by Suzie Eller

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' After he said this, he showed them his hands and side."
- John 20:19-20a (NIV)

Audrey pulled the cover over her eyes.

"Check for bears," she said.

I checked for bears one more time. I had tried telling her there were no bears under the bed. When she persisted, I made a game out of looking. I held up a dust bunny, and we laughed because that certainly wasn't a bear. Every time I left the room, I heard my sweet granddaughter's trembling voice.

"Gaga, the bearrrrr."

Finally, I climbed in the bed with her until she fell asleep, her tiny form pressed against mine.

There was no bear, but there was fear. When I pulled her closely in my arms, that fear fled.

Have you ever had someone tell you not to be afraid? They discount the feeling, because they don't feel it. Perhaps they give advice.

The problem is, you already know that fear isn't healthy. You know there's no "bear" under the bed, but that hasn't eased your anxious thoughts.

In John 20:19-20, the disciples are gripped with fear. They'd walked with Jesus for three years. They heard Him promise that He'd rise again. They sat at His feet as He assured them He'd always be with them. Yet, they also witnessed His arrest, a brutal flogging and then a tragic death on a rugged cross. They thought they were going to build a kingdom with Jesus, not attend His burial.

When the women ran to them, saying the tomb was empty, the disciples raced to the site. (John 20:2-4)

Was it a trick? Had the soldiers hid His body? Was it possible Jesus' words came true? Unsure of the answer, they trudged back and hid behind a barred door, still bound by fear.

Jesus suddenly appeared among them in the room. The door was still barred. Their circumstances seemed to be the same, except for one thing: Jesus was with them.

There was no condemnation for their fearful thoughts. He didn't give them a three-step plan. He didn't point out all the truth they forgot. He simply came close. He breathed peace over their hearts. He invited them to feel His side and touch the nail prints in His hands and feet.

Fear fled, and joy overwhelmed them.

When you're caught in fear's grip, you may feel anxious and uncertain about what to do. That's OK. It's less about what you do and more about what Jesus will do for you.

Further along in John 20:21-22, we see how Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to empower the disciples after He returned to Heaven.

"Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit."  - John 20:21-22 (NIV)

There are times when I'm caught in fear's grip where I even feel guilty or "less than." Those feelings can keep me in hiding. But Jesus promises to breathe peace over our hearts. He invites us to come close. He reminds me that I'm not alone. That His words are true. His strength will carry me until I am no longer afraid, and He will grant courage to walk in faith, not fear.

Audrey is 4 years old now. She no longer believes a bear lives under the bed, yet other fears sometimes try to creep in. She knows if she calls for her Gaga, I'll be there. We'll lie close together until fear flees and peace settles in. Jesus wants to do the same for you and me.

Heavenly Father, I've felt shame over fear, and that doesn't come from You. Help me find the courage to walk in faith, not fear, because the Holy Spirit is at work within me. As You speak peace over my heart, I want to receive it. Instead of hiding from You, I will turn toward You. I bring my anxious thoughts to You, for You are my strength. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Psalm 56:3, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." (NIV)

Psalm 94:19, "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:

Suzie Eller's book,The Mended Heart: God's Healing for Your Broken Places, is a healing resource for women, no matter what you are going through.

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

Romans 8:1 explains how there is no condemnation for those who love Jesus. No blame. No criticism. No disapproval. No judgment! That's good news.

Fear can lead to shame, or it can lead to Jesus. Which will you choose?

by Msgr. Charles Pope

After Christ rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples at certain places and times, but did not seem to stay with them continuously. On the first Easter Sunday, He appeared six times in rather rapid succession: first to Mary Magdalene, then to the women at the tomb, third as the women left the tomb, fourth to Peter, fifth to the two disciples going to Emmaus, and sixth to the ten Apostles in Jerusalem (when Thomas was not present).

In His public ministry, Jesus seemed to be with His disciples nearly all the time. However, after His Resurrection he would appear, converse, and teach, but then be absent from them bodily. For example, John 20:26 says that "after eight days" Christ appeared to the disciples, suggesting that He was not otherwise present to them during that period.

While it is true that we do not have an exact calendar of His appearances and not every appearance is necessarily recorded, it seems apparent that the Lord was not constantly with the disciples during the forty days prior to His ascension.

Why is this?

