On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we do not know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.The story being told here, is more than just an amusing story about a young man outrunning an older man, it is a metaphor for a deep theological truth present in our church’s structure and hierarchy.
Peter Kreeft calls this the story of the mystic and the magisterium. Meaning that John (the mystic), almost always understood what was being said to him by Jesus, he was very aware, and very perceptive, and very quick to get it. Peter (the magisterium), was much slower and took his time to come around to understanding what was being told to him.
This is the same for the church and its parishoners. The personal revelation of our mystics and staints, is quick to move the people to faith and have an immediate affect on whole communities, but the church, on the other hand, takes its time to catch up, to fully understand, and then eventually using its full authority to declare that same personal revelation valid and worthy of belief.
Consider the appirition of our Lady of Guadelupe to Juan Diego, in Mexico. It happened in 1531 in Tepeyac Mexico, and within 10 years 90% of the population of Mexico converted from Aztec Pagan worship, to Christianity. The Aztec human sacrifices ceased almost immediately. and the almost the entire continent was saved from the darkness of the evil one. This is the power of the mystic, and the incredible transformative power of our lady and our lord. But the Magisterium took its time to fully understand what was happening in Mexico, and it was not until 360 years later in 1895, under Pope Leo the 13th that this mircale of Guadelupe was considered true and worthy of belief.
This is something we should all consider seriously in our own lives. The world is quick to follow the zietghiest (spirit of the times), but the church is not, and this caution, and deliberateness, is wise and prudent, and should be held as a model for our own lives. Instead of jumping to conclusions, and not simply reacting instead of patiently responding, we all could learn a lesson from the church, by waiting, and seeing how things work out, and giving them the proper time and consideration to see them clearly and without emotion.
Our current craziness in our church today, is no different. Some day there will be a new pope, and new bishops, and we will have to deal with new issues. Lets just hope that the church will withstand all of this new stuff like it has withstood the 2000 years of “new” ideas before it. Amen.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh. lord, help me today to respond, with thoughtful reflection, to the things that happen to me today and not react hastily and abruptly. Amen.