Jesus Appears to Others -
Christ the Consoler of His Apostles

During this contemplation I will set the changing scenes of Christ's appearances recounted in the Gospels, asking for the grace to identify myself with His friends, and to enter into their feelings with holy fear, reverence, wonder, and finally their Faith, Hope and Charity re-kindled by the sight and by the words of the Divine Master. Looking back at his unforgettable experiences, St. John wrote in his first Epistle to the Church:

"Our message concerns that Word, who is life;
what he was from the first,
what we have heard about him,
what our own eyes have seen of him,
what it was that met our gaze and the touch of our hands. . .”

"What then is this message we have heard from him,
and are passing on to you?
That God is light,
and no darkness can find any place in him. . .

"God dwells in light;
if we too live and move in light,
there is fellowship between us,
and the blood of his Son Jesus Christ
washes us clean from all sin."

This message of light and life was the message that Christ brought to the Emmaus disciples, to Peter, to Thomas, to the holy women, and to the apostolic college as a whole. I listen to the words he addressed to each of them, and as I contemplate each Gospel scene, I ask that my heart may respond as their heart responded with new hope, new joy, and an immense love and trust in him who is so faithful to his own.

The Women - Matthew 28:1-10

Peter - John 20:3-10

Emmaus - "We had hoped" - like so many of us they did not want to wait to see how the Lord would work things out they were getting out - quitting - no hope.

They did not know that the Power of the Resurrection was already at work in the world, that the power of the Risen Lord was going to be shared with them. The obedience of faith as St. Paul calls it - faith builds upon faith. One act of risk-taking in faith strengthens and builds my faith and leads me to another risk, even greater, taken in Him.