The appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem

THE disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place on the way and how he 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.” REFLECTION

IT IS I MYSELF. It is strange that when the risen Christ appears to the disciples in Jerusalem, he asks for something to eat, and then they give him a piece of baked fish. Does this mean that Jesus, in his glorified state, experiences hunger and needs to satisfy it?

The action of Jesus is meant to show the disciples that he is alive, not a specter from the dead. Indeed, the spirit of the dead can appear and speak to people, as the ghost of Samuel did to Saul when the latter conjured him up. The medium of Endor saw an old man coming up wrapped in a robe, and Saul knew it was Samuel (cf 1 Sm 28:12-14).

Jesus also invites his disciples to see and touch him. Those who cannot accept the reality of the resurrection claim that Jesus rose from the dead in a spiritual sense only and that he showed himself to the apostles only in a vision. Here Jesus takes pains to show that he is truly risen… and very much alive! Take to heart this declaration of faith: “I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.”

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2018,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 8957328; E-mail: books@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.