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Question

Dear Father Angelo,

A while ago I heard a comment made by a theologian who seems to imply that Jesus’ apparitions to his disciples are not real, but rather only inner experiences.
Is that so?
I would like to know how things really stand.

Priest’s answer

Dear friend,
1. I don’t know how someone who passes himself off as a theologian could say such things!
If it were only all about inner experiences, how can one say that the Lord is really risen? Could it just all be the delusions of people in great distress?
2. Sacred Scripture presents the apparitions of Jesus as irrefutable facts, and insists on this precisely because the apostles thought they were standing in front of a ghost.
Before doubting the real presence of Jesus, they doubted themselves, their own ability to stand in front of reality.
3. The Acts of the apostles report: “He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While at table with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem” (Acts 1,3-4).
Being at the table was not an inner experience, but an objective reality that everyone could see and touch.
4. How could the Apostles be credible witnesses of the Lord’s resurrection if they said it was only an inner experience? «Their listeners might have said: ”Bring us some facts! Your inner experiences are illusions!”
5. Our Lord wanted that there be no doubt about such a great reality, so central to our faith.
Sacred Scripture emphasizes how reluctant to believe the Apostles were.  They thought they were facing a ghost.
When St. Luke describes the first apparition of the risen Jesus on Easter evening, he strongly emphasizes the reality of the event.
He not only reports the inner experience of the apostles, who were “startled and terrified”, but also the exterior experience of Jesus Christ, who wanted to eliminate any plausible doubts in people who were always very grounded, in contact with realities that they could touch and see, and therefore extremely resistant to visions.
In order to overcome their fears Jesus says: “Touch me and see, a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have”.
Presumably they did touch and look at him.
6. But here is the full text: “While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, «Peace be with you». But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, «Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?  Look at my hands and my feet, that it is me. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have».  And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous and amazed, he asked them, «Have you got anything here to eat?». They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them”. (Lk 24, 36-43)
7. And here is the comment of the Dominican father Marie-Joseph Lagrange: “Despite that, as they saw him suddenly appear in their midst, without his person even stirring the doors that had remained fastened shut for fear of the Jews, they were at first moved by sacred terror. They recognized Jesus, but believed they saw a ghost; hence Jesus told them: “why are you so troubled? Peace be with you”. He then showed them his hands and feet that had been nailed to the cross, and his side pierced by the lance.
St. Luke, who was a good doctor and a good psychologist, able to appreciate the value of physical observation, adds that their excess of joy unsettled their conviction, no doubt because they feared they could take for real what was just their hearts’ desire.
Christ knew all this, and in order to lead his disciples to see the reality of what was going on, asked in the most familiar manner if they had something to eat; then he ate in their presence some baked fish; not because he was called back to his daily vegetative life, but only to prove the reality of his resurrection. Thus fully convinced, back in themselves and eager to receive a new word from their teacher, they heard him say again: “peace be with you”.
And this time their peace was complete. Then followed the bestowal of the mission they were to accomplish…” (The Gospel of Jesus Christ by M. J. Lagrange)
8. Not to mention the episode of the miraculous catch  by which the apostles pulled ashore 153 large fishes. Even the number is precisely recorded.  They had touched them all, one by one. That was not an inner experience.
I bless you, wish you the best and remember you in my prayer.
Father Angelo