Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Life Faith Spirituality

Mystery of resurrection

byGuest Contributor
4 April 2015 - Updated on 1 April 2021
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Fr Nicholas Okafor

PART of the mystery of Jesus’ Resurrection is that he appeared to his disciples not as a spirit but in bodily form.

In John 20:14-18 we read that when Mary Magdalene first encountered the risen Jesus, she did not recognise the figure standing before her until Jesus spoke to her. In Luke 24:13-35, the disciples walking on the road to Emmaus did not recognise the voice of the person reminding them what the Prophets said about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

They only came to realise who this voice was during the breaking of the bread. In his resurrected body, Jesus was no longer bound or limited by space and time; he appeared to the disciples in spite of the locked doors. And yet, the risen Jesus still bore the wounds of crucifixion on his glorified body.

This could be a constant reminder of the love Jesus lavished upon us. By his wounds we are healed.

For the fact that the disciples could still recognise the marks of the Crucifixion on the body of Jesus is an example that the resurrection of Jesus is an historical event – an event that happened at a particular point in time and space in the history of the Palestine Jews.

But at the same time, the appearance of Jesus through closed doors showcases that his resurrection is more than an historical event.

It is a spiritual act which no human words and imagination is yet to unravel its complete meaning. It is one of those things too deep for human understanding (Romans 8:26).

What the four gospels and Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 15:3-8 are trying to do in their explanations of what resurrection means is to make “an effort even though in stammering fashion to turn into words an event which ordinary language does not seem to offer sufficient possibilities of expression” (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Journey Towards Easter, 110).

Because the resurrection of Jesus is one of those things that elude human understanding we cannot blame Thomas for having doubt on its reality. The expression of doubt by Thomas is not completely an unwelcomed idea.

Related Stories

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

For the fact that there were people in Jesus’ time, and even from among his apostles, who are expressing doubt on Jesus’ resurrection, tells us that there was never a time when the understanding of the meaning of resurrection was not a problem.

Thomas’ doubt, and his ability to showcase it, is an eye-opener to Christians that there could be a time in our spiritual journey when we are going to face doubt (crisis of faith) in some of the things we believe in. Thomas Merton says, “The man of faith who has never experienced doubt is not a man of faith.”

Thomas’ doubt also tells us that when we experience doubts we should not stop there; we should proceed to the next level of allowing our doubts to help us to grow in faith just as he through his own doubt came to the profession of one of the powerful expressions in the scriptures that explains the divine nature of Jesus Christ – “My Lord and my God”.

Jesus’ response, “You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe,” is an indication that faith is beyond what the senses can grasp.

It tells us that seeing sometimes does not imply believing and believing sometimes does not imply seeing.

This statement of Jesus is a challenge to empiricists and agnostics. It also accentuates that faith is trust, not certainty – it is trust on an absolute truth that exists independent of our human epistemic knowledge.

For the fact that we have faith does not mean that we have all the answers to any question that comes on the way of our Christian journey: we do not need to know all the answers before we believe.

The resurrection of Jesus is the epicentre and hallmark of our Christian faith.

It is a reassurance that our Christian life does not end in the darkness of the tomb but transcends the tomb.

It means that there could be darkness in the tunnel, but at the end there is always light. The resurrection of Jesus is our hope in the midst of hopelessness.

Fr Nicholas Okafor is an associate pastor of Surfers Paradise parish.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Truly Christ’s hands and smile for me

Next Post

Good Friday prayers for Bali Nine duo

Guest Contributor

Related Posts

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition
QLD

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning
QLD

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Next Post

Good Friday prayers for Bali Nine duo

Holy Land a sight to behold

Adventure in Alice

Popular News

  • Pregnant woman

    Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Answering God’s invitation to us all

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

by Joe Higgins
20 May 2022
0

BRISBANE grandmother Gwendoline Grant has clocked up 15,000 hours cuddling and caring for sick and premature babies...

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022
Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping