Jesus Christ IS Risen

As we walk into Easter, I marvel that on the greatest day creation has ever witnessed, after breaking the chains of sin with His resurrection, Jesus didn’t go to the media or government to tell of the miracle. No, after so great an event, Jesus goes to individuals.
He comforts His loved Mary as she despairs at the empty tomb. Then, He goes out to the road to find two disciples who were running away in despair. He spent a large portion of this incredible day walking to Emmaus, some in silence listening to these disciples express their fears and loose their despair. Jesus had been the dreamt of Messiah, He even told them exactly Who He is. But, they ran away from Him in the garden, couldn’t stand to see His passion not stand on Calvary at His Cross. They ran away from the One they love, from the One they had followed and believed in for several years. And, now I’m despair of their failures, they were running away from the other disciples. They expressed to Jesus that He had failed them when in fact, they were running because they had failed Him. They even had heard of something fantastic occurring earlier that morning. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus is alive like Mary told them. But, if He is, He will only condemn their failures since Thursday evening — right? So, their only response is to run away.

On this day that one would think Jesus should be proclaiming His Victory to the whole world. But, these two were so important to Him that their needs and salvation would come first. After listening to the disciples‘ confession, He quickly rebukes then. Not to condemn them as it may seem to some, but His rebuke is to stop them in their tracks and wake them from their despair. You’ve seen the same action depicted in movies. The person is frantic and gives a panicked dialogue, the hero then smacks him to bring him to his senses and stop the ranting. At this point, Jesus then tells the disciples everything about the Messiah, about Himself.
Their hearts are set on fire!
Jesus then shows them His deep love when He opens their eyes with the raising of the Eucharist at the table. Then, Jesus is off to exclaim His resurrection to the disciples in the upper room. The Emmaus disciples have been set free of their sin and guilt by Jesus’ Easter Mercy. They were running in fear but found Jesus’ Divine Mercy.

This story of Emmaus speaks of my story and life. So many times I wanted to believe in Jesus but His plan didn’t do what I expected. I knew His power but when I prayed for this or that, many times He didn’t do what I thought He should. I prayed for my dad’s health and he died suddenly. I did all kinds of ‘good’ things for God’s glory and yet my daughter became ill and nearly died. I had my expectations of what God should do. He had other plans (spoiler alert, His plans were all better). When God would ‘fail’ me and not live up to my expectations of what God should be, I despaired and ran away. Over and over I would run.

Jesus’ love was greater than my plans. He gave me His Divine Mercy in my despairing. I was running away from Him but as the ‘Hound of Heaven’, He pursued me relentlessly. He showed me His love. He never lived up to my expectation, He exceeded every plan of mine.
Those first months, I prayed daily for God to heal my daughter every day and still do. I knew I’d He chose to do so, He could wipe this Lupus away and we would praise Him. He didn’t and I fell deeply into a despair of faith. He hadn’t lived up to my expectations. I felt abandoned. But, His plans were greater. He could have healed her and washed her clean and yes, I would have praised His power. But, I would have remained in that moment. I would have had no need of growth, or faith. Jesus had plans that far exceeds all I could have imagined.

Jesus’ plans exceeded all my wildest dreams. He opened my soul to His Divine Mercy. He showed me how to trust when faith is hard, when God’s hand is unseen. He has opened my heart fully to the Father, fully to Himself and filled it with His Spirit. He gave me faith to move beyond any expectations I had of myself. He gave me lessons in trust. He is always present and active in love. I’ve moved beyond all my thoughts to true faith. He has called me to be an apostle of His Divine Mercy – nothing compared to St Faustina – but to share the incredible news of His Divine Mercy by my life and experiences.

“The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them” Divine Mercy in my soul # 1578

Happy Easter, brothers and sisters. May all the blessings and graces of the resurrection and ocean of mercy pour from Jesus upon each of you. Praise You, Resurrected Lord.