This stunning photo was taken by my friend, Fr. Tony Milner during his Holy Week Retreat at Castel Gandolfo. In his FB album he entitled it "Jacob's Ladder..."Indeed there are times when it is difficult for us to see the "connection" between our life here and the one after this, especially when there is no one who could at least indicate some "signs" linking the two...
Could this be one of the reasons why we, disciples of Jesus today, need to solemnly celebrate annually the Resurrection event -- to make present the reality of the new life that we are now "caught up into" through Jesus' rising from the dead? We know it by the intuition of our faith, by the doctrine passed on to use through catechism and theology, but it takes time to really capture it in our lives, or rather, be captured by it, by the resurrection faith.
In the beautiful homily I had the grace to listen to today at the English College here in Rome, the priest celebrant rightly said -- we need TIME to understand, to catch the significance of the event. Mary Magdalene needed "two takes": the first one, she mistook Jesus for the gardener (the "old Adam"?). But she caught up soon: upon hearing her name out of Jesus' lips, she recognized him as her "rabbouni" (the "new Adam"?)
On second reflection, we could be forgiven for "failing to understand" what Resurrection means. It is not easy, of course, since the Resurrection is an "out-of-this-world" reality. It is unique. Pope Benedict XVI develops this foundational Christian theme in his latest work, Jesus of Nazareth: "The Resurrection accounts certainly speak of something outside our world of experience. They speak of something new, something unprecedented -- a new dimension of reality that is revealed. What already exists is not called into question. Rather, we are told that there is a further dimension, beyond what was previously known. Does that contradict science? Can there really only ever be what there has always been? Can there not be something unexpected, something unimaginable, something new? If there really is a God, is he not able to create a new dimension of human existence, a new dimension of reality altogether? Is not creation actually waiting for this last and highest 'evolutionary leap', for the union of the finite with the infinite, for the union of man and God, for the conquest of death? Throughout the history of the living, the origins of aything new have always been small, practically invisible and easily overlooked. (...) In terms of world history, Jesus' Resurrection is improbable; it is the smallest mustard seed of history. This reversal of proportions is one of God's mysteries. The great -- the mighty-- is ultimately the small. The tiny mustard seed is something truly great. So it is that the Resurrection has entered the world only through certain mysterious appearances to the chosen few. And yet it was truly the new beginning for which the world was silently waiting."
I personally think that "resurrection experiences" are creatively woven in the texture of our life, if we only TAKE and MAKE TIME to examine deeply our daily lives. I did have experiences lately when such deep desires I hold in my heart and I could only express to our Lord found fulfillment in real life, unfolding in mysterious and unexpected ways.
For this period of the Easter Season (50 days -- a lot of time indeed!) why don't we try a daily "easter exercise": look at signs of connections -- stunning play of clouds and light as in the picture above (like God "showing off" or simply smiling), tiny green sprouts of plants springing from crevices or stones, an encouraging tap on the shoulder, a listening ear offered, a helping hand, etc...
Happy Easter to all!
I personally think that "resurrection experiences" are creatively woven in the texture of our life, if we only TAKE and MAKE TIME to examine deeply our daily lives. I did have experiences lately when such deep desires I hold in my heart and I could only express to our Lord found fulfillment in real life, unfolding in mysterious and unexpected ways.
For this period of the Easter Season (50 days -- a lot of time indeed!) why don't we try a daily "easter exercise": look at signs of connections -- stunning play of clouds and light as in the picture above (like God "showing off" or simply smiling), tiny green sprouts of plants springing from crevices or stones, an encouraging tap on the shoulder, a listening ear offered, a helping hand, etc...
Happy Easter to all!
