Reflection Date: April 23, Third Sunday of Easter
Readings: Acts 2:14, 22-33; 1 Peter 1:17-21; Lukk 24:13-35
A butterfly begins its life as a fat caterpillar. No butterfly is born as a butterfly, it has to undergo metamorphosis. Is this process painful? We will never know as humans, but it sure looks scary to be enclosed in a cocoon, not seeing the light for weeks or months.
While walking to Emmaus, Cleopas and Simon felt sad and confused about Jesus’ death and supposed “missing” body. They did not notice that the “stranger” walking with them was Jesus himself. Sometimes our hearts are filled with so much sadness that we tend to concentrate on that feeling of loss and grief. We walk into that avenue of despair, enclosed in this cocoon of darkness and hopelessness, and fail to see Jesus.
But Jesus told them, “Was it not necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" He was merely trying to tell them that goodness still comes out of pain and suffering. They felt their hearts burning when Jesus started talking to them about the Scriptures. Jesus’ words rekindled this flame of hope in them. That is when they realized that Jesus was with them all along.
When a caterpillar spins its cocoon, it does not die. Inside, it changes, and it comes out as a beautiful butterfly. And when there are butterflies, there will always be flowers. Flowers need butterflies to reproduce, and butterflies need flowers for food. Christ suffered, died on the cross, and rose on the third day to save us all. While we are too busy putting ourselves down because of our sins and imperfections, just like Cleopas and Simon, we fail to look up and see the risen Lord, who loves us even when sinned. He wants to be a more significant part of our lives. Jesus is with us, always, even if there are moments when we feel like He is not.
The Lenten Season is like a cocoon. Inside, we have been repenting and turning back on our sinful ways. After this metamorphosis, may this Easter be a way for us to become better people, always looking to and walking with Jesus.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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