Devotional Thought of the Day:

¹⁶  The eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷  When they saw him, they worshiped him, even though some of them doubted.   Matthew 28:16-17 (TEV)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not the happy ending of a movie. It is the intervention of God against and above any human hope, as it proclaims as “Lord” the one who accepted the path of defeat so that the power of the Father may be revealed and glorified.

No one could have written the script. It is far too unbelievable.

When the disciples saw Jesus, their mentor, their friend, their hope nailed to the cross, they didn’t just give up hope, they didn’t abandon it, it was sucked out them.

It wasn’t just Jesus who died, they died with Him.

For without Jesus, what was there to their world? They had given up everything to follow him, and yet, he was dead. He was gone. And with Him all their hope.

They were so devasted that even after walking around with the risen Lord for over a month, some still doubted, they still waivered, they struggled with the idea of hope being restored. They doubted, they waivered they struggled to adjust to the fact that Hope was alive again.

So why are we suprised we struggle with finding hope, and when it comes alive in Christ. When it is resurrected with Him as we are (see Romans 6 and Colossians 2) it takes time to get used to be able to hope again.

I’ve had to struggle with this, as life has changed dramatically. As health, or age, or work or even the impact of sin has caused me to redefine who I am, or who ministers alongside me.

The reaction that all is lost, that it is broken beyond repair, that I can’t deal with the life that is dealt me is overwhelming.

Yet know there is life, a fill and abundant life in Christ. We’ve been drawn into it, we are revived, we have literally begun life anew.

So how do we live in it, how do we throw off the doubt, the struggle? How do we simply spend our lives walking at peace in His presence?

It starts with adoration and contemplation. Adoring the Lord who loves us, realizing and exploring the depth of His love. Contempation of the Resurrection, trying to get our minds to realize the power and glory of what was more than broken,

Trying to get our mind around the fact that we have risen with Him, that we are made anew, that we are cleansed and forgiven.

It takes a little time, it takes us getting our minds off our ourselves, and just dwelling with Christ. And that time of adjustment takes patience and persistence. It takes time becoming aware of His presence and allowing Him to transform us.

So breathe easy, be patient with yourself. He is here, and all power and authority have been given to Him. Look to Him, let the Holy Spirit transform you.

Pope Francis. (2013). A Year with Pope Francis: Daily Reflections from His Writings. (A. Rossa, Ed.) (p. 42). New York; Mahwah, NJ; Toronto, ON: Paulist Press; Novalis.