Keeping the Risen Christ Close To Us at Work Today
Easter has brought us the Risen Christ. We see Him. But are we close to Him; or is He simply an image, for example in a painting depicting His Glory as He rose from the dead?
This is Jesus Whom we sought to grow closer to in our special Lenten discipline of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Are we really closer? Or do we just set aside our Lenten practices and head off to work today as if it's just another day?
Even those of us who really put our backs into our Lenten discipline may that Easter breaks away from a serious spiritual effort only to return us to business as usual.
Let's not let this happen. Let's catch ourselves today, in our work. The Risen Christ can and should be close to us as we go about our day's labor.
Fine words, perhaps, but do we know just Who is this Jesus Whose closeness we seek?
If we really pay attention to the Gospels, we see Jesus. We read His words, see his actions, even penetrate - even if only a bit - into His Heart. What do we see?
Seeing Him as He is can be a good place to start if we really do want to keep Him close to us at work today. We don't want to just bring a picture of Him, or glance at Him on His Cross if we are able to say the rosary at some point today. These can be good reminders. But reminders of what, of Whom?
A few words from Father Rigoleuc, S.J. that might give us a hand here. Father lived in the 17th century. His words stand on their own, clear and simple, here and now. Perhaps they reflect for us, reinforce for us, the reality of Jesus Christ, yesterday, today, the same forever. With that understanding, we find Jesus here and now, even as we are immersed today in our work.
“It is sufficient to look on Jesus, and to contemplate His perfections and His virtues. The very view is of itself capable of producing marvelous effects upon the soul, just as a simple look at the brazen serpent, which Moses reared in the wilderness, was enough to heal the bite of the serpents. For everything in Jesus is not only saintly, but sanctifying also, and imprints itself on the souls which apply themselves to the consideration of it, if they do so with good dispositions. His humility makes us humble; His purity purifies us; His poverty, His patience, His sweetness, and His other virtues imprint themselves on those who contemplate them. This may take place without our reflecting at all upon ourselves, but simply by our viewing these virtues in Jesus with esteem, admiration, respect, love, and complacency.”
Yes, Christ is Risen. But this is not merely some "objective" fact, something we believe as Catholics. He is here amongst us as He was during His days on earth, as He was after His Resurrection. His Ascension into Heaven to sit at the Right Hand of His Father did not take Him away from us. He is with those of us who remain here on this earth until we are called Home to eternal life, until the end of time.
Is He really with us now? Is He present in our hearts?
Are we really with Him? Is all of our work really for His Greater Glory. When we make this intention, is it a kind of formula, albeit a sincere intention. Or do we really think of Him, Christ yesterday, today, the same forever?
We want to be with Him, that Jesus Who rose from the dead; not just an image or picture or painting; but really Jesus Himself.
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