Easter Comfort

May 11th, 2017 Posted in writing

Having recently passed the midway mark of the Easter season we might want to pay attention to an aspect of the Resurrection that St. Ignatius Loyola highlights. He says that the Risen Christ acts as a consoler to his disciples and followers who have suffered through the trauma and confusion of the terrible events of Jesus’ arrest, beating, mockery, crucifixion and death.

They had lost not only their companion, teacher and leader but someone they had come to love. And they had lost the hopes and dreams that Jesus and his message had evoked in them. They were sad, afraid, confused and traumatized. Their pain went so deep that when some women from their group reported to them that they had seen angels at Jesus’ empty tomb and even seen and spoken to Jesus, the apostles simply did not believe them.

Then suddenly, on the evening of the first Easter, Jesus was there with them, speaking with them and wishing them Shalom/God’s peace and his own blessing. They experienced the Risen Jesus being with them, loving them, consoling and comforting them.

One of the surest signs that we have truly understood and accepted the Easter event is that we let Jesus’ comfort and greeting of peace come into our hearts and dry the tears we have shed in our lives, finding that in the presence of the Risen Lord, we may find life and hope in a way we thought we never would.

  1. One Response to “Easter Comfort”

  2. By Kate Meyer on May 12, 2017

    Thank you for this reflection. I haven’t taken time to consider the human side of these men, their feelings and the trauma they must have experienced. Good Friday allows us to really go deep when we live the passion story. My focus has been centered on Jesus. This reflection provides me with another dimension on which to reflect.
    God bless.

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