Which convinces me of the truth of the resurrection.
Jn 20:1-9. On the first day of the week, early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and noticed the stone had been rolled away from the tomb.
2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and another disciple whom Jesus loved, and she told them, “The Lord has been taken from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
So Peter and the other disciple set out and went to the tomb. The two ran together, but the other disciple overtook Peter and reached the tomb first. 5And when he bent down, he saw the linen cloths lying there.
[media=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=45pABlNyaFA]
However, he did not go inside. Simon Peter also came following him, and he entered the tomb. There he noticed the linen cloths lying there and the scarf that was on His head. It was not lying with the other cloths, but rolled up separately in another place.
Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb earlier entered. And when he saw, he believed.
Canvases lying in an empty grave. This image shocked Peter and John so much that it caused them to awaken in them to an even greater faith than they had before. What was so special about these canvases that both of them no longer had any doubts that their Teacher had risen?
These sheets (keimena) lay like some kind of linen cocoon. They were not developed either by the Risen One or by anyone else. It was similar with the head scarf (soudarion), which was still wrapped (enthylisso). It retained the shape of the head, but no longer concealed anything except the emptiness inside. This is what shocked the apostles.
Jesus, emerging from these scarves, must have somehow "evaporated" or shined through the fabrics like light. The evangelists recorded how he passed through closed doors or disappeared suddenly, e.g. in front of the disciples from Emmaus. Therefore, the resurrection was not the reanimation of a corpse, as in the case of Lazarus.
Resurrection is not a continuation of life, but a transformation. Christ is touchable, as Thomas found out, he even eats fish with the disciples, but it is a different Christ. Mark writes about "another form" (Mark 16:2).
Mary Magdalene couldn't recognize Him right away either. This New Jesus escapes time and space, although he appears in these dimensions. He is present and absent at the same time. It is here and elsewhere at the same time.
Why does the Risen One reveal himself only to those who believe in Him, although they still do not believe in the resurrection? Why didn't he show himself to Caiaphas or Pilate? Why does he ignore thousands of atheists and those who mock Him? The answer is simple: out of respect for human freedom.
The Risen One does not impose himself or force us to recognize Him as the victor of death. He is not running an advertising campaign for the kingdom of heaven. He didn't organize rallies or write manifestos. Whoever wants, believes, whoever doesn't want, doesn't believe. He did not appear to the Caesars from Rome or to the philosophers from Athens, but only to those to whom he had already given the seed of faith.
He appeared to those who already believed, although imperfectly, but God does not require perfection from us, only readiness, devotion and trust. Resurrection does not force one to believe, rather it is through faith that one sees the Risen One. Faith is the only possibility of seeing the risen Christ. If you believe even a little, you will see.
The sacraments are also humble like the resurrection. Whoever wants, believes. Whoever believes sees Christ in them. They are the still small voice of God calling us by name. The sacrament of the Eucharist gives us easy access to His life and resurrection, which is stronger than death. You don't have to climb the Himalayas or go to Mars to overcome death and participate in the life of God. All you need to do is eat a piece of bread after confessing your sins.
2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and another disciple whom Jesus loved, and she told them, “The Lord has been taken from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
So Peter and the other disciple set out and went to the tomb. The two ran together, but the other disciple overtook Peter and reached the tomb first. 5And when he bent down, he saw the linen cloths lying there.
[media=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=45pABlNyaFA]
However, he did not go inside. Simon Peter also came following him, and he entered the tomb. There he noticed the linen cloths lying there and the scarf that was on His head. It was not lying with the other cloths, but rolled up separately in another place.
Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb earlier entered. And when he saw, he believed.
Canvases lying in an empty grave. This image shocked Peter and John so much that it caused them to awaken in them to an even greater faith than they had before. What was so special about these canvases that both of them no longer had any doubts that their Teacher had risen?
These sheets (keimena) lay like some kind of linen cocoon. They were not developed either by the Risen One or by anyone else. It was similar with the head scarf (soudarion), which was still wrapped (enthylisso). It retained the shape of the head, but no longer concealed anything except the emptiness inside. This is what shocked the apostles.
Jesus, emerging from these scarves, must have somehow "evaporated" or shined through the fabrics like light. The evangelists recorded how he passed through closed doors or disappeared suddenly, e.g. in front of the disciples from Emmaus. Therefore, the resurrection was not the reanimation of a corpse, as in the case of Lazarus.
Resurrection is not a continuation of life, but a transformation. Christ is touchable, as Thomas found out, he even eats fish with the disciples, but it is a different Christ. Mark writes about "another form" (Mark 16:2).
Mary Magdalene couldn't recognize Him right away either. This New Jesus escapes time and space, although he appears in these dimensions. He is present and absent at the same time. It is here and elsewhere at the same time.
Why does the Risen One reveal himself only to those who believe in Him, although they still do not believe in the resurrection? Why didn't he show himself to Caiaphas or Pilate? Why does he ignore thousands of atheists and those who mock Him? The answer is simple: out of respect for human freedom.
The Risen One does not impose himself or force us to recognize Him as the victor of death. He is not running an advertising campaign for the kingdom of heaven. He didn't organize rallies or write manifestos. Whoever wants, believes, whoever doesn't want, doesn't believe. He did not appear to the Caesars from Rome or to the philosophers from Athens, but only to those to whom he had already given the seed of faith.
He appeared to those who already believed, although imperfectly, but God does not require perfection from us, only readiness, devotion and trust. Resurrection does not force one to believe, rather it is through faith that one sees the Risen One. Faith is the only possibility of seeing the risen Christ. If you believe even a little, you will see.
The sacraments are also humble like the resurrection. Whoever wants, believes. Whoever believes sees Christ in them. They are the still small voice of God calling us by name. The sacrament of the Eucharist gives us easy access to His life and resurrection, which is stronger than death. You don't have to climb the Himalayas or go to Mars to overcome death and participate in the life of God. All you need to do is eat a piece of bread after confessing your sins.
