This year we are celebrating the Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope as declared by Pope Francis. We are also currently in the Season of the Resurrection in our Maronite Lectionary. The Resurrection is the source of our greatest hope, so let us delve a little more into this.
The Season of the Resurrection spans over seven weeks in the Maronite Lectionary and the Gospel passages focus on the appearance of Jesus to the disciples.
The Eastern Churches celebrate the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord as the main event of the liturgical year. The faithful greet one another with the refrain, “Christ is risen! He is truly Risen!” Words of hope that life is greater than death. If Jesus can rise from the dead, then so can we.
The Resurrection Season commences with the Easter Sunday Gospel of women arriving at the tomb (Mk 16:1-8), but soon flee in fear. Not a great start to the Resurrection message but it is expected. Hope is to believe in what is impossible to believe. However, it takes time as fear and grief can overwhelm one and blind them to possibilities.
The second Sunday also referred to as New Sunday in the Maronite Church, is an apt title. In Christ all things become new.
The Resurrection sheds new light on our lives and offers hope. We are presented with Jesus appearing to Thomas (Jn 20:26-31). Before criticising Thomas for his lack of faith, it is worthwhile noting his desire to see Jesus that indeed resulted in his wish being granted. Hope is about desiring even when we find it difficult to understand.
In the third Sunday, we are greeted with the Sunday Gospel of the Emmaus encounter (Lk 24:13-35). One of the key themes in this passage is to “remember.” The disciples on the road remember Jesus’ life.
Around the table, Jesus breaks bread and they remember and recognise him in the actions. Their hope arose because they chose to face the past despite the pain. They walked through it, thus they were able to enter into a new hope because their eyes were opened to recognise that Jesus was with them all along.
In the Maronite Calendar, the fourth and fifth Sundays focus on the fishing trip (Jn 21:1-14 & Jn 21:15-19). This is a great story of hope, forgiveness and joy. The disciples decide to return to their work routine of fishing but are unsuccessful. It is only when Jesus enters the scene that their fortunes change for the better.
Hope calls us not to wallow in our misery and to remain stagnate. Hope calls us to move forward and pursue better things. The haul of fish and the forgiveness of Peter are two sure signs that Jesus is with us and loves us and when we place our trust in Christ then we can hope for all things.
The sixth Sunday is the final Sunday where we have the Resurrected Jesus appearing. This time it is to the Twelve (Lk 24:36-48). One of the key messages in this appearance is that Jesus’ first words are of peace. The invitation is to rest assured God is always with us and we need not fear. We are meant to be people of hope. It is only in hope that we can truly be disciples of the living God.
The Maronite lectionary in its wisdom has placed the Gospel passage of the New Commandment (Jn 13:31-35) as the final Sunday Gospel reading in the Season of the Resurrection. It is a statement that Jesus is Risen from the dead. Death and evil have been conquered and now as people of hope, we too must live the message of Jesus. That message is to love as Jesus loved.
There are many other resurrection appearances that we read throughout the weeks of the Season of the Resurrection. Each appearance is a reminder that God’s love is greater than any fear, condemnation, hate or suffering that we experience.
Knowing this means we should live confident in the knowledge that love conquers all and we are to be messengers of hope.