Prayin the Communion Antiphon Series Eastertide: Tuesday Second Week of Easter

 Praying the Communion Antiphon Series

He is Risen As He Said

 Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter — Lifted Up

Communion Antiphon
“The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life, alleluia.” (cf. John 3:14–15)

 

 1. Thinking about the Words

“Must be lifted up…”

There is a necessity here.

Not:

• optional
• not accidental

 must

 

And yet…

“lifted up” carries two meanings at once:

• lifted up on the Cross
• lifted up in glory

 

What looked like:

• suffering
• defeat
• ending

…becomes:

 the very place of life

 

 2. The Gospel Connection — Encounter

Today’s Gospel (Gospel of John 3:7–15) continues Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus.

Nicodemus is still:

• trying to understand
• still thinking in earthly terms

 

Jesus brings him to something deeper:

He recalls the story of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness.

 Those who looked upon it were healed.

 

Now Jesus says:

 “So must the Son of Man be lifted up.”

 

 3. Holding the Antiphon and Gospel together

The antiphon gives us the heart of it:

 “so that everyone who believes… may have eternal life”

 

This is not just about understanding.

It is about:

 looking
 believing
receiving life

 

Nicodemus wants to figure it out.

Jesus invites him to:

 trust what is being revealed

 

 4. For Us — Where is Resurrection today?

There are moments when:

• things don’t make sense
• something feels heavy
• something looks like loss

 

And yet today invites us to see differently:

 Could this also be a place where God is working?
 Could what feels like “down” also be “lifted up”?

 

 A very gentle movement

The people in the wilderness were not asked to:

• fix themselves
• solve everything

They were asked:

 to look

 

Perhaps today:

 I am not asked to solve everything t simply to turn my gaze toward Him

 

 A quiet question

Where am I being invited today not to understand fully but to trust and look toward Christ?

 

 This Communion antiphon sits quietly with yesterday…

• Monday:  be born from above
• Tuesday:  look to the One who is lifted up

No rush to grasp it all—just let your gaze rest there

 

 5. Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You were lifted up
so that I might have life.

When I struggle to understand,
help me to turn my gaze toward You.

Teach me to trust
even when I cannot see clearly.

Let Your life flow into me
as I look to You in faith.

Alleluia.

 

Personal Note: sorry this has been posted late. I have been unwell.