2nd Sunday of Easter
Every Easter Sunday, we will read from these three books: Acts – Revelation – Gospel of John. By proposing this type of texts, we are offered the opportunity to reflect deeply on our faith in Jesus and in the Church.
In all these texts, the intention of their authors is much more theological than historical. This becomes very clear when we read Revelation, but not so much when we read the texts from Acts and the Fourth Gospel.
Indeed, Revelation presents itself evidently as a highly symbolic book. The seven lampstands are the seven Johannine communities of Asia Minor, Jesus is depicted as a celestial figure dressed as a King, an evidently visionary genre is employed… It is clear that we are moving in the world of symbols, that these are not events that occurred but images to convey theological concepts.
But in the other readings – Acts and the Fourth Gospel – their aspect of historical narrative leads us astray. We tend to think that Luke and John are chronicling what the eyes saw, and it is not true. What they recount was not seen by the eyes. Luke recounts the presence of the Spirit of Jesus in the first community and John recounts the birth of the new faith in Jesus among the first believers.
ACTS 5:12-16
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people.
The faithful gathered together in Solomon’s Portico, and the others did not dare to join them, although they spoke highly of them; moreover, the number of believers, both men and women, who adhered to the Lord, continued to grow.
People brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
A great number of people from the towns around Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
The author describes and narrates the first community. In this narrative, there are occasional summaries, like global snapshots (1:12-24, 2:44-47, 4:32-35, and 5:11-16). These are “narrative stops” in which a compilation of what has already been presented is made, but, above all, it is given meaning.
The overall meaning of the book, the reason it was written, is to show that in those communities the Spirit of Jesus was present and active. And the same “signs” that have been used in the gospels to show Jesus as the bearer of the Spirit are usually used: in the case of this text, the esteem of the people for the community (as happened with Jesus) and the powers of healing, understood as a sign of the presence of the saving Spirit, are used as signs. Jesus healed everyone, and so did the community, by the same Spirit.
REVELATION 1:9-11a, 12-13, and 17-19
I, John, your brother and companion in the tribulation, in the kingdom, and in the hope in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
On a Sunday, I fell into a trance and heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet, saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches in Asia.” I turned to see who was speaking to me, and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands and in the midst of them a figure like a son of man, clothed in a long robe with a golden sash around his chest. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. He placed his right hand on me and said:
– Do not be afraid: I am the first and the last, I am the one who lives. I was dead and behold, I am alive for ever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you see: what is happening and what will happen later.
These are fragments taken from the introduction of the book. It presents itself as a revelation made by Christ himself to the author. It is not the place here to explain the intention, genre, and content of the entire book. We will only indicate that this fragment has been chosen for today’s liturgical reading because of the last paragraph, in which a profession of faith in Jesus as the Son of God definitively exalted at the right hand of God is made.
We see how the Christology of the communities of the Beloved Disciple develops one aspect of Jesus in detail. We remember, to compare and contrast, the formulation we found in Acts 2:22, in which Peter’s first sermon at Pentecost is presented:
“Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.
This man, according to God’s deliberate plan, you crucified by the hands of lawless men and put to death.
But God raised him up, freeing him from the pangs of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
………………………………………………..
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
The entire collection of writings known as “Johannine” (the fourth gospel, letters, and Revelation) develop the last part of the message: Jesus exalted, Jesus Lord. And they create the Theology of “The Word made flesh.”
This is the theme that is represented in brilliant images in the text we have read: Jesus exalted, Jesus Lord for ever and ever.
José Enrique Galarreta, S.J.