Hearing The Word

A weekly newsletter delivering context and insight into the Sunday Gospels.

REJOICE - GOD THE FATHER IS SENDING YOU!

~ Rev. Thomas Whittingham

Pastor, Saint Laurence Catholic Church + Upper Darby, Pa.

We are familiar with this brief passage that follows the Easter morning discovery of the empty tomb, and we heard it proclaimed six weeks ago as part of the gospel on Divine Mercy Sunday. This shorter portion focuses our attention on the immediate actions of Jesus with his chosen apostles in the upper room that first Easter Sunday. Complimenting the traditional Pentecost account in the first reading we find two words that should capture our attention in this passage: rejoiced and as.

The word rejoiced describes the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ appearance and greeting. It’s the same word that describes the joy of the magi when they follow the star to find Jesus in Mt. 2:10 and the same root as the joy of the disciples in Luke 24:52 as they return to Jerusalem after the Ascension of Jesus. The joy of the disciples in the upper room is a stark contrast to the fear which has dominated their lives for the past 3 days since Jesus was arrested in front of them after his betrayal. Are we prepared for God to bring joy to us even amid great darkness or difficult trials?

The second word as in Greek is kathos and it implies a likeness of derivation, not merely a comparison. Put simply, Jesus’ sending forth of his disciples springs forth from and carries onward his own sending forth by the Father into the world. Building on the reception of the Holy Spirit Jesus just facilitated, He now commissions his disciples to carry on His exact same mission as an extension of the mission He received from his Father. On this Pentecost Sunday we see clearly that the Holy Spirit is the animator and principal architect of this mission; moreover, the mission springs forth from the divine will of God the Father. 



Fear Locks the Door



~ Christine Marie Eberle

Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church + Philadelphia, Pa.

When I was in my thirties, my mother and I had a running disagreement about whether she should lock her screen door at bedtime. “The only person a locked screen door keeps out is a relative with a key!” I would insist – usually after spending way too long trying to get my parents’ attention on a Saturday morning before cell phones. But Mom could not be dissuaded. Although the home was secured by a lock and a German shepherd, flipping that little latch gave her a bit more peace.

One can’t blame the disciples for bolting the door after Jesus’ execution; as his followers, they were understandably terrified. And yet, just as Mom’s screen door was vulnerable to any two-bit burglar with a box cutter, the disciples’ barricade was not going to thwart anyone truly bent on doing them harm. Nor was it an obstacle for Jesus, who appeared in their midst and offered them peace.

But note what Jesus did not offer them: safety.  He didn’t say, “You don’t have anything to be afraid of,” or “Nothing bad will ever happen to you.”  Indeed, he did the opposite: showed them the brutal evidence of his crucifixion, then sent them forth as the Father had sent him. And we know that they went on to suffer for their faith, often meeting violent ends.

The fears that keep me up at night cannot be put to rest by even the strongest lock. Everyone I love will die – unless I beat them to it, which may also be no picnic. Untold hardships await us all. Fortunately, the peace Jesus bestows is not dependent on untroubled circumstances, but on our embrace of his Spirit’s abiding presence.



Fear locks the door, but Jesus walks right in. Will we accept peace on his terms?