The writer of the Book of Revelation, John of Patmos, claims to relay the visions of Jesus, “This is the revelation God gave to Jesus Christ.” John claims Jesus claims to be the “ruler of the kings of earth” who “made us a royal nation.” Jesus’ lived revelation in the Gospel is not that of a ruler but a vulnerable man, wounded, persecuted to death by merciless rulers, and resurrected. Wounds intact, he tells disciples, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put into my side.”
Revelation means to reveal, hopefully, the truth. The Bible’s Book of Revelation hopes to reveal the truth about life for early disciples. The Book reveals a life of danger, peacemakers will be persecuted. Courage is needed. Like Jesus, peacemakers are challenging merciless rulers who will persecute them to death too. The Book’s author, John of Patmos, uses ruler, victor-based language to visualize encouragement during their persecution. The visions are imaginative and creative. They are wild in one sense yet also focused. The visions offer alternative ways to challenge the merciless ruling class. The ruling class rarely encourage creative envisioning. They more usually train for blind obedience and encourage cruel envisioning to justify and sanctify their mercilessness. It is unfortunately the envisioning of Sister Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938). She claims Jesus claims he is Divine Mercy – meaning a ruler who dispenses leniency to sinners, which includes her, “The abyss of my misery was constantly before my eyes.” Her vision of Divine Mercy was instituted as Catholicism’s title for this Sunday after Easter. April also contains the nun’s beatification and sanctification dates bestowed by Pope John Paul II (the 18th and 30th). JP II notes her vision of “the Old Testament concept of mercy is also made up of what is included in the verb “hamal,” which literally means “to spare” a defeated enemy.” Faustina’s revelation about enemy sinners is thus the exact opposite of John’s revelation about courageous disciples / peacemakers. John reveals peacemakers face danger and persecution because rulers are merciless, violently forcing obedience from the enemy peacemakers. Faustina reveals enemy sinners face danger and persecution because they are disobedient to merciful rulers. Faustina is blind to Jesus’ post-Resurrection Revelation in today’s Gospel. Jesus is a vulnerable commoner amongst other vulnerable commoners. None are sinners. All are in touch with the world’s very real wounds – wounds inflicted by a merciless ruling class who persecute them, “bring your hand and put into my side.” Creative envisioning comes from those of us who have been wounded – from being thinkers and questioners, being artists and activists, being community builders and sojourners, playful and disciplined, students of art and science and philosophy, people who are black and white and so many other hues – and are all of us in touch with each other’s wounds. As we reveal the wounds of persecution inflicted upon us by the ruling class we create, for them, a dangerous reality. We create the reality of rising social change. We are its visionaries. We are its light.
“Cheerful is the hearth, soft the matted floor; Not one shivering gust creeps through pane or door; The little lamp burns straight, its rays shoot strong and far: I trim it well, to be the wanderer’s guiding-star… What I love shall come like visitant of air… Burn, then, little lamp; glimmer straight and clear… Strange Power! I trust thy might; trust thou my constancy.” (The Visionary – Emily Brontë)
Prayer: Spirit, I am a visionary of social change.
Question: Who are the visionaries of my time? How am I one?
April 24, 2022 Gospel John 20:19-31 Second Sunday of Easter