but of the living. From the New Testament, we see the text from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (6:3-11), where St. Paul invites them and us to lead a new life, because Christ is risen from the dead by the power of the Father. In the Gospel of Matthew (28:1-10), we see the holy women in search of Jesus, and later the involvement of the apostles in the amazing event of the Resurrection.

     The message of the Resurrection of Jesus or better the Paschal mystery in its triple moments: of Passion, Death and Resurrection, is invariably the central nucleus and the predominant theme of the Christian faith. Through His descent into hell we reach truly that amazing and fascinating summit of the event of Jesus. An early Christian story says that Jesus entered the place of the dead with his cross, the weapon of his victory. Having released all those who were inside he decided to leave his cross standing in the centre of hell, a sign that even those who pass that way do not find themselves in a place which is unknown to him. On Holy Saturday, we see the radicality of love that offers itself, even till the extremity of the same love. This is exactly what Jesus did for us.

     Jesus in that great silence lived the solitude of the apparent absence of the Father. Here, the hot-button question resounds: “where is God?” This is the interrogative point of Holy Saturday. But interestingly, to this silence and cry of abandonment by Jesus, the Father will respond with and through the Resurrection. For St. Paul tells us that “God…brings back the dead to life and calls into existence what does not exist” (Rm. 4:17), elsewhere he affirms that God raised Him from the dead (Rm. 10:9, cf. Acts. 2:24; 1Cor. 6:14). And it is today that the unprecedented message reaches us with a profound question “why do you look for the living among the dead?” And here, we hear for the first time the mind-blowing response, “He is not here, He has risen”. Yes! Christ has risen as he said. This event reveals that there is no darkness that cannot be transformed into light, no human misery that cannot be transformed into an avenue of mercy and favor. Dear brothers and sisters, we can never have enough voice and courage to repeat or better to shout aloud that Jesus is risen, but let us allow ourselves to be overwhelmed with joy that springs from this event.

          Reflecting deeply in tonight’s Gospel narrative, according to St. Mathew, it is eminent the part the two women played (Mary of Magdala and the other Mary). They made a headway to the Tomb, and this fact of going to the Tomb reveals that their hope was shaky. Certainly, they must have placed their trusts in Him, but his death shook the very foundation of their hope and trust in Him. However, they had the courage to go and pay homage to the corpse. The Matthean account reports that “the angel of Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His face was like lightening, his robe white as snow.” Whereas, The Markan account reports that on arrival at the grave of Jesus the women were asking themselves: “who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” As Matthew recounts on arrival, they met an angel who said to them: “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said”. And behold, their reaction was characterized by fear, joy and uncertainty. After their encounter with the angelic messenger and Jesus who said to them: “Hail”, then they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him, later Jesus told them: “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me”. They left and went to the apostles and to others to proclaim what has happened.

     The phrase: “He is not here”, indicates a new presence, Jesus is alive and active. Mathew in fact, accentuates the new life of the Risen Lord. This is also seen in the book of Revelation (5:6) where the image of the crucified and risen Lord was represented with the figure of a Lamb standing that seemed to have been sacrificed. Indeed, the Crucified-Risen Christ is the Living One: “Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the living One, I was dead and look, I am alive for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades” (Rev. 1:17b-18). And He alone is capable of transmitting new life to entire humanity. Our Creator God is a God of life. The mystery of the Resurrection is directly linked to the mystery of creation. It is all about life, life to the full.

     Indeed the belief in the Resurrection of Christ is not incumbent primarily upon the empty tomb. The Resurrection is by no means identical with the empty tomb, however, the fact remains that the empty tomb plays an essential role in the New Testament witness of Christ Resurrection. Be that as it may, the empty tomb is a symbol that the appearances of the Risen Christ are not mere spiritualist visions. In and through His resurrection Christ overcome death and opened up man’s destiny beyond the grave and death. Let us pause and ponder a little while on the “Pro Nobis” of this event. In fact, in the second reading from the antique homily in the office of readings this morning, there we see that the phrase “for you” reoccurred several times. Hence let’s ponder on what Jesus has done for us. The Resurrection reveals Jesus as the Redeemer of mankind, and here subsists the “Pro Nobis” of His Death and Resurrection. For with the Resurrection of Christ, man is not only redeemed, but he has a divine destiny. He is called to a continuous resurrection, to self-transformation and social transformation.

     The Resurrection impacts the credibility seal on our faith, for without the Person of Jesus, without his death and Resurrection, our Christian faith would not have been credible. For this St. Paul affirms “we preach the crucified Christ” (1Cor. 1:23). In the same letter, he posits: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without substance, and so is your faith” (1Cor. 15:14). Yes! Because the center of our faith is the Person and the Event of Jesus of Nazareth. Christianity without the Crucified-Risen is empty. Without Christ our life will be devoid of meaning, Christ is the reason of our existence. In all, it behooves us to reaffirm with St. Paul that, “Christ has been raised from the dead, as the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep” (1Cor. 15:20). It is because he rose that we can say “In him we live, in him we move, in him we have our being” (Acts 17:28). For the realism and credibility of His Resurrection, St. Paul questions, “who can bring any accusation against those that God has chosen? When God grants saving justice who can condemn? Are we not sure that it is Christ Jesus, who died, yes and more, who was raised from the dead, and is at God’s right hand, and who is adding his plea for us?...Can anything cut us off from the love of Christ?...we come through all these things triumphantly victorious, by the power of him who loved us” (Rm. 8: 34.35.37).

     Above all else however, the Easter event restores the hope of the disciples and commissions them to proclaim openly the saving works of God in Christ, through his Death and Resurrection. And this is a mission which we are called to continue today, as a Church and as individual members. The saving work of the Risen Lord is and will continue to be an ever-present reality in the Christian community.

A wish to you all of a Continuous Resurrection!

He has risen as He has said!!

Happy Easter to you all!!!

(Fr. Vitus M.C. Unegbu, SC)