Hope In Pain

Today’s Gospel Text:  Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. 12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Mark 16:9-15

Reflection: Three days since his death and there were many among the Lord’s disciples who mourned and wept at the loss of their dearest master whom they followed.

It seems that they followed him more out of a sense of good will and love and this must have been the fruit of the reciprocation of the love of Jesus towards them.

They must have followed him with all their hopes fixed on him. It is like a man putting all his eggs into one basket and now having lost it all.

A person who has invested everything into one, with all his hopes and vision concerning life. Such a one has much to lose at the loss of his investment.

For a woman it is like resting secure in the love of her man and then one fine day he vanishes from his life thus throwing up the many insecurities life can offer.

What mental anguish and pain a soul can go through when they lose all that they have invested in.

Who would console these dedicated disciples and what could alleviate their pain except, maybe, time which heals only the capacity of the memory that is strong enough to harden or let go.

But better still, and humanly impossible, is to get the lost one back to life.

Though Jesus had spoken to them of his imminent suffering and death but the human is rarely ready to accept the extremes of news and more so the life of Jesus, filled with signs and wonders made it almost impossible for anyone to easily accept the death of such a person.

How could a man who was mighty in deeds and wonders, who even raised the dead to life, ever die, that too an ignoble death?

True! Christ who died out of necessity now lives on forever and has become the hope of all those who have no hope in life.

Prayer:  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. Ps 42:5-6

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