Missing Jesus is a bitter experience for those who love Him. Is the Evangelist referring to the forty hours that elapsed between the Crucifixion and the first apparitions? The experience indeed was tragic, but did not last so long. The consoling overtones of Jesus' words suggest that the readers were still in need of this consolation. The words fit best the situation of the early Church: under persecution, and thinking that Jesus would return soon, the temptation of despair was understandable. Gradually the expectation of the imminent Parousia, gave way to the responsibility of each individual to prepare his/her definite encounter with the Merciful Judge. With our eyes focused on this goal, we advance in the pilgrimage of life across thorns and roses, days and nights, missing our Lord and finding Him again. It is in this swing of success and failure that the child becomes an adult person, and this is the way our love for Christ matures.