Reflections on the Glorious Mysteries -Part 2

Reflections on the Glorious Mysteries – Part 2

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

In part 1, I recounted the events leading up to the Resurrection, the actual Resurrection of Jesus, and the beginning of the reassurance that Jesus was alive and well to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus then entered the upper room although the doors were locked to greet his disciples who became overjoyed to see Him. At that first meeting, He invited his disciples to touch Him to prove that they were not seeing a ghost. He ate a piece of fish with them also. Then, He breathed upon them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven. Whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” Jesus conferred on the apostles the power to forgive sins. When else did God breathe upon mankind? In the book of Genesis, God breathed into Adam the breath of life and man became a living soul. This was the new life that the disciples were to live.

Of course my namesake, Thomas, was not there at this joyous moment. When the disciples saw Thomas, they told him that they had seen Jesus in the flesh. Unfortunately, Thomas did not believe them. That set up the next weekend’s appearance of Jesus when once again Jesus entered the upper room with the doors closed and locked saying, “Peace be with you.” Jesus then invited Thomas to place his fingers in the nail and spear wounds and not persist in his unbelief. Thomas did not need to do that. Thomas replied, “My Lord and My God”. This is a beautiful prayer that all of us should be saying when the priest elevates the consecrated Host at Mass for adoration and at the reception of Holy Communion after the recipient says “Amen” to the saying of “Body of Christ”.

On a brief aside, I now know who I followed in my youth when I said “I doubt it” or “Prove it”. That is an interesting insight into the character of my youth though I still retain some of that characteristic as I get older in human events.

Jesus appeared many times during the forty days following his resurrection. He asked Peter three times, “do you love me?”. He wanted to set aside the three denials of Jesus before His death. Jesus then told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they were clothed from on High with the Holy Spirit. Then they could go into the whole world preaching and converting all to Christianity. This brings us to our second Glorious Mystery which is the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. Jesus summoned the eleven to a mountain in Galilee. As usual, some of them doubted and the Lord rebuked them for their hardness of heart. He then blessed them and ascended into heaven. The apostles then went back to Jerusalem as the Lord had ordered. It was now time for Mary the Mother of God to prepare the apostles for the coming of her spouse, the Holy Spirit, which we will reflect on that narrative in part 3.

Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe. Deo Gratias. Gloria Tibi Domini. Praise be to God. See you in Paradise.