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Meditation on the 3rd Easter Sunday, year B1
All Scripture is divinely inspired [is] and useful for teaching,
to persuade, to correct, to educate in justice – that
the man of God was perfect, fit for every good deed.
2 Tim 3: 16-17
Some time has passed since Jesus was resurrected. The students saw the empty tomb, they have already met the Risen One, they are talking about this meeting. However, when Jesus stood beside them again, they did not take it as a natural thing, as an ordinary part of their everyday life. They were scared, confused, full of doubts. They seemed to already know about the resurrection, took note of this fact, but still acted as if all the teaching of the Master had not yet fully convinced them.
“Why are you confused and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” – Jesus asks the apostles, as well as each of us who consider ourselves believers and Christians not only in name. We know very well, and we repeat in prayer that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died and rose again, maybe we even experienced a personal encounter with Jesus that changed our lives … . It not only exceeds our intellect, our cognitive abilities. We just can’t really live with it. We do, but…
Our “buts” are different. Sometimes they take the form of reflections and discussions which, according to the teaching of one church or another, could be qualified as heresies. brave, full of pain, rebellious – because Jesus rose from the dead, but the world has not changed at all, and the evil has not disappeared and it is still difficult to explain it, because nothing has become simpler and more obvious. Other times our “buts” mainly boil down to the realm of morality, to the fear that we have not lived up to Jesus’ expectations again, or to doubts that all that the Master teaches is not too difficult for an ordinary person.
“Peace be with you.” With these words, Jesus welcomes the concerned, still a bit incredulous witnesses of his resurrection. Me and you too. He understands our uncertainty, hesitations, doubts, our fear of the greatest mysteries of God, our powerful desire to escape to what is presented as simpler, easier, more unambiguous. Therefore, he comes again and again to be with us and speak to us, even though it seems to us that everything important has already happened and has been said. He comes to give us the peace we need so much through his presence and his words.
I do not mean any extraordinary, ecstatic experiences, although such encounters with Jesus certainly happen to some people. Each of us, on the other hand, can go out to meet Jesus every day, reading fragments of the Holy Scriptures. and wondering, “What does Jesus have to say to me today?” Most churches help Christians by preparing a calendar of Bible readings for each day. Even though the same texts are repeated from time to time, it is only an invitation to find new content in them over and over again, according to our experiences, questions, joys and concerns; it is a reminder that, although we have believed, we constantly need upbuilding contact with God’s Word to help us face life’s challenges.
Today, in the Catholic Church, we are celebrating Bible Sunday, which begins the 7th Polish National Bible Week under the slogan “Convert and believe in the Gospel.” On this day, let us thank God for the fact that more and more Catholics regularly read the Bible, that the laity learn more and more boldly with their thoughts on the Bible, that we have more and more publications that wisely introduce us to the world of the Bible. Let us ask those of us who have frequent contact with the Bible to read God’s call again and again in it. Let us also pray for those who have not yet read or heard that they will not miss the joy of knowing this Holy Book.
Not only in Bible Week, but always, every day, Jesus wants to enlighten our minds so that we can understand the Scriptures. It would be a pity not to take advantage of the offer of such an excellent Teacher!
Sunday reflections
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