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Apr
04

Gospel of Luke 24, Jesus is Alive!

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Day 71, Luke 24

PRAISE THE LORD!!  ALLELUIA HE IS RISEN!!!! 

We are on the second day of praying and reading this chapter! Add any new insights!

Happy Easter everyone!  And congratulations on completing 71 days with Jesus!

Today we complete the Gospel according to Luke!  Now finished Matthew, Mark and Luke!

Today we rejoice because the Lord the most High God has accomplished the victory and we all enter into that VICTORY over SIN and DEATH!

 

I see three uplifting points in this FINAL chapter:

  1. Peter’s Faith
  2. Hearts Burning
  3. Peace be with YOU

1- Peter’s Faith

I love the different accounts of the Resurrection Narratives!  They each have the same truth but different perspectives and we can receive so much from them!

What I loved about Luke’s is that we read that the women after seeing the two men — in dazzling garments — heavenly – because it reminds us of the transfiguration —

returned home from the tomb and announce all these things to the eleven — the apostles minus Judas –

and we read that their story seemed like…

Nonsense, and they did not believe them.

So that is it — Jesus had told them what was to happen but they did not believe — these holy women of God —

BUT — we see one of the biggest BUTS in the bible — there are a few –

BUT PETER — go Peter!!!!

BUT PETER GOT UP and RAN TO THE TOMB!!!! 

Peter who had suffered since Thursday night but especially Friday when the cock crowed — it had been over 24 hours and he had a chance to really reflect on what he had done -

- how he had denied the Lord and he must have been praying all this time and ready to turn around at the proper time!

He went running to Jesus!

He got to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home

AMAZED at what had happened!

This reminds me of the verses — I will turn you sorrow into JOY! 

Peter must have felt so much joy knowing that the Lord had done what He said He would do –

I am sure he had questions but in his heart he must have known that Jesus was up to His plan!

It was now a matter of heart to believe…

speaking of hearts…

2- Hearts Burning

Before Jesus appears to the apostles we read that on that very day two of them — meaning apostles were going to a village seven miles — interesting that it was seven miles!

Then while they were conversing and debating Jesus draw near!!

 When Jesus appeared to them they did not recognize Him!!  They told Him the whole story!!

Do you ever tell Jesus YOUR WHOLE STORY — over and over — like He doesn’t know — well it must be because you/we don’t recognize Him!  This was a big insight for me!!

They even say that on the third day!!!  On the third day is today!  We were really hoping that He would redeem Israel!

What does Jesus say… OH HOW FOOLISH YOU ARE!

HOW SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE ALL THAT THE PROPHETS SPOKE!

WAS IT NOT NECESSARY THAT THE MESSIAH SHOULD SUFFER THESE THINGS AND ENTER INTO HIS GLORY?

Can you imagine the patience of our Savior?!!!!  After all He went through –

but here we see Jesus the Master risen from the dead still teaching as He still teaches today — and interpreting the scriptures!!!

Here we see next that He interprets the WORD –

“Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures.”

So here we have evidence of the fact — as the Catholic Church teaches that JESUS the ETERNAL WORD is present throughout all the scriptures — old and new testament!

And then we see that their eyes were opened when?

When He breaks the  bread and says the blessing — the  MASS!!!

Our eyes are opened and we recognize Jesus at every Mass — and we leave there transformed as these apostles did —  as they say,

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?”

This is also the reason why we have liturgy of WORD and then liturgy of EUCHARIST — the Word prepares us by the Power of the Holy Spirit to receive JESUS our LORD in the EUCHARIST!

When these two apostles returned — so excited I am sure — they found out that Jesus had already appeared to Simon — Peter!  HOW AMAZING!!

Peter had his meeting with Jesus — and they told everyone about there encouter with Jesus in the breaking of the bread –

3- Peace be with YOU

While they were all still speaking about this Jesus appears to them all at once -

I think that when two are more are gathered together in His name — there He is in their midst — this is the word of God — in another place in scripture but we see it happening here up close and personal!

Jesus says “Peace be with YOU” because He knows that they are troubled…

He says — “Why are you troubled?  And why do questions arise in your hearts?

Once again Jesus refers to the Word of God and how He fulfilled it –

He speaks of the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms!! Interesting that He mentions the Psalms too!!!  Most people don’t realize that Jesus is all over the Psalms!

Then we see Jesus open their minds to understand the scriptures!!!

After all they went through for three years of training — the passion and resurrection and now Jesus must open their minds to the scriptures!

