OUR PATH TO RESURRECTION


TUESDAY, SIXTH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE   

Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-3,7-8; Jn 16:5-11

Sharing in the Resurrection of the Lord

We have understood the resurrection of the Son of Man or his glorification as his entrance into the glory of the Eternal Word. Though he was conceived with beatific vision and hypostatically united to the Person of the Son of God, that is to say that the human nature belonged to the Son of God, but the Son of Man, in his body, learnt obedience through suffering. In obedience, he was totally conformed to the will of the Father in the body he assumed, as he was in the divine nature he shares with the Father. Through his total obedience, the Son of Man deserved to share with us what he was given as a gift, namely, the glory of God. He opened the same way or path he travelled in his body for us. Thus, he informs us that he is the way, the truth, and the life. As we hinted in yesterday’s reflection, every person of goodwill sees the way leading to divine truth by the rationality of our nature. Because he joined Truth to our nature in his Incarnation, he presents his humanity as our way to the Truth. Because he walked the path of human nature lucidly to his glorification in Truth, he has made his body our common legacy; so that eating or contemplating his body and blood, and his deeds in the body, we may safely arrive at the Truth. So, walking the path of divine truth is to tread the same path he walked. We already anticipate the glory of resurrection when we walk the same path as Jesus Christ walked. We can all commence participation in the resurrection of the Lord by walking in his way daily.

As we mentioned above, the path is that of discipline for our mortal bodies, just as it was for the Son of Man. Paul and Silas did not have it any different; they were disciplined along the path to glory. “The crowd joined in and showed their hostility to Paul and Silas, so the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be flogged. They were given many lashes and then thrown into prison, and the gaoler was told to keep a close watch on them. So, following his instructions, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” Our steadfastness in walking the path of discipline of the Son of Man, not only liberates our souls and bodies from shackles and chains of sins and demons, they also open the door of salvation for souls imprisoned in the darkness of unbelief. As the Son of Man taught us, we must joyfully go through these trials and training to experience their effects. The effects of joyful acceptance of their spiritual training were nothing less than phenomenal. “Late that night, Paul and Silas were praying and singing God’s praises, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison to its foundations. All the doors flew open and the chains fell from all the prisoners.” These demonstrate or represent the spiritual participation of the two apostles in the resurrection of the Lord, and its effects on other souls around them. These confirm what we stated yesterday, that the faithfulness of persons of goodwill causes conversion of persons of bad will to God through the power of the precious blood of Jesus.

The presence of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of the resurrection, which will be realised at our beatific vision or mystical union with Jesus Christ. Again, we have mentioned previously that nobody enters the way of eternal or spiritual life without the Holy Spirit giving them a spiritual life and faculties with which to walk the path. This confirms that the Gospel is first directed to the people of goodwill, for they have the proper disposition to receive the Holy Spirit and the life of Jesus Christ. So, walking this path would be impossible for all without the glorification of the Son of Man. “Still, I must tell you the truth: it is for your own good that I am going because unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I do go, I will send him to you.” This is as we have explained above. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ afforded us the Holy Spirit, which he received in his human nature to be available to us. With the Spirit, we gain deep knowledge of Jesus Christ in his divinity, and we understand clearly what righteousness implies: obedience to the Father’s will, and what sin is: disobedience, the condemnation and defeat of the evil one. We will attain clarity on these within us as we make progress on the way. “I thank you for your faithfulness and love, which excel all we ever knew of you. On the day I called, you answered; you increased the strength of my soul.”

Let us pray: Grant, almighty and merciful God, that we may in truth receive a share in the Resurrection of 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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