"Have you anything here to eat?" (Luke 24:41)
The disciples’ joy of seeing the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus and the way they felt at the breaking of bread, hadn’t died yet. Now, they have gathered together to exchange news of the Jesus’ apparitions and all the people he has visited. They were so disturbed by the former image of him hanging on the cross that they forgot to look forward to his resurrection and keep his promise. Then suddenly, in the midst of it all, the Lord appears. “Peace” he says to the frightened lot. The disciples are awestruck… dumbfounded, they thought they were seeing a ghost. Maybe it was the morning mist that got in the way. However, this is not the first time they imagined Jesus to be a ghost, even when he walked on water they thought the same thing. More like “spy the ghost” series. Being around Jesus must be more fun than I can imagine!
Talking about the Resurrection and being eye witnesses to the whole event are two different things. The Jews of old didn’t really understand the true meaning of the Resurrection until they saw the glorified Christ. All they believed was in the “afterlife,” a reincarnation not similar to Hinduism or Buddhism, where the soul returns in animal form depending on your karma.
The resurrected Christ proves that he is flesh and blood. “Touch and see for yourselves,” he says, “a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.” He not only speaks but asks, “What’s for supper?” “And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.” This is one passage that has given theologians sleepless nights, trying to figure out what happened to the fish that Jesus ate! Was Jesus’ resurrected body capable of digesting food? We’ll find out when we get to heaven!
After stretching their minds to understand the fulfillment of Scriptures, Jesus tells them, “You are witnesses to this.” And today’s first reading of Peter’s fearless preaching is the result of his encounter with the resurrected Lord. By our baptism we are called to bear witness to Christ, just as Peter and the other disciples did. They braved through the dark tunnels of perils, and walked through the shadows of death, to win the crown of victory. Each one of us will bear the marks of persecution, rejection and anxiety from life’s battles. They are the same wounds that we carry when forgiveness becomes difficult and unpleasant.
The message of today’s Gospel tells us that no matter where you are right now in life there is undying hope. Whether you are in the Desert.. tempted on every side, or at Gethsemane feeling deceived and rejected or maybe on Mt. Calvary under a dark cloud of confusion and dismay, you are invited to come…come to the “empty tomb” see and believe. Jesus is truly risen and he goes ahead of us to prepare a place, so that where he is, we may be also.
“Lord Jesus, we may never fully understand the meaning of the trials and sufferings we go through, but Lord, we know that in the midst of it all, You are there, bringing us peace that surpasses all understanding. Open our hearts Lord, to discover more of you each day.”
The disciples’ joy of seeing the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus and the way they felt at the breaking of bread, hadn’t died yet. Now, they have gathered together to exchange news of the Jesus’ apparitions and all the people he has visited. They were so disturbed by the former image of him hanging on the cross that they forgot to look forward to his resurrection and keep his promise. Then suddenly, in the midst of it all, the Lord appears. “Peace” he says to the frightened lot. The disciples are awestruck… dumbfounded, they thought they were seeing a ghost. Maybe it was the morning mist that got in the way. However, this is not the first time they imagined Jesus to be a ghost, even when he walked on water they thought the same thing. More like “spy the ghost” series. Being around Jesus must be more fun than I can imagine!
Talking about the Resurrection and being eye witnesses to the whole event are two different things. The Jews of old didn’t really understand the true meaning of the Resurrection until they saw the glorified Christ. All they believed was in the “afterlife,” a reincarnation not similar to Hinduism or Buddhism, where the soul returns in animal form depending on your karma.
The resurrected Christ proves that he is flesh and blood. “Touch and see for yourselves,” he says, “a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.” He not only speaks but asks, “What’s for supper?” “And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.” This is one passage that has given theologians sleepless nights, trying to figure out what happened to the fish that Jesus ate! Was Jesus’ resurrected body capable of digesting food? We’ll find out when we get to heaven!
After stretching their minds to understand the fulfillment of Scriptures, Jesus tells them, “You are witnesses to this.” And today’s first reading of Peter’s fearless preaching is the result of his encounter with the resurrected Lord. By our baptism we are called to bear witness to Christ, just as Peter and the other disciples did. They braved through the dark tunnels of perils, and walked through the shadows of death, to win the crown of victory. Each one of us will bear the marks of persecution, rejection and anxiety from life’s battles. They are the same wounds that we carry when forgiveness becomes difficult and unpleasant.
The message of today’s Gospel tells us that no matter where you are right now in life there is undying hope. Whether you are in the Desert.. tempted on every side, or at Gethsemane feeling deceived and rejected or maybe on Mt. Calvary under a dark cloud of confusion and dismay, you are invited to come…come to the “empty tomb” see and believe. Jesus is truly risen and he goes ahead of us to prepare a place, so that where he is, we may be also.
“Lord Jesus, we may never fully understand the meaning of the trials and sufferings we go through, but Lord, we know that in the midst of it all, You are there, bringing us peace that surpasses all understanding. Open our hearts Lord, to discover more of you each day.”
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