Second Sunday Of Easter
JOHN 19:20-31
This two-part gospel describes two of Jesus’ post resurrection appearances one week apart. The first takes place on the evening of the first day of the week, the evening of the resurrection. The second appearance takes place eight days later, and this date determines the choice of this gospel reading for the eighth day of Easter. In the first part Jesus is suddenly in the room with the disciples. They were hiding behind locked doors out of fear of being arrested. Jesus was crucified as a rebel king. His adherents were in danger. Thus at Jesus' arrest in the Gospel of John, where he is clearly in charge as a king, he commands the Roman soldiers arresting him to "let these men go." Jesus greets his frightened disciples, "Shalom alachemF ("Peace be with you!")
John implies their terror when the crucified and risen Lord displays to them his scarred hands and his wounded side. To reassure them, Jesus repeats, "Peace be with you." He states his credentials from the Father, credentials that he passes on them, "As the Father has sent me, so do I send you." He breathes on them, and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit." It is important to understand that in the language Jesus spoke, either Hebrew or Aramaic, the word for Spirit and breath are the same. It is the Breath of God that brought life to the first human being in Genesis 2:7. It is the Breath of God that breathed life into the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37. The Church, which was born with blood and water from the side of Jesus on the cross, is now brought to life by the Holy Breath, the Holy Spirit, and begins to breathe with the Breath of God. More on this episode on the Feast of Pentecost.
Thomas the Twin was absent when Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of the resurrection. The other disciples inform him, "We have seen the Lord." This title, the same title used for God in the Greek version of the Old Testament, will be expanded and made more specific at the end of this encounter, when Thomas will say, "My Lord and My God!" But Thomas is a stubborn man. As yet he has no faith in the living presence of the risen Lord. He makes his belief conditional, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the marks of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I mil not believed Thus the matter stood until a week later. The disciples were still hiding behind locked doors. Jesus appears again giving the same reassuring greeting, "Shalom!"
Now come the other few minutes John gives Thomas on center stage. Jesus addresses him, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believing." John does not say that Thomas complies with the command. He is struck by the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Breath of Jesus. The gift of faith is bestowed on him. He answers, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus gently reproaches the doubter, "So you believe because you have seen me?" John, writing at the end of the first century, does not forget Christians of his time who did not have Thomas9 unusual opportunity. From the lips of Jesus a blessing comes upon them, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." That includes us and all who lived and live by faith in the risen Lord throughout all centuries.
John adds a postscript which was the original ending of his gospel before the addition of chapter 21. He had chosen seven miracles of Jesus to include in his gospel. He calls them "signs." They are signs of the identity of Jesus. The author notes that "Jesus did many other signs not written in this book." This leaves room for Jesus' many miracles John did not choose for the purpose of his gospel. Some of them are included in the other three gospels. But what was the primary teaching of the seven signs John included? "That you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this faith you may have life in his name." To this final statement we can add the words of Luke attributed to Simon Peter in Acts 4:12, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among humankind by which we must be saved."
ACTS 4:32-35
Luke notes the phenomenal growth of the Christian movement. The first followers of Jesus were all Jews, so it was normal that they worshipped in the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, as Luke writes, "Thy were all together in Solomon's portico." They still had a good reputation, "esteemed by all." The situation would gradually change as Christianity became very diverse, depending on where, by whom, and to whom the movement was proclaimed. The destruction of the temple by the Roman army in 70 A.D. became the great divide between Judaism and Christianity.
REVELATION 1:9-1 la, 12-13.17-19
The Book of Revelation was written in the nineties of the first Christian century. Through a series of visions the author encourages persecuted Christians to persevere, assuring them that God is in charge and will take control. This reading was chosen to accompany today's gospel of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances because the author writes of a vision of him of whom it is said, "I was dead, but now I am alive forever.”
