As we celebrate the glorious Solemnity of the Resurrection of Jesus, it is important to note that the initial revelations of this event were given to disciples, who were overwhelmed with sorrow, confusion, discouragement and even Despondency. Having completely invested themselves into the mission and ministries of Jesus, they were like sheep without a shepherd after the chief priests of the People of God and the Sanhedrin, the very ones, who should have recognized Him as the promised Messiah, arranged to have Him slandered, humiliated, brutally tortured and crucified by the pagan Romans. 

Fortunately, however, one of them was able to get permission from Pilate to bury His body in a decent tomb. But even then, the religious leaders felt the need to have His tomb sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. This being the case, it was not surprising that after His Resurrection, the first idea that entered the minds of His disciples was that His body had been stolen, so as to ensure that any memory of His life and ministry would be suppressed.

It is in this context that He graciously appeared in numerous ways to His disciples, thus assuring them of the reality of His victory over all the power of evil - including death itself.

This is important to keep in mind, since it dramatically manifests the fact that an authentic appreciation of the Resurrection can only be experienced by those willing to confront the magnitude of the evils, which preceded it. The deeper dimensions of the mystery of His Resurrection can only be appreciated by those willing to suffer the long term anguish and frustrations of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, by those willing to God's anawim, rather than find a perverted solace in worldly cynicism or schadenfreude. 

In this context, it is worth noting that the risen Jesus had open wounds, not scars, in His hands, feet and side, thus indicating His will to compassionately and redemptively abide with us as we continue to struggle with the woundedness of our sinful weaknesses, of crippling traumas, and of unresolved resentments.

It is thus providential the Pope Francis has declared this to be a Jubilee Year of Hope, since we are sustained and strengthened in our spiritual struggles by the Holy Spirit, through the ministry of others in the Body of Christ, in the hope of the Resurrection - a hope, which while disillusioning us from our vapid agendas, does not leave us disappointed, as (we?) take up our crosses daily and together follow in the redeeming footsteps of our crucified and risen Savior. 

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!!!

De Colores,

Father Tom Collins