Often, Christ reveals himself to us in ways we don’t immediately recognize. Eric Panicco, SJ, reflects that Easter reminds us to allow our confusion to transform into joy as we discover God’s presence in unexpected places. Based on the readings for The Resurrection of the Lord, the Mass of Easter Day.
Christ is risen! And Jesus does not look like we expect him to look!
Hi, I’m Eric Panicco, and this is my one-minute reflection.
How do we respond when Jesus doesn’t appear the way we expect him to?
If we respond like Mary Magdalene and the beloved disciple, we respond with confusion and with joy!
I often fall short of this. When I’m stressed or afraid…or even hungry, and the outcome isn’t what I want–you know, when I don’t recognize God’s presence–I’m tempted to turn my confusion into disappointment or anger.
Easter invites us to turn our confusion into joy, to recognize that God is still with us when we don’t recognize him. Easter helps us to see that all the deaths we experience–big and small–are not the end of the story. At Easter, we are reminded that Christ is with us even when we don’t recognize him. God’s love is so great, it can be confusing sometimes. God’s love is so great it conquers death. Christ is risen! Happy Easter!