Luke 24:36b–48
In Luke 24:36b-48 Jesus appears before the apostles, showing off his flesh and bones, his scars, eating and dining — revealing his resurrected humanity to them.
Toward the end of this section Jesus turns to scripture. He instructs them to consider the law, the psalms, the prophets, “all that has been written,” about the Messiah. In opening their minds to understand the scripture, the author of Luke highlights that Jesus said to them
“Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day…”
Jesus’ suffering is on highlight. The promise of resurrection is before them, but Jesus makes it clear we not forget about the suffering. In the mix of celebrating Easter for a third Sunday, we are mourning the loss of another Black person at the hands of cruel, unnecessary, and evil state violence.
Jesus reminds us that we can hold these realities in tension. This is a reminder that Jesus is in solidarity with the suffering. It’s a reminder that state violence will lose, through the power of Christ, without overlooking the suffering of those being oppressed. For Christians in the United States, it is a reminder that Christ will prevail over prisons, policing, and the legal system that enables and encourages racist violence and oppression. Christ will prevail. God be with us.
Mitchell Atencio is a discalced writer and photographer in Washington, D.C.