A reading of the holy Gospel according to Luke 24:35=48
The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them. He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
“Peace be with you.”
There have been many peace movements. Peace activists such as Mahatma Gandhi, Doris Day and Leo Tolstoy either sought to end war, minimize human violence and usually sought world peace.
Is this what Jesus meant when he said, “Peace be with you” to the apostles? They were troubled. They did not recognize the Lord. They thought they were seeing a ghost. The disciples are trying to make sense of what happened and what will become of their lives.
Jesus is there with them and wishes them His special gift of peace. They recognize Him by His wounds and He is alive.
Where can we find this peace? Pope Francis states, " Peace requires healing of your sins."
But not everyone wants to admit their sins. Asking forgiveness is difficult, accepting God's forgiveness can be difficult as well. Jesus did not come for chastisement or vengeance but came with mercy and a desire to heal us. Such healing begins in the confessional: Jesus absolves us of our sins through the hands and words of the priest--persona in Christi
In the Eucharist we meet the crucified and risen Jesus. We are caught up in the life of His Resurrection. We see His wounds, His death and His defeat of sin by His resurrected body. What immense love, what joy, what peace!!
We have over 2000 years of our faith, so much to learn, so much to share and so much to love. Jesus' body is now transformed. He invites us to touch Him, see Him, speak and eat with Him.
We are witnesses and have come to faith by meeting Jesus in the Eucharist. He has asked us to be witnesses to others.
How do we witness to those around us: family, fellow workers and friends?
God Bless You
