Return to Galilee

Interestingly, in the account of the resurrection of Jesus that we hear proclaimed in the Gospel of Matthew, both the angel and the Risen Jesus urge Magdelena and Mary to share this message with the disciples: "Do not be afraid. Return to Galilee. There, you will see the Risen Lord."

What is the significance of Galilee? Why must the disciples go back after the events of the Lord's crucifixion, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem?

As Pope Francis reflects on this passage, he reminds us that the return to Galilee means going back to that place where Jesus first encountered us. The return to Galilee is to go back to that initial joy when Jesus first called us by name and we responded to this summons.

Yet, when we return to Galilee after some time, much like the disciples, we will also carry within us the scars of life. The disciples were fearful. Their faith had wavered. Uncertainty still lingered. The same is true for us. When we return to Galilee again and again, we are not always the same people as we were when Jesus first invited us to follow him at the lakeside. We hold within us life's shadows and disappointments, as well as our own failures and struggles.

Still, Jesus beckons us back to Galilee. When we return to Galilee, when we seek out Jesus again, we will be able to see our life in a new light. We need not be afraid. Darkness and death do not have the final word. Rather, the Risen Christ will transform us. The call to follow him and to be his disciple will deepen and increase. The meaning of our complex lives will start to come into focus.

The return to Galilee is a journey of faith. We go back to Jesus to be cured, to be forgiven, and to be called once more. We go back to Galilee to be renewed. And from Galilee, with Jesus at our side, we go forth to share the good news with others, inviting them to let go of fear and to return to Galilee.

There, in Galilee, we will always encounter anew the Risen Lord Jesus.