Rise in Spirit

Weekly Missionary Reflection
2nd Sunday of Easter, 16 April 2023
Acts 2:42-47; Ps. 118:2-4,13-15,22-24; 1Pet. 1:3-9; Joh. 20:19-31

We have heard that the Lord Jesus assigned the woman Apostle to send the Good News of His resurrection to the Apostles. The Gospel of Easter is also proclaimed in many ways. During Easter afternoon the risen Jesus Christ showed Himself up among the disciples in a special way and even blessed them with profound Easter grace.

John 20:19-31 gloriously tells the Easter News to us. We believe that the Father truly raised His Son from the dead as He had completely carried out His Father’s sending to the end of His life. What is told in the Gospel of John is a great mystery, as the Risen greeted His disciples Himself. The whole first day of the week showed how those disciples were deeply depressed, after the scene in Golgotha, that they couldn’t imagine their Teacher would appear to them in person. That’s why they locked the door. They were so surprised when the crucified Jesus appeared in fresh and good shape in their midst, with all kindness and glory. The greeting of “Peace be with you” had brought peace unto them, yet we can feel that there was still a big question of “What’s happening?” among the disciples. To affirm the presence of The Crucified, He showed them His hands and His side, the signs of His agony, which then made the disciples realize “Who is with them?”. However, this happening didn’t diminish their astonishment. They remained surprised and couldn’t comprehend the whole mystery.

Next, John tells another important message: “RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT”. This saying revealed their veil of surprise, as the Holy Spirit came over their understanding. With this saying the Apostles received the complete Easter revelation. This is not from anybody, but from “The Crucified” and it’s clear to the disciples that the Father sent the Holy Spirit to them. The revelation accomplished what Jesus had proclaimed: that He would die and rise on the third day. And it turned out that He came amid His disciples. “Passover” is not a mere tradition of the ancestors of the Israelites: Passover (“The Lord passes”) is a reality, as real as the event in ‘Pessach in the Old Testament’, and now it is fulfilled in The Teacher who is Jesus Christ the Lord. This revelation was appreciated by the First Church which then inherited to us. Let us pray: “Thanks to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”.

(RP. B.S. Mardiatmadja, SJ – Lecturer of STF Driyarkara)

DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER

Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy, and sorrow in unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit animating Jesus, also be my guidance and strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.

Together with St. Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the Church, in particular, I present my prayer for our Pope and apostle prayer of the Indonesian Church of this month:

For a culture of peace and non-violence
We pray for the spread of peace and non-violence, by decreasing the use of weapons by States and citizens.

For the self-confidence of the youth
We pray that the youth may realize that their addiction to the digital world and the online facility is isolating them in their own world, and may they are encouraged to be confident and willing to extend relationships in their real life.

Amen