A Reflection for Thursday in the Octave of Easter
Find today’s readings here.
While they were still speaking about this,
he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”
The circumstances differ, but I do empathize with the disciples in today’s Gospel reading. Jesus stands in the midst of them, but they are unsure, afraid they are looking at a ghost. Their hearts are troubled; they are unsure of what happens next.
Today’s Gospel comes just a few days after the death of Pope Francis. I’ve talked to many people about the news in recent days, Catholic and non-Catholic, who have told me about their sadness following the pope’s death—and also about their trepidation over what follows.
That anxiety has certainly been on my mind, too.
After all, Pope Francis has been a source of consolation and inspiration to many Catholics for more than 12 years. We’ve grown accustomed to his style of pastoral leadership, and many of us take inspiration from his example of holding up the most marginalized, of his faith in God. I’ve been edified by his insistence that the poor be remembered and the earth cared for. I’ve been challenged by the way he calls out the world’s privileged and his demand that we not turn our eyes from the most challenging issues of our day. Mostly, though, I’ve been encouraged by the ways that Pope Francis helped me understand the teachings of Jesus and how they apply to our world today.
But what comes next? Will the cardinals elect someone like Francis, or will they go another route, and elect someone with different pastoral priorities? My anxiety doesn’t necessarily stem from the fear that a new pope will govern differently than Francis. After all, the day-to-day decisions of a pope have relatively little impact on my faith. But it’s the anxiety of the unknown that causes agita.
But then I read the words of Jesus: “Peace be with you.” He goes on, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?”
I read in Jesus’ words an invitation to be honest and to ask myself: Why am I troubled? What questions do I have about the future? His words are also an invitation to have faith. One era is coming to an end, something the disciples certainly understood. But fear about what comes next? Jesus didn’t want that for them—and he doesn’t want that for us.
