The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, April 20, 2006
Thursday in the Octave of Easter

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 3:11-26
Psalm 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9
Luke 24:35-48

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The Son of Man really knows our tendencies to question and doubt. Both readings today are full of loving reassurances.

In the first reading, Peter reminds his followers that they are "the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with their ancestors." (Acts 3:25) The same can be said of us. We too are the children of the prophets, and the Good News has been passed on to us, to share with the next generation. We too can be used for miracles of a sort, if we really believe, if we have a deep faith.

The second reading is the beautiful, moving scene in which Christ appears to His disciples and dispels their doubts by showing them His wounded hands and feet. He asked the disciples why they were troubled and why they had questions in their hearts. He then sits down and eats a piece of fish that they give to Him. Christ reassures them about His resurrection and reinforces the teachings that He had given them in the past. This is a loving, understanding Christ, not a person rehashing the crucifixion, and full of resentment about their running away from Him at a time of need.

Christ still appears to us with wounded hands and feet, in the form of our needy brothers and sisters in the world. He still asks us for something to eat. Are our hearts still troubled about this, and are we still full of questions? Can we hear Him saying to us, "Peace be to you"?

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)