Some people in the Corinthian church had been saying there was no resurrection of the dead. Paul was reminding the Corinthians that belief in the resurrection of Christ was the foundation of the faith that Paul handed on to them. Paul listed many people who had witnessed the resurrected Christ, and he himself was among them. He reminded the Corinthians that he had been a church persecutor, but once Christ appeared to him, he was transformed by the grace of God. The resurrection of Christ is central to our faith.

John was recording the final moments of Jesus' earthly life. Mary, Jesus' mother, was standing at the cross with two other women and the Beloved Disciple. Imagine how Mary was feeling in the face of her Son's suffering! So many women who have lost children can relate to Mary's anguish. Jesus wanted to make certain that His mother would be looked after, so He gave her to the disciple. This gesture redefined the family to represent a community of believers. We are all included in this family with Mary, our Mother and Jesus, our brother.