Father Michel: The price of the joy and the peace

When Jesus meets "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary" at dawn on the morning of the resurrection, he says to them: "Greetings!" (Matthew 28:9). The Greek word "Khairete", which is used here, literally means "Rejoice". In its daily usage, this formula means nothing other than "Hello", like "Shalom" in Hebrew. What is noteworthy though is that in the Gospel of Matthew this word appears only three times with this meaning of a greeting and this three usages of the word are to be found in the context of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. When Judas Iscariot, at the head of a band of soldiers who come to arrest Jesus in Gethsemane, addresses him, he says "Greetings Rabbi" (Matthew 26:49). In Greek, this "Greetings Rabbi," is particularly cynical because one could translate it "Rejoice Rabbi". Then, when the soldiers mock Jesus, they say to him: "Greetings King of the Jews" (Matthew 27:29).

Thus, in his passion, Jesus hears twice the greeting, used as a formula for betrayal and derision. It is this same greeting that is the first word he utters, as a blessing, after his resurrection. Whether we understand the word as saying "Rejoice" in Greek or simply "Hello" in Hebrew, this blessing goes beyond the word that is expressed. Receiving this greeting in his Passion as a curse, Jesus pays the price for that which in his death and resurrection becomes a blessing.

May our joy and our peace be up to the measure, infinite as it is, of the price which was paid for them.