It Is the Lord!

By: Ivonne J. Hernandez

When we hear the stories after Jesus' Resurrection, we see that those who knew Him before He died do not immediately recognize Him. Mary Magdalene “thought it was the gardener.” (John 20:15). On the road to Emmaus, two of them “were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him” (Luke 24:15-16). On another occasion, the disciples went fishing, “When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus” (John 21:4).

Their eyes were prevented from recognizing him…

“Why do you seek the living one among the dead?” (Luke 24:5)
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When I read the accounts of these encounters, it seems that they were all temporarily blinded by grief. 

“I have risen, and I am with you still, alleluia. You have laid your hand upon me, alleluia. Too wonderful for me, this knowledge, alleluia, alleluia.”  (Entrance Antiphon for Easter, Cf. Ps 139 (138):18, 5-6)
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Too wonderful for me indeed… What does this even mean? How can I even begin to understand? The Risen Lord is here... with me, in me… in so many around me. Do I believe this? Do I recognize Him? Is there a place in my heart where I’m still blind, where I might be stuck in grief?

"LORD, you have probed me, you know me:
you know when I sit and stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You sift through my travels and my rest;
with all my ways you are familiar.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
LORD, you know it all.
Behind and before you encircle me
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
far too lofty for me to reach." (Psalm 139)

Far too lofty for me to reach… this is why you come down to me. You seek me, you call me… you wait for me to listen. You wipe my tears, you hold me… you heal me… you love me.
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Are we looking for Jesus?  The Church tells us: Look to the altar. Look at the Eucharist. Look for Him there! He is risen, as He said.
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Ivonne J. Hernandez

Ivonne is a Catholic wife, mother, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, President of Elisheba House, speaker, and writer. Author of The Rosary: Eucharistic Meditations. Regular contributor for CatholicMom.com and the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflection. She has written for other publications, including Emmanuel Publishing and Shalom Magazine. She and her husband, Rick Hernandez, coordinate the RCIA program at their home parish. She loves choral music and is a member of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. She lives in Trinity, FL with her husband and two of her young adult sons.