Spiritual Reflection
Christ Is Risen! (But first, “he descended into hell”)
Martin Pable, Capuchin
One of the finest spiritual writers of our time is Fr. Ronald Rohlheiser. Last year he wrote an Easter column that was unusually insightful. He recalled the famous painting of Jesus standing at a door and holding a lantern; with the other hand he is knocking on the door. The usual commentary is that the painting reveals an important spiritual truth: Jesus will never force his way into our life; he will only knock at the door of our heart, but we must open to him from inside ourselves.
That is certainly true, Fr. Rolheiser says, but he suggests another way to view the painting. He reminded us that on Easter Sunday night, the disciples of Jesus were huddled together in a room behind locked doors. For one thing, they were in a state of paralyzing fear. Jesus had been crucified; would they be next? Furthermore, there were rumors that he was alive, had risen from the dead. But that did not seem possible. And even if it was, how could they face him? All of them (except the apostle John) had run away in Jesus’ hour of arrest and trial. What would he say when he found them? He would surely scold them for their cowardice and for their boasting that they would never abandon him (see Matt. 26:31-35).
Then, suddenly he appears in their midst, right through the locked doors. “Well, here comes the bawling-out,” they thought. But no, not a word of rebuke. His very first word is “Peace!” The ancient, revered Hebrew word “Shalom.” It means more than peace; it means, “God is here, and everything is all right!” Immediately those disciples knew they had nothing to fear. Their Lord was alive, and they were forgiven.
So Fr. Rolheiser returns to the painting and says: There are times in our lives when we are too worn down, too discouraged, too paralyzed to get up and open the door to Christ. At those times it is deeply comforting to remember: Jesus can come into our lives even through our locked doors, even when we’re too broken to open the door ourselves. The One who “descended into hell,” as we say in the Creed, who descended into the very depths of agony, physical pain, ridicule and rejection, and the terrors of death—is able to descend into the depths of our own private hells and lead us back into light and life. That is why, in Rolheiser’s opinion, our belief that Jesus “descended into hell” is the single most consoling doctrine within all religion. Sometimes, he adds, because of illness or hurt, someone we love can descend into a place where we, despite our love and best efforts, cannot reach. But then we trust: Jesus can descend into that hell and, even there, breathe out a peace that brings healing.
Our prayer for you and your loved ones at this Easter time: may you know the peace and joy that only the Risen Christ can grant.