Greetings of Peace

This first week of Easter is very special and profound. Our hearts are rejoicing in Jesus our Savior for conquering death and rising from the dead and granting our salvation.  Peter and John were the two disciples who ran to see that the tomb was empty and 'Mary Magdalene was met by two angels about where Jesus' body now lay. Jesus is near her but she believes him to be the gardener as he asks her why she is weeping, and who she is looking for? When he says her name, Mary, she then sees and believes it is Jesus by calling him teacher.' (John 20:11-18). The disciples were walking on the road called Emmaus where they were talking and discussing the things that had happened. And there Jesus meets them though they do not recognize it is him. 'They felt their hearts burning within them while he spoke to them and opened the scriptures to them.' (Luke 24: 13-35).

These readings from the Gospels this week show the mysterious, divine and loving way in which Jesus shows himself. He is different perhaps he looks different or their hearts weren't open to seeing the risen Christ. But it shows that He is with us and meets us on our way, and where we are at. "We are consoled by the fact that Jesus sees us, knows, and loves us, even when we are not thinking of him, or are troubled and discouraged. Finally, Christ command to 'stop holding on' is because he desires still greater intimacy with us than as one who stands external to us. He wants us to "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit' who will transform us into other Christs" (Magnificat).

After watching the movie Risen last week on Good Friday, I came to know and understand more of the disciples longing for Christ and revealing himself to them. This reflection from the Magnificat reminded me of what the disciples were experiencing as well as any one of us in our spiritual journey. "God's preference for hiding does not match our expectation of intimacy with him..Indeed God may seem painfully unknown when he is sought most intensely. It can be as though we induce him to hide when we desire him most. We know him sometimes only as he leaves behind sharp hungers in our soul..After every instance of showing himself, our Lord disappears again from sight, a further provocation to spiritual hunger.. Perhaps the saints became holy because they never made peace with the impossibility of seeing God in this life. Among the poor, or in the midst of hostile or indifferent souls, they went in search of his face, only to return again to the silence of prayer where God once more hid himself. These souls lived as though always on the verge of finding a treasure."

What comes to my mind this first week of Easter is that God is always with us in our trials, our sufferings, our despair, our fears as well as our joys, hopes, and desires. Just as Jesus gave his peace to his disciples, he says and does the same for us. Just how his disciples recognized him in the breaking of the bread, we meet him in our daily encounters, in the ordinary, and in our true food and drink, for he is the bread of life. I can find Jesus in my daily journey, to work and taking the same road that once lead me to my former job that I often think about. The road was outstretched and I felt prepared and inspired to teach my students. The road now is short and I pass a nice park and a field of lovely spring flowers, and I often think of that long stretched road from months ago, but know that God was with me then as well as now.

My favorite priest left for Israel this past week and I received the shirt I created having to do with Israel. It is inspired from this blog- Say Hello to the Fig Tree. I imagined it in my mind for quite sometime and enjoy creating something that is personal and meaningful, an original creative work. I wear this shirt now with an image and flag of Israel, and an image of Nathaniel under the fig tree approached and greeted by Jesus telling him to follow him, along with the words 'say hello'. The fig tree symbolizes fruit and hopefully fruit that will last and not be like the barren fig tree. The fig tree is also a symbol of Israel and God's covenant. I would love someday to visit this spiritually enriching and historical place. I continue to reflect upon the liturgical season we are in, and may the risen Christ continue giving us the graces of peace and joy, alleluia!