Commentary on the Gospel of
The greeting of Risen Jesus was meant to console the disciples and to offer them the joy of his living presence. But fear and panic envelop the disciples instead. They were unbale to relish neither his presence nor to find encouragement in his words due to disbelief. They did not dare to consider that Jesus was not an illusion and what they encounter was the reality due to fear.
Pope Francis in reflection on this text said: “We are afraid of joy, and Jesus, by his Resurrection, gives us joy: the joy of being Christians, the joy of following him closely, the joy of taking the road of the beatitudes, the joy of being with him”. He describes the fear of joy as “a Christian illness”.
Jesus led the disciples through a gesture of friendship by sharing a meal with them to a concrete and tangible experience of the resurrection. The intense moment of fellowship strengthened their faith. Now, same disciples from the first-hand experience of the joy of resurrection and convinced of his living presence, have shared this good news to us. We too can put ourselves in the place of the disciples and carry forward this joyful message through our life and our words. We pray to the Risen Lord for the grace not to be afraid of joy and of his living presence.
