Dumb As A Rock

April 14, 2024

Third Sunday of Easter

It has often been said that the older a child gets, the smarter the parents become. Those of you who have dealt with teenagers know what I mean. When they were teens, my kids thought I was dumb as a rock. I didn’t mind, really, because I knew that I knew what they didn’t know. And I was totally capable of catching them doing silly stuff.

Interestingly, as they have matured, I found myself getting phone calls from each of them with questions about cars, yard work, home repair, finances, and most anything else. Turns out the old boy isn’t so dumb after all. I actually look forward to their calls now and we discuss things as adults.

Today’s Gospel has one of those moments. Jesus is explaining to the disciples that his life was in fulfillment of the scriptures. “He said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” [Lk 24:44]

You can almost see the faces of the disciples, as their minds comprehended (finally) what Jesus had been trying to teach them over the past three years. #mindsblown Eyes would have been wide open, jaws would have dropped, and arms would have been raised to the sky. There was probably more than one, “I get it!” shouted aloud. What a joyous moment that must have been.

But even at that moment, the disciples remained afraid. They asked Jesus how they could ever do what he had done and continue to spread the good news. The Romans were still a dreadful force, and the Jewish leaders were not about to let yet another popular leader, or his followers, cause more trouble. That was when Jesus promised to send them the Holy Spirit to give them the courage to go out into the world. Not to give out any spoilers, but that celebration is coming soon.

I have to look at myself and decide if I have the courage to go out into the world and share God’s Good News. I have the benefit of over 2,000 years of Christian teaching, history, and wisdom to prop me up and show me the way to be a follower of Jesus. And yet, I amaze myself at how often I shirk my baptismal responsibilities. Welcomed into the Christian community, I have grown up hearing the readings at mass, learning my prayers, and receiving the Eucharist, more times than I care to count. And with all these reasons to celebrate, some days, I have a hard time putting a smile on my face. Even at mass on Sundays, sometimes (most times?), I can’t even pretend to be joyful about what I am hearing and experiencing.

Imagine, if you will, just one time on a Sunday morning, we all experienced a moment of clarity. A moment when our minds opened to fully understand the Scriptures about the love of God. Eyes would open wide, jaws drop, and arms be raised to the sky. There will probably be more than one, “I get it!” shouted aloud. What a joyous moment that would be.

The Good News of Jesus is so, well, GOOD, that I need to share it with everyone I can. God loves me and loves everyone, right now, right here, right where I am. I can sit and talk with Jesus as adults, and I know he’ll hear me and understand. That’s a message I can share.

Every Day.

© 2024 by Timothy J. Doppel

All Rights Reserved