Appearances of the risen Christ today

We can be no better than the apostles of Jesus after His Crucifixion and death. Who among them were standing by the Cross as the Master gasped in pain crying, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Who among them understood His defeat in the hands of the Roman soldiers?

There was the Blessed Mother who walked the way of the Cross with Him; Mary Magdalene who loved much because she was forgiven much; Veronica who wiped off the blood from the Holy Face out of love and compassion; and John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, who leaned close to him and was given to know the secrets of His Heart. These were the ones whose love of Jesus was beyond any puzzling fear. Are we among such as these who deemed nothing, not even death itself could separate them from the love of Christ? Or are we of the number of followers like the other apostles who shook their heads questioning, "Is this the Master who promised us the Kingdom?" Disheartened, they could not believe. That he could be alive again was next thing to impossible and they closed themselves inside a cenacle for fear of the Jews.

To those who fear, who have lost hope, who are in disbelief, who suffer the outrages of our times, Jesus makes His appearance as He did when He appeared to the apostles in the cenacle, to the two disciples at Emmaus, to His apostles who labored in vain fishing in Lake Genesareth. And He carried only one message: "Peace be with you; My Peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you."

Today, we are standing in a different Calvary but it is the same Christ’s Cross we see planted in our midst. Christ’s passion continues on in the poverty like a whip of fire in the bosom of the earth, in the deadly epidemic of SARS against which even the best scientists and surgeons are almost helpless. The wounds of premature deaths stalk our world. Humanity feels a certain powerlessness, a helplessness expressed by one of the poor mothers in the vicinity where Adela, a SARS balikbayan carrier died: "Kung wala tayong magawa, magdasal na lang tayo sa Diyos." We wonder whether television audiences caught the life-giving message of unwavering faith in God as current news showed this in the network. We wonder because she was among a puzzled crowd being interviewed by media.

Do we even stop to think that such an unobtrusive woman would be instrumental in the appearance of Christ at a time much like the time when the world was unaware that the tremendous mystery of the Resurrection was shaking the world to its very foundation? Likewise, let us watch for such appearances of Christ today, when because of what the world suffers, noble thoughts are revealed. The risen Christ makes His appearance when we feel our hearts burn more intensely for our suffering fellowmen, we pray more fervently than before, we feel how powerful Christ can be when we are most helpless. For He looks with special love on the sick, the afflicted, the poor, the handicapped and the suffering. For them He works the greatest miracles of His power.

Jesus, risen Lord, we bid You stay with us upon our humbler way. Accept a kindness to the blind, the lame, the cup of water offered in Your Name.

Third Sunday of Easter, Luke 24, 35-48.