“You Will See Him”
An excerpt from The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach
About Jesus’ Final Days in Jerusalem
by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan
(Harper San Francisco, 2006, p. 205)
An excerpt from The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach
About Jesus’ Final Days in Jerusalem
by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan
(Harper San Francisco, 2006, p. 205)
Together, the appearance stories in the gospels make explicit what is promised in Mark: “You will see him.” They underline the parabolic meaning of Mark’s story of the empty tomb: Jesus is not among the dead, but among the living. Indeed, this is one of the central affirmations of Easter: Jesus lives. He is a figure of the present, not simply the past. The presence his followers had known in Jesus before his crucifixion continued to be experienced and to operate after it.
Jesus lives. He continues to be experienced after his death, though in a radically new way. He is no longer . . . confined to time and space, but [is] a reality who can enter locked rooms, journey with followers without being recognized, be experienced in both Galilee and Jerusalem, vanish in the moment of recognition, and abide with his followers always, “to the end of the age.”
Image: “Jesus Appears to Mary” by Doug Blanchard.
NOTE: This PCV post also serves as Part 11 of a series of posts celebrating both the art of Doug Blanchard and the events of Holy Week. This series has been posted throughout the past week at The Wild Reed.
To view the entire “Passion of Christ” series at The Wild Reed, see:
Introduction and Part 1: Jesus Enters the City
Part 2: Jesus Drives Out the Money Changers
Part 3: Last Supper
Part 4: Jesus Prayers Alone
Part 5: Jesus Before the People
Part 6: Jesus Before the Soldiers
Part 7: Jesus Goes to His Execution
Part 8: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
Part 9: Jesus Dies
Part 10: Jesus Among the Dead
Part 11: Jesus Appears to Mary
Part 12: Jesus Appears to His Friends
Thanks, Michael, for posting the excerpt from Borg and Crossan and the art by Doug Blanchard. Happy Easter. There are so many facets to being fully human! And the words and picture are like a light focused on some important ones--personal presence, grief, and the glorious human body.
ReplyDeleteAnd special thanks, Rick, for posting the first chapter of James Carroll's new book, Practicing Catholic. Here is a paragraph in it that gave me some Easter courage this morning: Talking about Catholicism--
"A tradition centered on social justice, accommodation of immigrants, the work of peace, sacramental respect for creation, liturgical beauty, a global vision, and the consolations of faith — all of this weighs as much in the scale of history as spiritual imperialism, scandal, and hypocrisy. One theme of Practicing Catholic is loss, but another — through the embrace of change — is renewal. Catholic history is nothing but a saga of glory and tragedy, corruption and reform, false starts and new beginnings. In our time, this age-old pattern has been compressed and sped up, with an edge that cuts deeper than ever before."
Thanks Paula, and happy Easter to you too - and to all the readers of the PCV!
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, I too want to acknowledge and thank Rick for the great job he does in gathering the PCV's wonderfully insightful news & views links that he does. Many folks have told me that these daily links have become a major source of information and insight for them.
Peace,
Michael
Hey Mike! Thanks for posting Crossan's reflections. Although, I don't necessarily agree with his views in denying the divnity of Christ they were nonetheless thought provoking and poignant.
ReplyDeleteAlso thanks for posting that second bit of info about the Catholic Church in the UK and how its becoming more receptive of gays! Now I really WILL have to read that entire pastoral document in its entirety!
Thanks as always for your witness to renewal and reform, that is indeed possible, within the Church! Happy Easter and may the peace and grace of the Risen Christ be with you! =D
Hi Phil,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your positive feedback about the PCV.
I wonder: does Crossan deny the divinity of Christ or does he understand it differently from the orthodox view?
Peace and a Blessed Easter to you!
Michael