“Seeing Jesus”

Third Sunday After Easter

May 3, AD 2009

St. John XVI: 16-22

Our Gospel lesson is part of that series of statements by Jesus to his disciples that are termed the “Farewell Discourses”.  These occur in St. John’s Gospel as part of the Last Supper narrative.  But wait a minute – didn’t we just celebrate Easter a short while ago?  Why are we now returning to these passages where Jesus is signaling His immanent departure from His disciples and earthly existence, and also His return? What the Church in its wisdom has done with the assigned readings on this and subsequent Sundays is to prepare a kind of mini Advent, if you will, that culminates in the gift of the Holy Ghost on Whitsunday (or Pentecost), after Jesus departs the final time from the sight of the disciples.

The message we hear today is Jesus telling His disciples that soon He will be going away.  In a previous passage He’s already told them that He is going to His Father and that the Spirit of truth will come to guide them into all truth, which we know will reveal to them and us the glorious truths of Jesus’ divinity and His mission to redeem and reconcile us with the Father.  Jesus knows that the disciples have a hard time comprehending His words sometimes, especially these words, so throughout the Farewell Discourses He gives them the same message in different ways to help get them prepared for what is to come. The message He gives here is one of loss, pain, and sorrow interwined with hope, reassurance, and joy.  The disciples are typically confused at first by the statement “A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.”  They are particularly perplexed by the indefiniteness of the words “a little while”. Jesus patiently explains that yes, they will weep and lament, and the enemies of Jesus in the world will rejoice, when He leaves this world, but that won’t be the end of the story.  No, sorrow will be turned to joy and they will see Him again.  But notice, Jesus doesn’t give them an exact timetable, does He?  He knows the climactic events of His earthly ministry will be unfolding soon enough. And He does state that the hour is near as He continues speaking with them, and that the time for speaking in proverbs will soon be over. But first, He gives them an important figure or image that anchors this passage in the reality of life that we can all relate to. He presents the image of a woman in childbirth. Yes, even the sometimes dim-witted males of our species know that a woman birthing a child is no walk in the park. Even in our day with all of our medical advances and technology, child birth is never totally risk free or without physical pain. As usual, when Jesus gives an image drawn from life’s every day experiences, like tending vineyards or searching for a lost coin, or eating bread and drinking wine, there are many dimensions of meaning that can be reflected on.

With this image of a woman giving birth, there is the obvious, surface meaning. The pain of childbirth is real but is overwhelmed in joy at the sight of the new baby. Then, there are the scriptural resonances Jesus brings to us in this image.  References to women in travail appear in at least three important passages in the Old Testament – in Micah, Hosea, and in Isaiah. In Isaiah 26:17 ff, the prophet identifies the remnant of the people of Israel with a woman in painful labor who labors in vain to bring salvation to the earth. But Isaiah then presents a powerful image of life overcoming death through bodily resurrection, “But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.” [Isaiah 26: 19] Jesus fulfills this passage with His death and resurrection. Yes, without Jesus our labors are in vain. With Him, even death can be overcome with new birth in a bodily form.

The image of the woman in travail can be further mined to our spiritual benefit. The juxtaposition of the image of childbirth with the impending death of Jesus leads us on to a spiritual plane in which we can see and feel the suffering of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord at the crucifixion of her son, who is also the Son of Man, Jesus the Christ. The “birth” of her son Jesus is, in effect, also His death, which was experienced with anguish by the Holy Mother and the other followers of Jesus, male and female. But this anguish is remembered no more when Jesus’ death leads to a rebirth through His Ascension to the Father, His resurrection appearances, and the sending of the Holy Ghost. It is our joy also that “a man” – Jesus – was born into the world of death that He could then be born into the world of life everlasting.

That is why our sorrow can be overcome by joy when one of our loved ones passes from this life. Many of us have recently felt the pangs of sorrow from the death of dear friends or family. But the words of the Venerable Bede, Priest and Doctor of the Church, reflect what I’ve been trying to say, and can bring some measure of comfort to us. He sees the “woman” in the Gospel lesson as a metaphor for the Holy Church, and like her who rejoices that a child is born into the world, “so is the Church filled with exultation at the multitude of the faithful born to eternal life.” He goes on to say, “Nor should it appear to you strange that he is called born who has departed from this life. For as a man is said to be born when coming forth from his mother’s womb he enters into the light of day, so may he be said to be born who from the bonds of the flesh is uplifted to that light which is eternal. So the commemorations of the saints are not called funeral ceremonies, but birth day festivities.” [Natalitia]

In this world, we have sorrow – and plenty of it. But the fact that Jesus saw His disciples again, and they saw Him again, should open our hearts to rejoicing. But first we have to see Jesus. Really see Him spiritually. Have you ever looked at an icon of Christ? You can see some at the Museum of Art, or better yet, visit a church in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. When you look at an icon of Christ, you will experience an active kind of prayer, for you will see the eyes of Christ following you no matter where you stand or kneel in front of that icon. You will see Him looking piercingly at your heart, again, and again, and again. Never faltering in His gaze of tough love and mercy for you; never faltering in His desire to lead you to a transformed life in His Kingdom, even when you look away from Him. In this day and time we need to be looking to Jesus more than ever. The hour is always later than we think. Are we watching? Are we diligently searching for the only One who can give us new life and the kind of joy that no man can take from us? It is a miracle of sight that is ours to claim by birthright and baptism, for He is here (the Church), and here (Holy Scripture), and here (Holy Eucharist). He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

And now unto God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all might, majesty, honor, and dominion, as is most justly due this day, both now and forever, Amen.