St. Thomas Aquinas reflected on this question and offers two basic reasons. In so doing he does not propose an absolute explanation, but rather demonstrates why it was fitting that Christ was not with them continuously during the forty days prior to the ascension. St. Thomas writes,

Concerning the Resurrection two things had to be manifested to the disciples, namely, the truth of the Resurrection, and the glory of Him who rose.

Now in order to manifest the truth of the Resurrection, it sufficed for Him to appear several times before them, to speak familiarly to them, to eat and drink, and let them touch Him. But in order to manifest the glory of the risen Christ, He was not desirous of living with them constantly as He had done before, lest it might seem that He rose unto the same life as before … [For as Bede says] "He had then risen in the same flesh, but was not in the same state of mortality as they."

That Christ did not stay continually with the disciples was not because He deemed it more expedient to be elsewhere: but because He judged it to be more suitable for the apostles' instruction that He should not abide continually with them, for the reason given above.

He appeared oftener on the first day, because the disciples were to be admonished by many proofs to accept the faith in His Resurrection from the very out set: but after they had once accepted it, they had no further need of being instructed by so many apparitions
(Summa Theologiae, Part III, Q. 55, Art. 3).

While St. Thomas observes that there may well be appearances that were not recorded, he is inclined to hold that there were not a lot more of them. He writes,

One reads in the Gospel that after the first day He appeared again only five times. For, as Augustine says (De Consens. Evang. iii), after the first five apparitions "He came again a sixth time when Thomas saw Him; a seventh time was by the sea of Tiberias at the capture of the fishes; the eighth was on the mountain of Galilee, according to Matthew; the ninth occasion is expressed by Mark, 'at length when they were at table,' because no more were they going to eat with Him upon earth; the tenth was on the very day, when no longer upon the earth, but uplifted into the cloud, He was ascending into heaven. But, as John admits, not all things were written down. And He visited them frequently before He went up to heaven," in order to comfort them. Hence it is written (1 Corinthians 15:6-7) that "He was seen by more than five hundred brethren at once … after that He was seen by James"; of which apparitions no mention is made in the Gospels
(ibid).

St. Thomas strikes a balance between the Lord's need to instruct them and summon them to faith in the resurrection, and the need for them to grasp His risen glory. Christ did not merely resume His former life. The disciples were not to cling to their former understandings of Him as Rabbi and teacher; now they were to grasp more fully that He is Lord.

Though Thomas does not mention it here, I would add another reason for the Lord's action of not abiding with them continuously: It was fitting for Him to do this to accustom them to the fact that they would no longer see Him as they had with their physical eyes. Once He ascended, they would see Him mystically in the Sacraments and in His Body the Church. Thus, as the Lord broke the Bread and gave it them in Emmaus, they recognized Him (in) the Eucharist (Luke 24). Thereupon He vanished from them. It was as if to say, "You will no longer go on seeing me in the same manner. Now you will experience me mystically and in the Sacraments."

Video

by Saint Ephrem (c.306-373)

"No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven."

The Shepherd of all has descended;
he sought out Adam, his sheep that was lost.
On his shoulders he bore him and returned;
he made sacrifice of himself to the Lord of the flock
(Lk 15,4; Jn 10,11).

Blessed be his coming down to us!

Life-giving dew and vivifying rain,
he fell upon Mary's thirsty ground.
As a grain of wheat he descended to earth
and rose up, a sheaf and new-baked bread
(Jn 12,24).

Blessed be his offering!...

From the heights has power come down for us,
from the Virgin's womb hope has shone for us,
from the tomb has life appeared for us
and sits at the Father's right as king for us.

In the heights he flowed like a river;
he came from Mary like a shoot;
he hung on the tree like fruit
and returned as firstfruit to heaven.

by St. Gregory the Great

1. It has been my custom, beloved brethren, to speak to you on many of the Gospel readings, by means of a sermon I had already dictated for you. But since I have been unable, because of the weakness of my throat, to read to you myself what I had prepared, I notice that some among you listen somewhat indifferently.

So, contrary to my usual practice, I shall for the future make the effort during the sacred solemnities of the Mass to explain the Gospel, not through a sermon I have dictated, but by speaking directly to you myself.

