12th April 2020
When we study the life of Jesus we recognise that there is nothing of what we can read about that is not without purpose, sometimes there can be simple explanations and other times there can be enormous revelation. In the first reading today Peter tells of haven eaten and drunk with Jesus after his resurrection. Jesus ate with the apostles several times after the resurrection, he actually cooked for them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee whilst waiting on them to return by boat. Eating together & cooking were very ordinary things to do given that Jesus had come back from the dead. We can be sure that Jesus didn’t need to eat physical food. However he obviously wanted to be with the apostles as they ate. When Jesus walked to Emmaus with two of his followers one we know was called Cleopas, they didn’t recognise him until he broke the bread. I think that Jesus connection with eating is one of the most significant messages from the story of Easter. If you think that everything revolves around meals. The Passover meal really was a Passover meal, we passed from the Old Testament to the living Body and Blood of God, the institution of the Eucharist. It was the most significant gift we received from Jesus earthly journey. Then immediately after the resurrection Jesus is again back at the table, breaking bread. The supernatural significance of all this is that Jesus only concern for all of us was that we are fed, that our Souls should be replenished. This was his mission, to give us the food of his Body & Blood for our Spiritual lives on our earthly journey.
The Gospels and the Old Testament never change. However what does change is humanity and our ability to decipher what has been written. Every generation have people who can study the scriptures and bring us an ever deeper understanding on the Life of Christ & Gods journey with humanity. However there are also times when God uses situations to reveal much to humanity all at once. I’m thinking in particular on Old Testament Times when there was mana from heaven every morning in the desert. I think we are learning something very significant at this time of isolation, isolation from one another and isolation from the Living Body & Blood of Jesus. This has been a Lent like we have never experienced. We have had to abstain from things that we didn’t think we could. We have had a real desert experience. I believe this Easter Sunday is probably more like the first Easter Sunday than any others have been. I think that our souls will be nourished, I think our lives will be renewed and I think many of us will find a new path to Heaven accompanied by Jesus on the journey. And like Cleopas we may only recognise Jesus when we stop for the breaking of the bread.
Lord thank you for the precious gift of your Body & Blood. Thank you for the gift of my life & every breath that I take. Amen.
Gospel
Matthew 28:1-10
He has risen from the dead and now he is going before you into Galilee
After the sabbath, and towards dawn on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to visit the sepulchre. And all at once there was a violent earthquake, for the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His face was like lightning, his robe white as snow. The guards were so shaken, so frightened of him, that they were like dead men. But the angel spoke; and he said to the women, ‘There is no need for you to be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said he would. Come and see the place where he lay, then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has risen from the dead and now he is going before you to Galilee; it is there you will see him.” Now I have told you.’ Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples.
And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings’ he said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’
First reading
Acts 10:34,37-43 ·
'We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection'
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’