Questions abound following Jesus' Resurrection.
Naturally, I want to make sure that I can get all of my questions about the Resurrection answered (and, thankfully, there are resources such as this: "Proof of Jesus' Resurrection and Divinity"). But in the Biblical accounts of this defining event in human history, the questions come not from the dumbfounded disciples but from the Risen Lord Jesus:
- "Whom are you looking for?" (Jn 20:15): Am I alert to various ways that the Risen Lord reaches out to encounter me each day, or do I spend my days looking for someone or something else? If I am not seeking the Living One here and now, then I am probably clinging to some past memory of the "good old days" or escaping into dreams about some fantastic future.
- "What are you discussing as you walk along?" (Lk 24: 17): Am I engaged in conversations that move beyond the superficial, in an effort to explore the deeper meaning of daily events? If I never take time to reflect on why it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and so enter into his glory, then I am probably going to miss the pattern of Cross and Resurrection in my own life's journey.
- "Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?" (Lk 24:38): Have I opened my mind to the fact that the Resurrection makes all things new? If I cannot "rejoice and be glad" at the way Jesus' glorified body transforms the wounds of his passion into signs of victory, then I will fail to see how God's grace can sanctify my own life's scars.
- "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" (Jn 21:5): Have I noticed that trying to live absent Jesus leads to aimless activity, marked by fruitless ventures and empty nets? If I insist on returning to my plans and my comfort zones over and over again, then I will miss out on the super-abundance which comes from staying close to Christ.
- "Do you love me?" (Jn 21:15-17): How many times have I heard Jesus repeat this question in my own life? If I wallow in my past denials and frequent failures, then I will never utter a deeper "Yes" to this question, the question which determines both my temporal happiness during this earthly journey and my ultimate destiny. I am made to be in relationship with Love--to love Love, and to be loved by Love--and the question is whether I will accept this invitation.
I am made to be in relationship with Love--to love Love, and to be loved by Love. The Easter season is the time to discern which of these questions Jesus is asking at this stage of my journey, and whether I have the courage to respond affirmatively.
Thankfully, in his Divine Mercy revelation, the Lord himself provides advice about how to begin my response to his probing questions: "Jesus, I trust in you"!
