THE RISON LORD FOR ALL NATIONS


EASTER MONDAY   

Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps 16:1-2,5,7-11; Mt 28:8-15

The Galilee Reunion with the Lord

The Lord suffered and died in Jerusalem, the city of God, according to the understanding of the blessings of Abraham received or inherited by the physical children of his and highlighted in the promise made to David. The crucifixion of the Son of Man by the physical descendants of Abraham symbolically represents the end of the era of God’s manifestations and blessings of the children of Abraham by bloodline, who inherited his blessings. It is the beginning of the manifestations of God and the blessings of the spiritual children of Abraham. The former and all the blessings they received served as a means to the end, which is the manifestation of the spiritual children of Abraham. We put away the means once we have attained the end. This is exactly what the Risen Lord is doing by guiding his disciples to go back to Galilee for their reunion. Galilee, as we know, is the symbol of all nations, as Isaiah called it in 9:1 and quoted in Mt 4:15-16. The Risen Lord guides his disciples back to Galilee, where he started his ministry, to re-emphasise the universality of the Gospel. The Gospel, which is now formally constituted by the resurrection of the Son of Man, is addressed to all peoples and nations, who are now to constitute the spiritual children of Abraham. By raising Jesus Christ from death, God is now set to fulfil the spiritual content of His promise to Abraham.

The Son of Man, before his crucifixion and death, was given to the physical children of Abraham, as he confirmed himself, saying: “I was sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” Mt 15:24. His crucifixion was his completion of that exclusive mission to the House of Israel. He rose from the dead as the Universal Lord and Master of all things and people. His mission, now in mystery and through his mystical body, is directed to all peoples and nations. This is as he revealed to the Samaritan woman. “But an hour is coming, and it is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” Jn 4:23. His resurrection is formally the time for the worship of God in spirit and in truth. The implication of this statement is that the Risen Lord is now sent to all who desire to know and worship God, irrespective of tribe, language, people/race, or nation. The women who went to the tomb early to anoint the body demonstrate the requirement of desire before one can see the Lord. “Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples. And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings he said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’” Galilee is everywhere people are gathered with a desire to see and encounter the Risen Lord. It is the character of the New Jerusalem, the mystical City of God.

In all nations and at any place, people sincerely lift their hands in prayer and call on the Risen Lord; He reveals himself to them. So, the requirement for reaching God is sincere prayer in spirit and truth, as the psalmist prays. “Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God. O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize.’” This prayer can be said by any soul in any part of the globe and is not restricted to a Hebrew or Jew. The speech of Peter on the day of Pentecost confirms this universal intent of the Gospel and the blessings therein. “Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life freeing him from the pangs of Hades.” God allowed him to be killed by the Jews so that the spiritual blessings may be unleashed on the whole world, and not only on the Jews anymore. God raised Jesus up for this purpose, according to Peter. “God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.” We receive the Holy Spirit and experience a new spiritual life when we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We just need to desire to see and be with him.

Let us pray: O God, who give constant increase to your Church by new offspring, grant that your servants may hold fast in their lives to the Sacrament they have received in faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. 

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