An Inner Recognition

 I have been reading and re-reading Pope Benedict XVI's book on Jesus of Nazareth (Part 2: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection).  And I have to say that his observations take my breath away in parts.  In the following pages, I would like to share some of his thoughts, along with my own commentary.

In writing about the appearances of Jesus after His resurrection, Pope Benedict observes a pattern of recognition and non-recognition.  In all of his appearances, the disciples do not recognize Him at first.  He is not simply a man who has come back from death in the same condition as before --- as did, for example, Lazarus.

In His appearance to Mary Magdalen, she has a conversation with him, thinking him to be the gardener.  It is not until He speaks her name that she recognizes Jesus, "Rabbi!"  The recognition is not based on physical appearance, but on an inner reality and relationship --- You are the One I seek!  

At the Lake of Gennesaret, "Just as the day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know it was Jesus."   It is only after He has instructed them to set out again, and they did so, that John suddenly recognized Jesus and said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"  Even after Jesus invites them to eat the fish He has cooked, still none of the disciples dared to ask Him, "Who are you?  They knew it was the Lord" (John 21:12).  

They don't know Him any longer by physical appearance, but rather by the relationship and His action in their lives.   They know from within.  There is a different manner of existence here, after the Resurrection.  God is present in our lives, and we recognize/ don't recognize Him at the same time.  The Holy Spirit manifests His Presence to us, and yet, we dare not ask, "Who are You?" even though we have an inner recognition.  

After the Resurrection, we have a new form of encounter with the Risen Jesus. He now lives anew in the dimension of the living God, who is Present to us in a new way.  He is not a ghost; He comes from the realm of pure life, from God.  He sits at table with with his disciples as before, with thanks and praise and breaking of bread (as in the story of Emmaus).  As as their inner vision is opened, they recognize Him.  And then He vanishes.

During the 40 days following his resurrection, Jesus appears to His disciples; He speaks to them: and He sits at table with them.  Appearing, speaking, sharing meals; these were His ways of proving to them that He was still alive.

Because of the resurrection, Jesus is present to us in a new way.  We no longer recognize Him by appearance, but rather by fellowship with Him, based on an inner recognition.  He is with us; He attends to us; He still speaks to us and shares a meal with us during the Mass.  If we do not recognize Him in our presence, it's probably time to seek more wisdom from the Holy Spirit, whose job it is to  make Jesus recognizable to us in our daily lives.