So for the future it shall be the rule for me to speak to you in this way. For the words which are spoken directly to sluggish souls awaken them more readily than a sermon that is read to them; moving them by that touch as it were of authority, so that they listen with more attention. I am not, as I well know, competent to fulfill this office: but let your charity make good what my ignorance denies me. For I have in mind Him Who has said: Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it (Ps. lxxx. ii). We all have in mind a good work , and it will be perfected by His divine assistance (II Tim. iii. 17). And also, this great solemnity of the Sunday of the Resurrection gives us a fitting occasion for speaking to you: for it would indeed be unfitting that the tongue of our body should be silent in the praises that are clue this day; that day on which the Body of our Author rose again from the dead.

2. You have heard, Beloved, how the holy women who had followed the Lord came to His tomb, bringing with them sweet spices, so that with tender affection they might tend Him in death Whom they had loved in life. And this tells us something which we should observe in the life of our holy Church. And it is important we give attention to what here took place: to see what we mint do to imitate them. And we also, who believe in Him Who died, truly come with sweet spices to His tomb, when we come seeking the Lord, bringing with us the sweet odour of virtue, and the credit of good works.

But these women who came bringing sweet spices beheld angels. And this signifies that those souls who, because of their holy love, come seeking the Lord, bearing the sweet spices of virtue, shall also see the citizens of heaven. And let us also take note of what it means that the angel is seen sitting on the right side. For what does the left side mean but this present life; and the right hand side, if not life eternal? Because of this it is written in the Canticle of Canticles: His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me (Cant. ii. 6).

And so, since Our Redeemer has now passed over beyond the mortality of this present life, tightly does the Angel, who had come to announce His entry into eternal life, sit at the right side . And he came clothed in white: for he was announcing the joy of this our present solemnity. For the whiteness of his garments signifies the glory of our great Feast. Should we say ours 0t His? That we may speak truly let us say that it is both ours and His. For this day of our Redeemer's Resurrection is also our day of great joy; for it has restored m to immortality. It is also a day of joy for the angels: for restoring us to heaven, it has filled up again the number of its citizens. On this our festival day, and His, an angel appeared, clothed in white robes, because they are rejoicing that because we are restored to heaven the losses their heavenly home had suffered are now made good.

3. But let us hear what is said to the women who came? Be not affrighted! As though he said to them: Let them fear who love not the coming of the heavenly citizens. Let them fear who, steeped in bodily desires, have no hope of belonging to them. But you, why should you fear, meeting your own? Matthew also, describing the appearance of the Angel, says of him: And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow (Mt. xxviii. 3). Lightning awakens dread and fear, the white radiance of snow is soothing. For Almighty God is both terrifying to sinners, and comforting to those who are good. Rightly then is the Angel, the Witness of the Resurrection, revealed to us with countenance like the lightning, and his garments white as snow: so that even by his appearance he might awaken fear in the reprobate, and bring consolation to the just.

And rightly also, for the same reason, there went before the Lord's People in the desert, a column of fire by night, and a column of smoke by day (Ex. xiii: 21, 22). For in fire there is fear; but in the cloud of smoke the comforting assurance of what we can see: day also meaning the life of the just, and night the life of sinners. Because of this Paul, speaking to converted sinners, says: For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord (Eph. v. 8). So a pillar of cloud was set before them by day, and a pillar of fire by night: because Almighty God shall appear mild of countenance to the just, but fearful to the wicked. Coming to judge us, He shall comfort the one by the mildness of His countenance, and terrify the other with the severity of His justice.

4. Now let us hear what the angel says. You seek Jesus of Nazareth . Jesus, in the Latin tongue, is saving ; that is, Saviour . Then however many were called Jesus, by name, not because of the reality it means. So the place is added, to make clear of what Jesus he is speaking: Of Nazareth . And to this he adds the reason they seek Him: Who was crucified . And then he goes on: He is risen, he is not here . That He was not there was said only of His Bodily Presence; for nowhere is He absent in the power of His divinity. But go , he continues, tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee .

Now we have to ask ourselves, why did he, speaking of the Disciples, single out Peter by name? But, had the Angel not referred to him in this way, Peter would never have dared to appear again among the Apostles. He is bidden then by name to come, so that he will not despair because of his denial of Christ. And here we must ask ourselves, why did Almighty God permit the one He had placed over the whole Church to be frightened by the voice of a maid servant, and even to deny Christ Himself? This we know was a great dispensation of the divine mercy, so that he who was to be the shepherd of the Church might learn, through his own fall, to have compassion on others. God therefore first shows him to himself, and then places him over others: to learn through his own weakness how to bear mercifully with the weakness of others.

