Spirituality

A Commentary on Lk 24, 35-48: Sunday, April 19th 2015

We read today the last part of Luke’ Gospel, chapter 24. After the story of the two disciples who met Jesus on the way to Emmaus, recognized him in the “breaking of the bread” and come back to Jerusalem to share their experience, Luke tells us that Jesus himself appeared to the whole group of disciples, who were rather in a state of sadness, confusion and doubt. In the text we read today we can find many interesting points for our meditation. As usual, I make just three points:

1) The importance of eating together; “He ate before them”
Luke says that, seeing that the disciples were shocked and somehow unable to believe, Jesus asked for something to eat and , when fish was offered to Him, He started eating before them. To eat with somebody has always been, and continues to be, in most different cultures, a gesture of great social meaning. To eat together unites the families, strengthens friendships, stablishes social links… and even favours business.
According to what the gospels say, Jesus used to go quite frequently to eat with people: to take part in a wedding feast (Cana), to celebrate a new friendship (with Levi), to stablish social relationships with social leaders (Pharisees) and so on. Jesus also compared the Kingdom of God to a banquet to which we are all invited by the Father. The act of eating together became a sign of the new humanity that He announced and promoted in the name of the Father. And this new fraternal humanity was sealed with the seal of his given up body and blood, a sign of which was anticipated in the last supper.
From that time on, that community meal has become a sign (and a reality) of his presence among the disciples, companions in this struggle to be stablish the Kingdom of God in a world quite often hostile. Certainly, everything can go wrong. This happens often with our social meals that, instead of being fraternal and friendly, can be a place for hypocrisy. And this may happen also ton the great sacrament of Jesus’s presence among us: The Eucharist; we can falsify it ad really we do often. But if we celebrate the Eucharist with humility and honesty, it becomes the great sign (and instrument) of a renewed community, in which Jesus makes Himself present, fostering brotherhood, justice and mutual help, and sowing seeds of a new humanity.
2) Opened mind: “He opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures”
With the opened minds, the Scriptures help them to understand what is happening in their lives and in the history of humanity; and their historical experience helps them to understand better what the Scriptures say. Scriptures and live illuminate each other. The disciples experienced this many a time following Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem and listening to his luminous teaching. Listening to Him, it was easy for them to understand, for example, that to heal a paralysed man was more important than to keep the rules concerning the Sabath; that to help a wounded man on the way made us to be real sons of the Father; that the Father was very happy when a sinner repented… that his own death was an act of definitive trust and self-giving love….
That’s why to the day of today, and for centuries to come, the disciples gather together now and again to listen to the wonderful words of Jesus, to be illuminated by them in a fruitful dialogue between Word and Life. Listening to this Word, we understand better what is happening in us and around us. And living with generosity and an opened mind makes us understand ever better that wonderful Word. In that we experience how alive Jesus is among us and how He is guiding his community, through his Holy Spirit.

3) To be witnesses: “His name will be proclaimed to all peoples”
To listen to the luminous word of Jesus, to “eat” with Him and the community of disciples, to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life and in the world, is the most wonderful gift I personally could have received. This has transformed my life, making me feel a loved child of the Father and a sincere brother among brothers. That is why, following the steps of Peter, Paul, Luke and millions of disciples, I also want to be a missionary, a witness to that wonderful experience before the world. To be a witness to Jesus in the world is the most fascinating mission a person can have.
Mission is not a fight to gain adepts to a sect, nor a clever merchandising of an ideology, nor expansion of a religious system… Mission is to become humble but joyous witnesses of a gift received: a Word that continuously guides and illuminates us, in spite of so much confusion and doubt in us and around us; a brotherhood that we build every day, not because we are better than others, but because we are disciples ready to learn and to involve ourselves in this marvellous project of Jesus and His Father; a presence of the Holy Spirit that guides us in all circumstances, in love and freedom, against all the difficulties and our own sins.
Thank you, Jesus, for your Word; thank you for your fraternal meal; thank you for the Spirit who guide us in this sweet mission of being your witnesses
Fr Antonio Villarino
Roma

