Many movies based on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ focus on his suffering and crucifixion, The movie Risen is different.

In this 2016 film a fictional Roman tribune, sent to carry out the crucifixion of Jesus, notices that the followers of Jesus after the resurrection are no longer timid, fearful and undependable but transformed and more fully human. I wont spoil the movie for you, enough to say that it gives good insight to the disciples coming to terms with the life-changing reality of Jesus risen from the dead.

Most directors producing Holy Week / Easter movies have no idea how to communicate the resurrection of Jesus apart from perhaps a final scene depicting a sunrise across a lake to indicate a happy ending.

Risen is different because if focusses on the disciples of Jesus wrestling with the fact that Jesus is now with them in a new and more powerful way, not simply a resuscitated corpse but even more present, more real and more powerful than his pre-suffering and death presence.

Christians too easily slip into ignoring the significance of the resurrection of Jesus, following him as a good and wise teacher who lived and died a long time ago and who gave a great example and provided many maxims for healthy and happy living. When we communicate Christianity in this watered-down-insipid form we are left with nothing that is truly Christian, nothing more than a method of positive thinking. In short, when we do this we are missing the Christian message and therefore its no surprise that so few are attracted to faith.

As Pope Francis reflected in his Easter homily on Saturday night: The resurrection of Jesus “… is not mere optimism; it is not a pat on the back or an empty word of encouragement. It is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own”.

Beginning yesterday with Easter Sunday the church celebrates the Easter Octave: eight Easter Sundays in a row. Perhaps the lockdown this week provides an opportunity to take a little more time than usual to savour each day’s gospel reading, each one presenting a different encounter with the risen Jesus, each meeting helping each of us to personally appreciate more deeply the life-transforming significance of the resurrection of Jesus.

My desire is to experience the joy of the first disciples of Jesus when they realised he was alive. I’m inspired and encouraged by today’s gospel:

“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce the news to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me.”  (today’s Gospel)

There are some great phrases in that passage:  for example “fearful yet overjoyed” and “do not be afraid.”  You might find it helpful to use the 15 minute Lectio Divina podcast below as a way of savouring this scripture.

Then today’s psalm echoes the popular “keep safe” farewell greeting of these lockdown days:

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

And I’ll give the last word to Pope Francis, a paragraph from his Easter 2020 homily:

“Today we acquire a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us: the right to hope. It is a new and living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism; it is not a pat on the back or an empty word of encouragement. It is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own. over these weeks, we have kept repeating, “All will be well”, clinging to the beauty of our humanity and allowing words of encouragement to rise up from our hearts. But as the days go by and fears grow, even the boldest hope can dissipate. Jesus’ hope is different. He plants in our hearts the conviction that God is able to make everything work unto good, because even from the grave he brings life.” (Full text of homily at this link)

Lectio Divina

I’ve received a good number of emails about the Lectio Divina podcasts.  Initially some commented that the silences were too short so I lengthened them. Others would rather shorter silence periods during the podcast and have suggested that 15 minutes would be a better length for the total reflection. I’m happy to make any suggested adjustments. So today’s Lectio is a little different… 15 minutes total and only one slow reading of the scripture passage with shorter periods of silence. Try it and let me know how it can be further improved john@fff.org.nz

Here’s today’s Lectio – based on today’s Easter Monday gospel. Simply relax, prepare, press play, and pray.