Gospel Reflection from Notre Dame

In today’s reading, the disciples are in the middle of a conversation when, suddenly, Christ himself stands in their midst. They are completely shocked.

We might think to ourselves, “How could they not see this coming? Did Jesus not speak about it before? Did they not trust that he would be true to his word?”

Sometimes we need to take a step back for some perspective. It brings to mind the art of pointillism, such as A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. If we stand too close to the painting, it is hard to discern the subjects. Once we step back and look at the entirety of the painting, we can see how everything connects beautifully.

Jesus said: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” He gave them small bites throughout his time with them; they just could not understand their meaning quite yet—they couldn’t see the fuller picture.

It reminds me of the myriad times I give my small children simple instructions only to find later that they forgot or weren’t paying attention or simply did not understand me. I try to remind myself to have compassion when I talk to them later because I find that I do the very same thing in a different way: I will carry a lot of doubt in my heart or question where God is in my life. In this passage, Jesus speaks clearly: “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, see that it is I myself.”

Life is often a balance of paying attention to the small things while trusting in the bigger picture of God’s promises to us through Jesus. Should we be surprised to find Christ building a tapestry of his love for us? Should we doubt that we see traces of him in our days? Should we be astonished that he gives us his whole self?

On this third Sunday of Easter, let us allow Christ to open our minds to the Scriptures. Let us persevere in bringing ourselves to the foot of the cross. Let us be witnesses of his glory in the resurrection. Let us trust in Christ’s promise of peace.