Back in the early seventies, there was a child’s book that became very popular among adults. It was entitled “The Velveteen Rabbit”. Its author tried to address the question “What is real?” in an understandable fashion. The more the rabbit became worn and tattered, shaggy and falling apart, the more real it became. And that was because the rabbit was cuddled and stroked, rubbed and squeezed. And the more the rabbit gave of itself, the more it was spent and the more real it became. Giving ourselves to others is what makes us real.
During these days after Easter Sunday, we have been listening to Gospel stories that relate the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. Whether they take place in the garden, at the tomb, on the road, or in the upper room that we read in today’s gospel, the question among the apostles every time was is this Jesus real or is He a ghost of their imagination. Jesus goes to great lengths to demonstrate to them that He is real: in one instance, He asks for food to eat; in today’s gospel He shows them the wounds in His hands and feet; He wants them to know that He truly has risen from the dead.
But if we take the definition of being real from the Velveteen Rabbit, no one was more real than Jesus. From the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus gave of Himself. Over and over again, He went to where the people lived; He shared with them his healing power; He taught them about the Father and His mission; He fed them with bread and fish; He finally gave them the Eucharist and washed the feet of His disciples giving them an example of serving and caring for one another. In the end, He was tattered and worn, hung upon the cross where even His life blood was shed out of love for us until there was nothing left to give.
The invitation we receive today is to become more and more real as well. Most of us will not be called upon to give our life blood for other, but we are asked to give of ourselves; to bring joy and happiness to others; to bring peace and tranquility to our world; to offer a healing touch or a reassuring smile – to be real for others in all the small ways as Jesus was for us.
Then Jesus will continue to live among us as our Resurrected Lord!