We Christians rejoice exceedingly because of our precious faith in the Risen Jesus, but imagine the first Easter Day, that first Sunday after the trauma of Good Friday and what it must have been for the eleven apostles to hear of the empty tomb, the appearances of “Jesus” to several women, to Simon Peter, and to the two wayfarers on the road to Emmaus! Can anyone blame these men for their incredulity in the various accounts of Jesus’ appearances; strong emotions of joy, hope, fear of disappointment – too good to be true!
'What were they to make of all these tales? They had seen him dead, and dead men do not walk about or speak. They had gathered eleven round the table; though the door had not opened a twelfth was among them … gradually their eyes settled on the stranger. … As their eyes grew accustomed to the vision there was no possibility of mistake; alive or dead, reality or spirit, the figure in their midst was that of Jesus.' (The Risen Jesus, Archbishop Goodier, SJ, p.102)
Make A Comment
Comments (0)