5. And well did he say of Our Redeemer that: He goeth before you into Galilee; there you shall see him, as he told you . For Galilee means, passing-over . And now our Redeemer has passed over from His suffering to His Resurrection, from death to life, from punishment to glory, from mortality to immortality. And, after His Resurrection, His Disciples first see Him in Galilee; as afterwards, filled with joy, we also shall see the glory of the Resurrection, if we now pass over from the ways of sin to the heights of holy living. He therefore Who is announced to us from the tomb is shown to us by crossing over: for He Whom we acknowledge in the denial of our flesh is seen in the passing over of our soul. Because of the solemnity of the day, we have gone briefly over these points in our explanation of the Gospel. Let us now speak in more detail of this same solemnity.

6. There are two lives; one of which we knew, the other we did not know of. The one is mortal, the other immortal; the one linked with human infirmity, the other to incorruption; one is marked for death, the other for resurrection. The Mediator between God and man, the Man Jesus Christ, came, and took upon Himself the one, and revealed to us the other. The one He endured by dying; the other He revealed when He rose from the dead. Had He then foretold to us, who knew His mortal life, the Resurrection of His Body, and had not visibly shown it to us, who would believe in His promises? So, becoming Man, He shows Himself in our flesh; of His own will He suffered death; by His own power He rose from the dead; and by this proof He showed us that which He promises as a reward.

But perhaps some one will say: Of course He rose: for being God He could not be held in death. So, to give light to our understanding, to strengthen our weakness, He willed to give us proof, and not of His Resurrection only. In that hour He died alone; but He did not rise alone from the dead. For it is written: And many bodies of the saints that had slept arose (Mt. xxvii. 52). He has therefore taken away the argument of those who do not believe.

And let no one say: No man can hope that that will happen to him which the God-man proved to us in His Body; for here we learn that men did rise again with God, and we do not doubt that these were truly men. If then we are the members of our Redeemer, let us look forward to that which we know was fulfilled in our Head. Even if we should be diffident, we ought to hope that what we have heard of His worthier members will be fulfilled also in us His meanest members.

7. And here there comes to mind what the Jews, insulting the Crucified Son of God, cried out: If he be the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross, and we will believe him . Had He, yielding to their insults, then come down from the Cross, He would not have proved to us the power of patience. He waited for the little time left, He bore with their insults, He submitted to their mockery, He continued patient, and evoked our admiration; and He Who refused to descend from the Cross, rose again from the sepulchre. More did it matter so to rise from the sepulchre than to descend from the Cross. A far greater thing was it to overcome death by rising from the sepulchre, than to preserve life by descending from the Cross.

And when the Jews saw that despite their insults He would not descend from the Cross, and when they saw Him dying, they rejoiced; thinking they had overcome Him and caused His Name to be forgotten. But now through all the world His Name has grown in honour, because of the death whereby this faithless people thought they had caused Him to be forgotten. And He Whom they rejoiced over as slain, they grieved over when He was dead: for they know it was through death He had come to His glory.

The deeds of Samson, related in the Book of Judges, foreshadowed this Day (Judges xvi. 1-3). For when Samson went into Gaza, the city of the Philistines, they, learning he had come in, immediately surrounded the city and placed guards before the gates; and they rejoiced because they had Samuel in their power. What Samson did we know. At midnight he took the gates of the city, and carried them to the top of a hill outside. Whom does Samson symbolize, Beloved, in this, if not our Redeemer? What does Gaza symbolize, if not the gates of hell? And what the Philistines, if not the perfidy of the Jews, who seeing the Lord dead, and His Body in the sepulchre, placed guards before it; rejoicing that they had Him in their power, and that He Whom the Author of life had glorified was now enclosed by the gates of hell: as they had rejoiced when they thought they had captured Samson in Gaza.

But in the middle of the night Samson, not alone went forth from the city, but also bore off its gates, as our Redeemer, rising before day, not alone went forth free from hell, but also destroyed the very gates of hell. He took away the gates, and mounted with them to the top of a hill; for by His Resurrection He bore off the gates of hell, and by His Ascension He mounted to the kingdom of heaven.

by Msgr. Charles Pope

There is a passage in John 16 that is unusual for its repetition.  The expression "in a little while" is repeated seven times in the brief passage in John 16. In fact, its repetition is almost to the point of being annoying, such that the reader is tempted to say, "Alright, already! I get it! In a little while!" But obviously John, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit want to drill this into us. The "little while" of this passage is seemingly a critical perspective for us to lay hold of.

