Lord, Let Me See You

Lord, Let Me See You
A reflection during the Octave of Easter for Thursday, April 9, 2015
by Dcn Bob Bonomi 

We are still within the Octave of Easter, meaning that we celebrate Easter Day every day this week.  And in each Gospel reading this week, we hear about people who encounter Jesus after His Resurrection: Mary Magdalene at the tomb; the disciples on the road to Emmaus; the disciples who are locked in the upper room; the disciples who are fishing with Peter.  The octave ends on Divine Mercy Sunday with the story of Doubting Thomas.

Do you believe in the Resurrection?  REALLY believe?  In each Gospel passage we see that those who were closest to Jesus do not recognize him when they first encounter Him after His Resurrection.  Why?  I think it's for two reasons.  First, Jesus had changed.  Yes, he still had his body with it's wounds and general appearance, but have you ever seen how different someone looks after something really special has happened to them?  How often we talk about how someone "glows" when they are in love?  Or how someone just "beams" with joy and pride when they have a child?  Think about how it can be hard to recognize someone when you encounter them someplace that you didn't expect them.  In coming to St. Francis I encounter people that I'm sure I know but can't identify them because I've known them from someplace else.

Second, they couldn't believe it COULD be Jesus because, really, He DIED.  They SAW it.  Logic not only controlled their thoughts; it controlled their vision.  We see what we want to see, or rather, we DON'T see what we don't believe we can see.

What about you?  Do you believe that you can or will see Jesus?  Saint Sister Faustina Kowalska did.  We celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday this weekend because of her visions of Jesus which led to our devotion to Divine Mercy.  Or how about Saint Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque, who gave us the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? Maybe we've come face to face with Jesus, only to not recognize Him because we don't believe we can see Him.

So, during this Easter Season, let's start each day with this prayer.  Put it on your mirror where you'll see it the first thing when you get up:

"Lord, you created me to see You.  Lord, I believe in Your Resurrection.  Lord, I believe that you are still with me.  Let me see You today."  Amen.