The Paschal Hero: Virtuously Vigilant, not a Violent Vigilante
Jesus Shows the Same Dignity-Affirming Values Before, During, & After His Death
Anyone who’s watched action movies knows that conquering heroes return to “settle the score” with those who’ve wronged them.
So, Jesus should come back from His death and be the militaristic Messiah that many of the Israelite believers wanted, avenging the persecution by His enemies and the cowardice of His friends … right?
No.
The accounts of Jesus’ resurrection — marked in a special way during this week (the Paschal/Easter Octave) and the following six weeks (the remainder of the Paschal/Easter Season) — show Him treating people with the same virtue He always exuded.
And thank God for that!
Before His arrest, Jesus teaches His friends to flatten the imposed, hierarchical social order, and to harbor no designs on violating others to achieve their responsibilities of discipleship. These lessons remain the same when He sees them again after His death.
How do we handle adversity?
Does poor treatment from people make you bitter, resentful, vengeful, wishing to dominate them?
Anger is an easy emotion to have.
But the true test of our commitment to Christianity is how we deal with those who wrong us. This is the whole point of “love your enemies,” which appears most prominently in Matthew 5:43-48 (see also Luke 6:35-36).
It’s a lesson anarchists/voluntarists should heed, as well! If I’m only interested in nonviolence and consent-based interactions for those who are favorable to me, but am vengeful and intrusive to those unfavorable to me, then am I really living the highly ethical principles I claim to espouse?
If I harbor vigilante fantasies of inflicting my own version of “law and order” on others, then I have missed the virtuous parts of vigilance.
Let’s take a lesson from Jesus. Be a voluntarist in good times and bad times. Respect the human dignity of those you favor and those you oppose. As I wrote in my first Substack, the “no rulers” definition of anarchism also means “no wannabe rulers”; so guard against becoming a wannabe ruler when conflict arises.
Below, I’m adding a special treat for the Paschal Octave: excerpts from Chapter 5 of my book, Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen. Enjoy, and have a blessed, anarchist/voluntarist Paschal Octave and Season!
From the Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen book
Preface to Chapter 5: Mercy
Sentencing.
Sharing.
Courage.
Hatred.
And, finally, Mercy.
Adoration and praise recognize the good and wonderful things that people do. But to show mercy is to love people in their imperfections.
All humans — full of flaws and other limitations — need mercy. Fortunately, God has inexhaustible love, inexhaustible mercy, for people. Even more fortunately for earthly lifespans, humans can learn mercy and then practice mercy toward others.
It’s true that people can commit terrible sins, and so create glimpses of Hell on earth.
But people can also create glimpses of Heaven on earth, through acts of love, especially mercy.
…
BONUS STATION – Jesus lives!
John 20:18-21: 18 Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her. 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
Of all the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in the canonical Gospels, John’s provides the most dialogue between Jesus and His disciples.
All mention the empty tomb on the Sunday (the first day of the week), following Jesus’ death on Friday (the day before the Sabbath). But every Gospel contains something that the others don’t. Taking each into consideration, a wonderfully robust picture of Jesus’ defeat of death emerges, in the same way that a more panoramic view of Jesus’ full mission and message occurs from examining the entirety of all four Gospels.
Matthew explicitly mentions the Trinity and its invocation in the sacrament of Baptism (Matthew 28:19) as signs of new life to be practiced in the Church.
Mark adds that the risen Jesus initially “rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart” (Mark 16:14), showing how Jesus’ closest friends still have some worries and doubts, and gradually reach the peace of knowing Jesus has overcome death for them.
Luke gives a beautiful account of the appearance of Jesus to two followers who flee Jerusalem soon after His crucifixion. This encounter on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) reveals an order of liturgy that is still in use today in Eucharistic celebrations.
And John, more than any of the other Gospel writers, emphasizes Jesus’ mercy, and not only the repeated greeting of “Peace be with you.” There’s also the care He shows the distraught Mary of Magdala at the empty tomb (John 20:14-17); the extra patience He gives the tardy Thomas, who feels left out after hearing his brothers rejoicing (John 20:24-29); and the offer of penance and reconciliation He extends to Peter for denying Jesus during His trials (John 21:15-19).
Considered together, it is clear how very much Jesus loves people in their imperfections. He extends grace, service, and redemption to all who will accept His gifts.
God is never outdone in good neighborliness.
God is never outdone in mercy.
Show your values … in the Comments!
What do you think of how Jesus acted upon returning from defeating death? Can you put yourself in the place of His friends and imagine your reaction?
If you’re an anarchist, are you anarchist to “friend and foe” alike? How difficult is it to maintain your principles in a world that exalts imposed, hierarchical social order and the statist mindset that supports it?
Any other responses to this article you’d like to share?
Let me know below in the Comments …