Seeing or Recognizing
Apr. 2: Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Sorry for missing a day!1 I was trying to finish my Too Much Film School video in time for April Fool’s. I got it in just under the wire—
We don’t always know what we’re looking at, even when it’s obvious. Even when it’s our own sins and shortcomings. Sometimes, we need someone else to point it out, like Peter does in the first reading, or Jesus in the Gospel.
Reading 1
Acts 2:36-41
On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.
Peter reiterates that we are all guilty of crucifying Jesus. His speech is so forceful and convincing that three thousand people decided they needed to be baptized for forgiveness.
The USCCB footnotes say this is probably a bit of an exaggeration. These things happened, but likely not at all at once. For one thing, if Peter gave a big, rabble-rousing speech just a few weeks after the crucifixion, he probably would’ve arrested on the spot, instead of 30 years later.2
So, Luke is condensing the story for dramatic effect. But still, it obviously happened. The Church grew due to Peter (and later, Paul’s) evangelism. After all, we’re here, aren’t we?
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
God was able to create the world with just a word. We can’t actually do anything without God allowing it.3 So we sometimes have to wait for God to do the good in our lives. That's why we need to have hope.
Thankfully, we have lots of examples to reinforce that hope, in particular Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Alleluia
Ps 118:24
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Imagine how you’d feel Monday morning if someone you loved had died Friday, and was back again Sunday.
Gospel
Jn 20:11-18
Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.
It’s not clear why Mary didn’t recognize Jesus right away. Peter, James, and John still evidently recognized Him during the Transfiguration. Although, I guess they saw it happen, so it’s probably easier to track. No one actually saw the moment of Resurrection.
So, it’s possible Resurrected bodies are different, somehow.4 But Jesus is still Jesus, and Mary recognizes her once He calls her by name.
That’s the real test. We don’t always recognize Jesus,5 but He knows us.
And being late today.
Today I learned St. Peter is still the longest serving pope.
Sometimes, we wish He wouldn’t.
Paul says exactly this in 1 Cor. 15:36—49.