3^rd Sunday of Easter

Acts 3: 13-15,17-19; Psalm 4; 1 St. John 2: 1-5a; Luke 24: 35-48

Read: As they were still talking, Jesus himself stood in their midst and told them: “Peace be with you!”. They were terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost. However, he said: “Why are you so confused? Why do you have such thoughts in your hearts? See my hands and feet. I am he! Touch me, and you will understand that spirits have no flesh and bones as you are seeing that I have.” As he was saying this, he showed them his hands and feet.

Reflect: In today’s Gospel reading, the Risen Christ wanted the apostles, who were fearful and worried, to recognise him from his hands and feet. Strange! Normally one recognises another person from the face and not from the hands and feet. But Jesus so wanted. Even today He wishes to be recognised from his hands and feet. Reference is made to his wounds which he suffered with the nails when he was crucified, when his life full of acts of love reached it pinnacle.

God does not have hands other than those of Christ nailed to the cross because of love. God does not have feet other than those of Christ nailed to the cross. He shows them to us so as to tell us that he is not, and will not be, far away from us. It is when one contemplates these Christ’s hands and feet that mankind discovers who is the true God, one who is indeed love.

A Christian also needs to be identified by his hands and feet. Blessed are those who are able to show God their hands and feet marked by acts of love. Together with St. Paul they can say: “I carry on my body Christ’s marks” (Gal. 6:17).

Pray: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…….. Divine Master, do not let me: seek to be consoled, more than I console; to be understood by others more than I understand them; to be loved more than I myself love.  

Act: Let us announce Christ’s Resurrection from the dead by, like our Master, showing our hands and feet marked by acts of love towards other persons.