Most Rev Prakash Mallavarapu
Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
Looking at “The Crucified and Risen Christ”…. Besides the accounts of the event of the Resurrection of Christ, in most churches the image of the “Crucified and Risen Christ,” either a statue or picture or a quote is put as a visible sign that helps the Community of believers “to look at and relate with Jesus Christ” with a renewed joy.
Rituals, images, idols and pictures are evocative, provided that there is genuine personal involvement and participation to see and to hear. One should not say, we did the same and did the same way earlier – last year or the last time! We in the Christian Community have been given another opportunity “to look at Jesus Christ and to look at ourselves” in the Holy Season of Lent and at Easter celebrations. Have we truly looked at him? And what happened as a result of this fresh encounter with the “Christ, Crucified and Risen?”
Easter season is the time that invites us to look at the Risen Christ, to contemplate on the Paschal Mystery, with the help of the accounts of the encounters of the apostles and other disciples, especially the women, with the Risen Christ. The apostles and other disciples moved from disbelief to belief. They who deserted returned to their Lord and Master. It is the same Master they followed but now in a new state, the glorified state of being.
It was not only a recovery from their sadness and disappointment, human and frail that they were, but it was also a recovery of their faith. They were strengthened in their conviction about “Jesus of Nazareth” whom they followed: He is the fulfilment of the “great promise” made to the descendants Abraham and to the “House of David.” He is the Only Begotten Son of God, the Anointed one, Christos and Kyrios.
With the anointing they received in the Holy Spirit, they became fearless and bold witnesses of Jesus Christ, paving the way for the fellow Jews as well as for the “gentiles” to “know, believe, and be saved!” We who are the members of the local Catholic Church today are also the fruit of the mission of the Church which commenced in the apostolic times. Drawing inspiration from the Church in the apostolic times some areas of our Christian life and the life in the Church today should come for review and reflection. This is important, if we must continue our journey as ‘baptized’ members in the Church and to be truly the Church according to the mind of Christ! We must die to those aspects of our life and of the Church that stand as obstacles to bear witness to the Lord Jesus, “who died and rose on the third day.”
Looking at Jesus Christ, crucified and died, buried, and raised on the third day: Looking at or seeing a person or a thing is a personal act and such acts affirm the true existence of the person or things. The apostolic Church proclaimed Jesus of Nazareth who was condemned to a death on the cross as Christ and saviour. They were speaking what they and others have seen and have known what happened just about fifty days ago.