Dispelling Doubt
The Church asks us to reflect, this week, on Luke 24: 35-48. I encourage you to read the passage. It starts with the joyful return of the disciples, who met the Risen Christ on the way to Emmaus. They excitedly relate how they recognized him in the breaking of bread. And they in turn are told how the Risen Christ had appeared to Simon Peter. It is in this state of wonder, amazement and anticipation that Jesus himself appears among them.
He speaks to them saying ‘Peace be with you’. The evangelist tells us that ‘they were startled and terrified, and thought they were seeing a ghost’. Apparently the news from Simon and the disciples had not sufficiently prepared them for His actual appearance. He proceeds to admonish them for their freight and internal doubt and shows them his hands and his feet. He then invites them to touch him to see he has flesh and bones.
Isn’t this so like us? Often, we are hesitant to fully embrace something until we have encountered it on a personal level. It is not enough to hear the story of the Risen Christ, we want to experience the transformative power of that story in our own lives. We need our own moment of revelation, to truly grasp the magnitude of the Good News. And as in the narrative, the Risen Christ supplies it.
Whether it's a profound spiritual awakening, a moment of divine intervention, or a deep inner transformation Jesus intervenes in each of our lives in a deeply personal way, that is tangible and undeniable to us.
We think of times when we hit rock bottom, feeling utterly lost and hopeless, only to find a glimmer of light breaking through the darkness, guiding us towards a path of renewal. It is in those moments of despair-turned-hope that we encounter the Risen Christ, offering us a lifeline of grace and restoration.
Or perhaps it's during a period of intense struggle or adversity when we feel like we're facing insurmountable challenges. Yet, amidst the storm, we experience a peace that surpasses understanding, a reassuring presence that assures us we are not alone. It is in those moments of divine comfort and strength that we tangibly feel the presence of Jesus, walking beside us through the trials and tribulations of life.
These personal encounters with the Risen Christ serve as reminders that the Good News isn't just a distant, historical event—it's a living reality that continues to unfold in our own lives today. And just as Jesus intervened in the lives of the disciples, meeting them in their doubts and fears, he meets us in our own moments of need, offering us the gift of his presence and the promise of New Life in Him.
NOTICE
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