A commentary on Jn 20, 19-31 Second Sunday of Easter, April 12th 2015

In this second Sunday of Easter we continue Reading the 20th chapter of John’s Gospel, which tells us what happened in that “first day of the week”, that is, at the beginning of the “new creation”, the new time in history that we are living as communities of Jesus’ disciples and missionaries. The experience of Jesus’ living presence among the disciples happens again eight days later, specifically meant for Thomas…, and it continues happening each Sunday (every eight days), when the Christian community gathers to celebrate the Lord’s presence.
The Gospel tells us that Thomas did not believe till he could see the hands and the wounded side of Jesus. It is precisely out of this “broken” side of Jesus, his totally self-given heart, that the Church springs up and the Spirit flows out into humanity with the wonderful gifts of peace, joy, forgiveness and mission. Let us see briefly:

1) “Peace to you”
Jesus says the traditional greeting words used by Jews and some other cultures even today. Nowadays, we would maybe say something like this: “Hello, how are you, I wish you peace and wellbeing”. Not too much? Well, I think it is quite a lot. I remember when Pope Francis, just elected, came out at the St. Peter’s balcony and simply said: “Buona sera” (Good evening). It was enough for the crowd to react with enthusiasm and great joy. There was no need for a big and profound speech; only that: a simple word of greeting conveying an attitude of openness and friendship.
With this, I consider the importance and beauty of a simple but loving greeting among the members of a family, re-asserting each day that care for each other that gives joy to life; I think of a respectful and positive greeting at the working place; I see that stretched out hand that we give during Mass recognising in our neighbour a brother or a sister, even if we do not know each other; I observe that kind of welcoming gesture or word to the foreigner… I think of the World peace that we need so badly in these times of violence and conflict. In all these situations, Jesus is the first one to tell me: “Hello, peace to you”. So that I myself can repeat the greeting to others.
It’s interesting to note that, as He was greeting the disciples, Jesus shows his hands and side with the signs of the torture He suffered. That means that the peace Jesus is offering is not a “cheap” one. It was “bought” with His own blood. That means that peace in the family, in the community, in the working place, in the world, is not always easy, it’s quite often a difficult task… But Jesus –and we with Him– was not a coward, but a “warrior”, with no fear to suffer if necessary.

2) Joy: “The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord”.
The presence of Jesus, with His peace, produces joy, as it does the arrival of a friend, or the mutual acceptance in the family or in the community. It’s not a “superficial” joy, that hides difficulties, problems or even sins; it’s not the joy of the one who lies to himself in a false reality or in unawareness.
It’s the joy of the one who feels respected and able to respect; the one who knows He is loved and able to love; the one who believes He is really a blessed child of the Father. It’s the deep joy of somebody who found a sense and a mission for his/her life. It’s the joy of somebody who met Jesus as a faithful friend, a trustful master, and a Lord that wins wrong with goodness.

3) Forgiveness: “If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven”.
The joy of the disciple is not the joy of somebody that considers himself “prefect” or pretends to do everything perfectly. It’s the joy of that person who accepts to be forgiven and is ready to sow seeds of forgiveness. Jesus gave to His Church the Spirit of forgiveness, mercy and reconciliation. Pope Francis re-instated in our times this “mercy principle”. The Church is not a place of lawful righteousness or a Court of Justice; the Church is a place of mercy and reconciliation, a place where everybody has a chance to try a new beginning. Without mercy, humanity becomes impossible to live, because all of us are in need of mercy. Peace, mercy, brotherhood… we need them so much; they are a fruit of the Spirit the Risen Lord gives out to us.

4) Mission: “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you”
The community of disciples, pacified, pardoned, built up as a house of mercy, becomes a missionary community, sent to the world to be precisely that: a house of mercy, reconciliation and peace. And really, how much does our world need that! How necessary it is to increase and spread out the communities of disciples that, as humble believers, become in the world spaces of peaceful greetings, forgiveness and deep joy!
Fr. Antonio Villarino
Roma