-Mother Angelica
I love the readings during the Octave of Easter. Jesus is raised from the dead and He appears to His disciples and His Mother, Mary. Yet, each time that He appears to them they seem not to recognize Him!
This has always concerned me. Why didn't they, who walked with Him, ate with Him, and shared in His public ministry not recognize Him when He appears to them? Father Charlie hypothesized that perhaps Jesus looked different, or perhaps they didn't expect to see Jesus. Jesus takes the time to appear in places that they had all been together during His life. I love that fact that Jesus cooks breakfast for them on the beach. What an incredible image of Our Lord on the beach, fish and bread on the fire cooking for His disciples. How much He loves them and us to do the most ordinary of tasks for them. He feeds them!
We too are like the disciples. We don't recognize Jesus when we see Him. Perhaps it is like Father says, we don't expect to see Jesus there. But there He is, sitting in the pew behind us chatting as they plan their golf date, or the parishioner that rubs us the wrong way or that we rub the wrong way. He is in the homeless person on the corner that we wonder are they really down on their luck and should we just drive by. Jesus is in the family member that has hurt or disappointed us. Jesus is the rebellious teen or the forgetful parent. Jesus is in the sick or dying spouse that we care for on a daily basis until we fear we can't do it any more.
Let us not forget that Jesus is also in the innocent smile of a child. The painted sunrise and sunset are gifts from God. Jesus is in the smile of a total stranger that lightened our dismal day.
Jesus is not in the tomb. HE IS RISEN!
Lord help me as I move through my day
to see You in others.
Help me to see You in others that annoy, hurt or anger me.
Help me to see You in my small cross.
Help me to lighten the cross that others carry.
~Cindy
Let us look for him everyday. Thank you I love you.
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