Gospel for April 14 2024 – Luke 24: 35-48
Gospel Reflections for April 14 2024
Jesus opens locked rooms…
Our Lord appears to His nervous disciples shortly after His resurrection.
They are understandably hiding in a locked room for fear of the same people who had just crucified Jesus. Maybe they are also afraid of Jesus who might be filled with hate that they had abandoned Him.
Jesus does three things right away. (1) He first says “Peace!” He does not hate anyone! (2) He next shows His wounds and even eats food to prove He really PHYSICALLY rose from the dead.
Finally, (3) He announces what His life has been for, and it is not for them to just stare in wonder and awe at Himself, but to take that same message of no hate, but only love, compassion, courage, commitment, and forgiveness …outside to the whole world!
They did just that, and they were enormously successful. In just a few generations the whole Roman Empire became Catholic. You and I are here as the result of those many generations who passed on this Kingdom of God down through the centuries.
Yet, there are still two kinds of Christians today, those who remain silent and fearful in kind of a locked room and those who proudly live their faith. In the Kingdom of God …there are no invisible Christians!
This week we confirmed over a hundred young people with that same mission from Our Lord. They are never to be silent about their faith, or allow themselves to be “canceled” by anyone.
Some are tempted to shut down and keep their thoughts to themselves in a kind of “locked room.” Not Our Lord’s plan for you!
We believe that people are judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. We believe in protecting life from conception to natural death, and that marriage is for only one man and one woman. In the Kingdom of God we hate no one!
Our Lord understands the fear of His disciples in their own locked room. He tells them that He will provide all that they will ever need to stand firm and speak and live their faith confidently.
You can draw on the same compassion, courage, strength, and wisdom from Our Lord today that came to those disciples in Jerusalem. We always speak up, we always speak respectfully, but we always speak!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Apostle Luke does a fine Job pointing out in this Gospel that Jesus was predicted in previous Scriptures as to how and why He was coming. That His Death and Resurrection was foretold in those writings of old. His lack of hate for his. Persecutors was amazing. His presence with them motivated their desire to get out and spread the word and example He had given them.
We are the benefactors of their zeal and Faith Filled Labors in our behalf for which we enjoy the Faith we today profess and. Enjoy. May these. Words and actions spur us into active participation in this wonderful Faith.
Yes, we continue the mission!
Love our precious Jesus, love his Apostles and we must speak up!!! Loveeeeeeeee it and Dick and i do!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeee you!!! Loveeeee,Franca and Dick
Thank you!
I can certainly understand the immense fear of living under Roman law and now having witnessed the most horrific display of prosecution unto your own,, PTSD !
Our Lord and Savior returns…to complete his task in perfect perfection giveing them Hs Peace, reassuring them he willingly recieved his Passion for us,
He conquered and corrected every element of wrong and putrid with the immense beauty of Love.
Dervied from love is Hope to tackle the toils of life throughout our earthly pilgrimage with no fear. whatsoever.
Oh what joy to be a child of the Most High.
Fr. Dave,, I have discovered the most wonderful book by Charles Peguy, THE PORTAL of the MYSTERY of HOPE
Oh what a masterpiece.
Thank you Father. Dave
,
Yes, hope drives out fear!