Daily Quote from the early church fathers The Word of Life was seen and touched, by Severus of Antioch (488-538 AD) Given that this same John also said, No one has ever seen God (John 1:18, 1 John 1:4:12), how can he assure us that the living Word of life has been seen and touched? It is clear that it was in his incarnate and human form that he was visible and touchable. What was not true of him by nature became true of him in that way, for he is one and the same indivisible Word, both visible and invisible, and without diminishing in either respect he became touchable in both his divine-human nature. For he worked his miracles in his divinity and suffered for us in his humanity. (excerpt from CATENA) Meditation from The Word Among Us John 20:1-8 Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist He saw and believed. (John 20:8) Think about your closest friends or family members. What are some things that you like about these people? Maybe there’s something you like to do together, or you all share some memorable experiences. Most likely, you can imagine the sound of their voices, the touch of their hands, and their unique mannerisms—even if it’s been a while since you’ve seen each other. This is all because our relationships tend to be very concrete, not just theoretical. These are real people who have made a lasting impression on us. John’s account of Easter Sunday is full of these kinds of specifics: the news from the women, the footrace with Peter, the empty tomb, and the folded burial cloths. John’s relationship with the Lord was a real, concrete friendship. It was full of physical realities and shared experiences. As John makes clear in today’s first reading, these realities are at the heart of the good news that he wants to share with everyone. As physical and concrete as our earthly relationships are, our relationship with Jesus is somewhat different. We can’t see his look of love. We can’t put our arm around his shoulder or hear the various tones in his voice. And yet, despite these differences, we can still have a real, personal friendship with him. We can spend time with him and come to know him intimately, just as we would with any other friend. As we develop our relationship with him, we will begin to treasure some unique, personal stories of our own—stories that are just as vivid as John’s story about the empty tomb. This is why prayer is so vital for us. Not just because it’s a good thing to do, but because it’s in prayer that we develop a living, concrete relationship with Jesus. So take a few minutes today to linger over this Gospel passage. Close your eyes, and imagine being in John’s sandals. Hear the news of the women, take off running along with Peter, see the cave, follow Peter in, see the grave clothes. This can mean only one thing. Let the realization of his resurrection hit you. Let your heart race. Your friend Jesus has risen! He is alive, and he wants to find you! “Lord Jesus, thank you for drawing me to yourself in friendship.”
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 12:39:06 +0000
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