Interestingly, none of the four Gospels address this period. Mark devotes a single short chapter to a hurried account of the Resurrection and ends, in the likely original version of that Gospel, with the Apostles instructed to go to Galilee to meet up with Jesus—the meeting itself is never described in Mark, until attempts were made to add a more satisfactory ending to his Gospel (probably in the early 2nd Century). Matthew also squeezes everything from the Resurrection to Ascension into a single ending chapter, but does incorporate Jesus’ meeting with the Apostles on a mountain in Galilee (more Moses-like imagery). Luke’s ending chapter also covers the same period, but goes on in more detail to describe Jesus meeting two of the Apostles on the road to Emmaus and subsequently appearing to the entire group in Jerusalem. John actually devotes two chapters to the Resurrection and subsequent events, but also ends with Ascension.
Only Acts of the Apostles, traditionally considered Luke’s sequel to his Gospel, addresses what happens after Jesus’ Ascension. There’s a sense of retreat in the Apostles’ actions; they isolate themselves, gathering together for prayer and mutual support. The only pro-active move made is to elect Matthias as a replacement for the traitor Judas, bringing their number back to the magical 12 symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Retreats serve an important purpose. I use the word not in the militaristic sense of falling back from an enemy, but in the spiritual sense of withdrawing from active engagement with the world. I’ve made retreats on several occasions, to Holy Cross Monastery or to Little Portion Friary, in order to focus my mind on my spiritual journey and reflect on the state of my relationship with God. I believe that this period of retreat for the Apostles is the archetype for retreats in general: a time of isolation and internal organization, but also a time of preparation for what is to come next—Pentecost, the great commissioning of the Church to go forth with Christ’s message to the world. Individual retreats such as mine must serve the same purpose: a time of introspection and quietness, even of solitude and inactivity, but always in preparation for renewing engagement with the world, for following Christ’s path in body, mind and spirit.
So the Apostles are indeed alone, but they are not forgotten. They do not yet understand the purpose of their retreat and isolation, but I see Pentecost looming ahead of them and know for what they, and I, prepare.
