WORDS FROM FATHER YOHANES: The Gift of Understanding Through the Resurrection

By Father Yohanes Akoit

One immediate impact of the resurrection of Christ on the lives of His disciples is the gift of understanding. This impact can be seen through a simple comparison between the understanding of the disciples when Jesus was still alive and their understanding after Jesus rose from the dead. The result is that while Jesus was alive, the disciples often struggled to grasp His teachings, especially those concerning His suffering, death, and resurrection. They found it difficult to accept the idea of the risen Lord, and their confusion often led to fear, doubt, and even failure. However, everything changed after the resurrection. The risen Christ opened their minds and hearts, leading them to a complete understanding of the meaning of His rising. And at the same time sending them forth to proclaim this good news to the whole world.

We can see this clearly in the story of the road to Emmaus. Jesus approached the two disciples as they walked, discouraged and confused, and He guided them step by step to recall His teachings. He helped them interpret the Scriptures and accept the truth of His resurrection. This clarity and confidence were not present when Jesus was still with them before His death. At that time, they appeared to understand His words, but in reality they did not grasp their full meaning. This lack of understanding explains why moments of betrayal, denial, and abandonment occurred among the disciples. Yet the resurrection resolved this prob lem. Jesus slowly led them into a mature and living understanding of their faith. Another example appears in the Gospel reading of the Easter Vigil (Matthew 28:1-10). This passage shows how Jesus guided Mary Magdalene and the other women who came to visit the tomb. When they arrived, the angel explained the meaning of the empty tomb and instructed them to tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee. As they hurried to carry out this message, Jesus himself appeared to them. He confirmed the angel’s words, strengthened their faith, and encouraged them not to be afraid. Through this encounter, the women moved from fear and confusion to joy and mission. Their understanding grew because the risen Christ personally accompanied them.

There are many similar examples throughout the Gospels, all carrying the same message: Jesus helps His followers understand their faith and continue their lives under His guidance. This is the blessing the disciples received soon after the resurrection of Jesus. They received the immediate impact of the resurrection of Christ, and they were able to recall the teachings of Jesus and affirm the truth of the resurrection of the Lord. Now, in parallel with the experience of the disciples, we too celebrate the Easter of the Lord. The meaning remains the same: the Lord has truly risen from the dead. And by celebrating it, we encounter the risen Lord. Therefore, we believe that the Easter celebration is not merely a ritual or tradition, but a moment of a beatific vision with the risen Christ. With this faith, we ask God to grant us the same grace His disciples received. We ask for the virtue of understanding, so that we may live according to God’s will in every circumstance of life. We need this virtue because God’s will is revealed through many different situations; illness, vulnerability, uncertainty about the future, personal limitations, and the various challenges that shape our human experience. Faced with these realities, we need deeper understanding to act and respond in a way that reflects God’s plan. Without this understanding, we easily fall into complaining, murmuring, and unhappiness, especially when difficulties arise. May the joy of Easter fill our hearts with joy and blessing, helping us to love our life and understand God’s holy will, especially in moments of difficulty.

Father Yohanes Akoit is pastor of St. Julian and St. Anthony Catholic churches in Kentucky.