Let's look at the whole passage:

Jesus went on to say, "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." At this, some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."

Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
(John 16:16-22)

OK, do you get it? A Little while! Clearly this text is a perfect illustration of the old expression repetitio mater studiorum (repetition is the mother of studies). "A little while" x 7. Obviously we're supposed to lay hold of this; obviously it was significant to the Lord.

The Greek word translated here as "a little while" is even more evocative of brevity. It is µ????? (mikron), which at least in its English connotation, speaks of something very little.

Contextually, the Lord seems to be referring to the brief time between his death and resurrection. And indeed that time was brief. He was trying to prepare his disciples (in the hope?) that they might not lose faith and would be able to endure the passion. But it seems these and other words promising his resurrection "in a little while" (on the third day) had no real impact on them. All but John fled in fear, and all of them were astonished and incredulous at the resurrection when it first broke in to their reality.

But in a more extended and pastoral context, the words of Jesus are also intended for us. He wants us to grasp that "in a little while" we will see him.

This for us is a very important perspective to gain: life is short! And this truth is both consoling and challenging for us.

It is consoling because whatever pain we are going through we need to remember that we are going through it; if we are faithful, it is not our destination. And whatever the current difficulties, they will be over "in a little while." An old African American Spiritual says, Hold on just a little longer, everything's gonna be alright. Another old spiritual says, Trouble don't last always. As most of us who are a bit older know, life passes quickly - so very quickly. And whatever our troubles, they will be over in a little while. And if we have been faithful, eternity dawns with far great glories than the trouble we have endured for just "a little while."

We ought to expect that life here will be a little uncomfortable. We live in paradise lost. We live in a fallen world, governed by a fallen angel, and we have fallen natures. We who are baptized now live in this world as strangers and aliens. We're just passing through a world with strange customs and a strange language. We're living out of a suitcase and have all the discomforts of travel. But in a little, while we get to go home - if we but hold to God's unchanging hand.

Scripture speaks often of this aspect.

1. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
(1 Peter 1:6-7)

2. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
(2 Cor 4:16-18)

And thus we ought to be consoled by this perspective that, whatever difficulties you're currently going through, stay faithful. It will be over in a little while. And meanwhile it is producing and storing up glory for you.

It is also challenging to consider the "little while" of this life. Simply put, you are going to die and you don't get to say when. You are not promised even the next beat of your heart. Tomorrow is not promised, so you'd better choose the Lord today. Do not delay your conversion to the Lord.

Life passes very swiftly. I am celebrating my 25th anniversary as a priest this year. Wow, how did that happen? I feel like I just got out of high school! Life goes so quickly. Scripture says,

1. Our life is over like a sigh. Our span is seventy years, or eighty for those who are strong. And most of these are emptiness and pain. They pass swiftly and we are gone.
(Ps 90:9-11).

2. But as for man, he is like the grass, of the flower of the field. The wind blows and he is gone and his place never sees him again.
(Ps 103:15-16).

3. Remember your Creator - before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.(Eccles 12: finis).

Yes, life passes quickly and for most of us, the memory of our existence will linger but a generation here on earth.

But here comes the challenge. Life is short - prepare for judgment. Scripture says,

1. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment.
(Heb 9:27).

2. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
(2 Cor 5:10).

3. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
(Heb 4:13).

Jesus also warns:

1. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back - whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping! What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'?"
(Mark 13:33-37)

2. I am coming SOON; hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown….Behold, I am coming SOON, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done.
(Rev 3:11; 22:12).

Yes, life is short. And, in a little while we must all report to the judgment seat of Christ for a very honest conversation. Prepare confidently with faith, but not presumption, which is a denial of the faith. The Lord has said that we must be sober, awake, and ready. In just a little while the moment will come. You will die, and you don't get to say when. Get ready.

There it is - perspective. The consolation is that the troubles of this life pass in "a little while." The challenge is to be ready, for in just a little while our time here is up and the question is called.

In a little while!

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming SOON."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
(Rev 22:20)