Friday in the Octave of Easter
When the beloved disciple declares that the man on the seashore is the LORD, we who have heard the Gospels repeatedly throughout our lives may overlook that he does not identify him as Jesus but as the LORD. In John’s Gospel, however, the disciples never refer to Jesus as LORD until after the Resurrection. They have been following him for some time and trusting that he is the Messiah, but it is only in the light of the Resurrection that they are able to recognize that Jesus is God Incarnate, the Second Person of the Trinity.
The term LORD is used in place of the Divine Name of God, Yahweh, which he revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai. In honoring the commandment to not take the LORD’s name in vain, the Jewish people would not pronounce the Divine Name itself but substituted another term in its place, which we translate as LORD (often in all capital letters). Therefore, when the beloved disciple declares, “It is the LORD!” he is not only saying that Jesus is on the shore but is also declaring his divinity. Now that Jesus has risen from the dead, they can see that he is more than just a man who has been chosen and empowered by God. He is that same God, who loves his children so much that he is willing to take on human nature and undergo death for our sake. Because the disciples have encountered the Risen Christ, they have a deeper understanding of who he is and rush to meet with their LORD. Let us also rush to meet the LORD Jesus.
Reflection by Fr. Victor Schinstock, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections