The Story of the Two Disciples
Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Lk 24:35-48 “The Appearance to the Disciples in Jerusalem“
April 25, 2019 | Thursday
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.”
Today’s Reflection
Jesus himself stood in their midst. The story of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus is the background for today’s gospel. While they were reporting to their companions what had happened to them along the way, Jesus stood in their midst and greeted them with peace. The apostles reacted normally on such occasions and thought that he was a ghost. Their reaction points to us the uniqueness of this event, of the Resurrection event. They didn’t know how to react because there was really no preceding event like this. The Resurrection is such a particularly unique event that the reaction of apostles then was one of amazement and awe. Today, let us ask ourselves: what is my reaction to the gospel of Jesus’ resurrection and what’s the significance of this event in my faith journey?
