Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – Pentecost – Cycle B – Option 1 – John 20:19-23

Despite Mary Magdalene’s eyewitness testimony of meeting the risen Christ and Peter and John’s compelling investigation of Christ’s empty tomb, that evening, the disciples are holed up behind locked doors in the Upper Room (where Christ had first given them the Eucharist on Holy Thursday), hiding from the murderous Jewish leadership; huddled in the dark, the disciples are grieving, confused, afraid and hopeless.

Suddenly, as He promised (14:28; 16:16), Christ the Light of the World returns, mysteriously entering the Upper Room despite the “locked” door.  Christ, gives the Apostles His peace, reconciling with all those who abandoned Him on the Cross; this peace is the same peace Christ gave them at the Last Supper when He warned them not to be afraid (14:27). As proof that He is Christ and His Body, though now glorified (Jesus has just passed through a locked door), is the same Body that was crucified for the sins of men and raised from the dead, Christ shows them the wounds on His hands and sides; in this, Christ confirms the Resurrection of the Body. Christ’s gift of peace is received; the Apostles believe and rejoice.

Drawing the disciples into actual communion and confirming their mission to evangelize the world, Christ breathes on them and gives them His own Holy Spirit, consecrating them as Catholic priests. Having forgiven the disciples and reconciled with them, Christ explicitly gives these new priests of His Catholic Church the power to forgive and retain the sins of men, establishing the Sacrament of Confession.

Awed by Jesus Christ – Son of God, Christ in His Glorified Body is eternal, unbound by time and space with the ability to more through solid objects. Divine Prophet, He fulfills His own words and returns to the disciples despite having been killed. Divine King, Christ commands the disciples to evangelize the world. Divine Priest, Christ bestows the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and establishes the life-giving Sacrament of Confession.

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1) Christ has risen and His glorified Body is mysterious and beyond our comprehension.  Take a moment and marvel at the Resurrection of the Body (CCC 988-1019) and that your own body will some day be glorified. Rejoice.

2) In His final culminating acts of the Incarnation, Christ purposefully establishes the Sacraments of the Eucharist, Holy Orders and Reconciliation; it is a mortal danger to ignore or to be casual about these Sacraments. At Pentecost, renew your awe of Christ’s Sacraments (CCC 1113-1134) and pray for Christ to give you a profound love for the Sacraments.

3) Another of Christ’s final acts is the sending of the Holy Spirit. This Pentecost, build your understanding of the reality of the the Holy Spirit and the Church (CCC 731-747) and pray for Christ to help you accept the Holy Spirit into your heart.