B: 3rd Sun of Easter (15 Apr 2018) - THE GHOST OF COMPLACENCY - Lk 24:35-48

Our gospel today is the continuation of the episode on “The Appearance of Jesus to the Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus” (Lk 24:13-32). Now, after the two disciples realized that it was the Lord who appeared to them, they ran back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. At that very moment, Jesus appeared to all of them, yet they were frightened. Luke describes that they thought they were seeing a ghost in Jesus (v. 37). Some English biblical versions render it as “ghost” (e.g., CEB, NRSV). Surprisingly, the Greek word used for ghost here is “pneuma”, which literally means “breath” or “spirit” (as we find in ASV, NAB). Nevertheless, the context of our story is that the disciples were frightened which leans towards a “pneuma” that causes fear---a ghost most probably. But if it is only their own perception, not the spectacle, that made them fearful, then this “pneuma” is more of a holy apparition.

In the Synoptics (Mt 14:26 and Mk 6:49), Jesus was also mistaken as a ghost when he was seen by the disciples walking over the sea. However, the Greek word used there is “phantasma” whose English cognate “phantasm” is associated to illusions, magic or scary things. What we have then are two words to describe a ghost in the gospels: “pneuma” and “phantasma”. But we can notice that the former is used after the resurrection, while the latter is before the resurrection. Thus, we can conclude that because of the power of Christ’s resurrection one’s initial mundane fear is turned into a holy spiritual fear. It is no longer a fear that kills life, but a fear that gives hope. Fear is part of human living, but if we have a fear that is backed up with a faith in the resurrected Lord, all fears can be surmounted.

We do see the ghosts of the past haunting us always. We fear that the same evils of yesteryears will return; much more intense nowadays, when we witness the societal degradation of values. This fear is valid for it is becoming nearer to reality. Recently, Pope Francis inaugurated his Apostolic Exhortation entitled Gaudete et Exsultate, Latin for “Rejoice and be glad”. This phrase is actually taken from Mt 5:12, the complete sentence being “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” This is the concluding phrase of the 8 Beatitudes, which for Pope Francis is the guide to sanctity. The whole trajectory of the encyclical is for all of us to retrace our path to holiness which we should do in happiness and gladness amidst all the sufferings in life.

Rather than dwelling in the past, we are challenged to embark on our communal road to holiness, but always with spiritual joy and hope. The first step toward it though is deciding to make a stand, i.e., not being content with the prevailing power of “phantasma” that cripples society. Accordingly, Pope Francis says in #137 of the encyclical, “Complacency is seductive; it tells us that there is no point in trying to change things, that there is nothing we can do, because this is the way things have always been and yet we always manage to survive. By force of habit we no longer stand up to evil”. Appropriately, we are to transform this fear of ghosts (“phantasma”) to a holy fear of the spiritual truth (“pneuma”). Armed with faith, we can stand against the evils of tomorrow with high hopes.

May the Holy Spirit (“pneuma hagion”) conquer our fears and guide us along the way (cf. Lk 1:35; Jn 20:22)!

- Rex Fortes, CM