Reading of the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke Luke 24, 35-48
When the two disciples returned from Emmaus and arrived at the place where the apostles were gathered, they told them what had happened to them on the way and how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread. While they were talking about these things, Jesus stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They, bewildered and full of fear, believed they saw a ghost. But he said to them, “Do not be afraid; it's me. Why are they scared? Why do doubts arise within you? Look at my hands and my feet. It's me in person. Touch me and be convinced: a ghost has neither flesh nor bones, as you see I have. And he showed them his hands and his feet. But as they did not believe for pure joy and were still astonished, he said to them: “Do you have anything to eat here?” They offered him a piece of roasted fish; He took it and began to eat before them. Then he said to them: “What has happened is what I told you about, when I was still with you: that everything that was written about me in the law of Moses, in the prophets and in the psalms had to be fulfilled.” Then he opened their understanding so that they could understand the Scriptures and said to them: “It is written that the Messiah must suffer and must rise from the dead on the third day, and that in his name it must be preached to all nations, beginning for Jerusalem, the need to turn to God for the forgiveness of sins. You are witnesses of this”. Lord's word.
Reflection taken from: Carbajo A., CMF, taken from Round City, Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter. Sometimes I have the feeling that Jesus, during Easter, had to smile often. He introduced himself to his friends, he fulfilled what he had promised them, and his friends, instead of being happy, were scared. They think he is a ghost. They react in such a way that Christ himself corrects them: “Why are you afraid? Why do doubts arise within you? Slow to understand what was happening in their lives until the end. Being clear about the image of Jesus is also important for us, Christians of the 21st century. For the entire Church, and for each one in particular. There are so many images of Christ, and so different, that it is not difficult to confuse him with a ghost. He fades away from us. We forget that we are talking about a person of flesh and blood. That is why, to see Christ, it is so important to meet on Sunday, the Lord's day. In community, listening to the Word of the Lord and sharing the Bread and Wine, we can feel the experience of the Risen Lord in our midst. The thing is that the Risen One never left his community, he has always been with them. It was the eyes of the Disciples that could not see him. Until his eyes are opened to the light of Easter, and they can see him for what he really is. They become aware that he has truly risen, and that he is in their midst. We can have one thing in common with the Disciples of the Luke community. He happened to them like us, they didn't quite see clearly. Even after resurrecting, Jesus has to continue catechizing them. Before, he spoke of the Kingdom. Now, convince them that it is their turn to be witnesses of the resurrection. They too must die to the fear of him, and rise to new life. Become heralds of the Good News. Another call for each of us. Talk about Christ to the people we meet. We need to be clear
Who Jesus for us, to see life in the light of Risento help the brothers clarify their images of Jesus.
Today, as in the time of the Apostles, the conditions are not the best to discover God. It seems, like in the boat on the lake, that there are many waves and it seems that we are sinking. We are afraid to open the doors, like the Disciples. We don't let them know us as we are, in case we disappoint, or they see things in us that embarrass us, or our fears or past mistakes are discovered… We may forget what we really are. And one of the conditions of the witness is to be authentic.
Jesus invites us to overcome our fears and darkness, to, with his help, be ourselves. to be like God. Because he became a real man. To death. To resurrect. He offers his disciples very human tests: eating with them and showing them his hands. Those hands that had distributed bread had expelled demons and caressed children. Hands that had washed his feet, the sign of maximum love and service, hands that allowed themselves to be nailed to the cross. This is how our hands should be, praying, religious, helpful… Jesus has no hands, he has only our hands, remember a well-known prayer. Let's make our hands hands like those of Jesus.
Know how to recognize Jesus, always wait for him, and see the signs of his manifestation; make our hands hands like those of Jesus, always open and helpful; overcome our personal fears, and be authentic witnesses with our entire lives. They could be the messages that the Word leaves us today. Let's not waste them.
LET US CONTINUE TO LIVE WITH JESUS THE JOY OF HIS RESURRECTION!!!
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