Fr. Paul D. Scalia: Easter Reluctance

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*Image: Noli Me Tangere by Abraham Janssens, c. 1620 [Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dunkerque, France]

By Fr. Paul D. Scalia, The Catholic Thing, April 26, 2020

Fr. Paul Scalia is a priest of the Diocese of Arlington, Va, where he serves as Episcopal Vicar for Clergy. His new book is That Nothing May Be Lost: Reflections on Catholic Doctrine and Devotion.

Fr. Paul D. ScaliaOur Lord’s disciples have a curious reaction to His resurrection. It is a combination of hurry and hesitation, of racing and reluctance. The women go from the tomb quicklyfearful yet overjoyed. Something about their response is both swift and hesitant. Likewise, with Peter and John. They run to see the empty tomb, but still with some hesitancy. The passage ends with the curious statement that they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. As if they were still holding something back.

In today’s Gospel, our Lord rebukes the disciples on the road to Emmaus for being slow of heart to believe. When He appears later in the Upper Room, He again rebukes them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed. Even many weeks after, at His Ascension, when the disciples saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.

For some reason, the disciples were slow to entrust themselves to the Resurrection. They saw the risen Lord in His human body – and yet held back the giving of their hearts and minds to this new reality. Why?  ….

Read more here:  https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2020/04/26/easter-reluctance/