4 April, 2024 | Thursday of the Octave of Easter | 140th Birth Annivesary of Blessed James Alberione

Reading 1:Acts 3:11-26

Gospel Lk 24:35-48

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way,

and how they had come to recognize him 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.”

Reflections:

The disciples are still caught up in their unbelief because they have not understood or assimilated the repeated words of Jesus: "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day rise again". Earlier in the text, we met Jesus with 2 of his disciples who were travelling to Emmaus. Back in Jerusalem, Jesus meets them again. Jesus is a constant and faithful companion on their journey. He never leaves them alone or abandoned. At this moment it is good to remember the choice of the apostles: before choosing them, he spent the whole night in prayer to his Father; he chose simple and uneducated fishermen; he called them by name; he taught them the values of the kingdom through parables; he gave them the power to cast out evil and heal the sick; he accompanied them, stayed with them and ate with them. In fact, table fellowship is one of the beautiful characteristics of Jesus. Throughout the three years of his public ministry, he took them with him as he carried out his Father's mission. He is there to offer peace to the frightened and anxious disciples. Doubts and fears have no place in our Christian life because we are "pilgrims of hope" and our journey is towards heaven.

Action:

Say this prayer 33 times: Jesus Master, the Way, the Truth and the Life, have mercy on us.

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