The Forty Days: The Risen Lord Confirms His Church

 

Following His Resurrection on Easter Sunday, the Risen Christ did not immediately ascend. For forty days, He remained on Earth, appearing repeatedly to His followers. This period served a singular, vital purpose: to provide irrefutable evidence of His bodily resurrection and to transition His disciples from sorrowful students to confident evangelists.

The Tangible Proof

Christ's appearances were personal, physical, and transformative:

• Mary Magdalene: She was the first witness, recognizing Him only after He spoke her name. Her tearful recognition turned her into the "Apostle to the Apostles."

• The Road to Emmaus: Two disciples walked and conversed with Him, unable to recognize Him until He performed the now-sacred action of "the breaking of the bread" (Luke 24:35). Their hearts "burned within them" as He explained the Scriptures, showing that His presence is revealed through both the Word and the Eucharist.

• The Upper Room: He appeared to the Apostles behind locked doors, transforming their fear into profound joy. He showed them His hands and His side, allowing them to touch His glorified body.

• The Doubting Thomas: In perhaps the most intimate confirmation, Jesus addressed Thomas directly, challenging him to place his fingers in the wounds of the nails and His side. Thomas responded with the perfect theological confession: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).

• The Five Hundred Witnesses: St. Paul later records that the Risen Christ appeared to "more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time" (1 Corinthians 15:6), establishing the public certainty of the Resurrection.

Teaching the Meaning of the Scriptures

During these forty days, Jesus dedicated significant time to teaching. The Old Covenant now made perfect sense through the lens of His Passion.

He "opened their minds" to understand that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, fulfilling everything written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44–45). This instruction was essential, as it provided the Apostles with the theological framework to preach the Gospel to the Jewish world.

The appearances cemented the Apostles' faith, preparing them for their final charge and the imminent descent of the Holy Spirit.

Related Post