So you see that it is a great grace to understand the scriptures!!!  Only Jesus can do that for us by the Power of the Holy Spirit -

– now the apostles hadn’t received the Holy Spirit yet and Jesus refers to this event and that they are to pray until the promise of the Father sends them the Power from on high which will cloth them!

This is our example and this is why He had to leave them — and so we see the Ascension!

A lot to go through in one day — no wonder Jesus had to say PEACE BE WITH YOU!

We will spend two days on this chapter as well — so much here –and then we will start John on Tuesday!!  WHooo hoooo! 

Many Congratulations!  Happy Easter!  HE IS RISEN and HE IS ALIVE!!  REJOICE!

This feast of Easter now lasts — in the MASS for eight days I believe — so it is ONE MASS all week long — very cool!!!

Let us thank God for the gift of Easter!!

Praise Jesus for the WORD and His love and teaching!

God bless you all!

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  • Anonymous

    Happy Easter everyone. I was waiting to come back from Church yesterday before writing a comment, but I never made it. My fatehr is very weak, and to tell you the truth, yesterday was not a good day for me. I went to pick them up for Mass, but he was too weak and couldn’t get up. So, I went to Mass alone, because he was too weak to go, and my mother didn’t dare to leave him alone.

    I cried through the whole Mass. But it was a beautiful Mass, full of joy and hope and celebration of our faith. The priest, who is a young cuban priest (in his 40′s) stressed the fact that we are blessed because we can believe in God. As he said, he was born in a place where atheism was rampant and those who believed in God and Jesus were considered ignorant. He insisted that our salvation and the salvation of the nations were in the hand of God, and that He was the the one we should put our trust in, our Risen Lord.

    Whn I came home from Mass, my father was up. The know him very well in CHurch, so as soon as they so me comming alone, a Minister was send to him with Holy Communion. When he fell Friday night, he hurt his hand and has been bleeding. Hi had a bandage put on by my neighbor, who is a doctor and who helped us lifting him up from the floor. Next day, a friend came to visit him, who happened to be a doctor and cleaned and dressed the hand. Yesterday, the MInister that came, was also a doctor and cleaned and dressed his wound. . . . Is Jesus taking care of him or not? I know Jesus is with him, and he knows it too. I was just overwhelmed to see a man that has been so strong, always taking care of others and who has been so good to so many people, be so weak. BUt we know God is with him every step of the way. And I know my father is ready, anytime. It just hurts. But whatever happens, when it happens, I will give thanks and praise to the Lord for giving us such a father and for being with him all the way.

    As I read this passage again, I think of Peter. He just jumps and runs and then thinks what he is doing. I feel someone like that, who acts and then thinks, can be a dangerous person, unless he is driven by the Holy Spirit. That was Peter. Driven by the Holy Spirit.

    Then I think about the disciples from Emaus. And I think how many times in our lives we know so much about Jesus, and maybe read so much from the Scriptures and we miss the spirit of all our knowledge and the Scriptures, so that we don’t know Jwsus when we see Him. So I pray that we never miss Jesus that by His Holy Spirit our mind is always openned to Him. Praise the Risen Lord!!!

  • frken

    Asking for something to eat may seem to be of little significance but eating was a sign that he was not a ghost, so a proof of the ressurection.
    Luke also underlines how surprised and incredulous the apostles were about the resurrection as an argument against the lie that the apostles had stolen the body. They were as dumbfounded as anyone to learn of the empty tomb.
    Imagine how what they thought would be the end of everything ends up being a new beginning of an incredible` period in their lives

  • cuquilavergne

    Happy Easter everyone. I was waiting to come back from Church yesterday before writing a comment, but I never made it. My fatehr is very weak, and to tell you the truth, yesterday was not a good day for me. I went to pick them up for Mass, but he was too weak and couldn't get up. So, I went to Mass alone, because he was too weak to go, and my mother didn't dare to leave him alone.

    I cried through the whole Mass. But it was a beautiful Mass, full of joy and hope and celebration of our faith. The priest, who is a young cuban priest (in his 40's) stressed the fact that we are blessed because we can believe in God. As he said, he was born in a place where atheism was rampant and those who believed in God and Jesus were considered ignorant. He insisted that our salvation and the salvation of the nations were in the hand of God, and that He was the the one we should put our trust in, our Risen Lord.

    Whn I came home from Mass, my father was up. The know him very well in CHurch, so as soon as they so me comming alone, a Minister was send to him with Holy Communion. When he fell Friday night, he hurt his hand and has been bleeding. Hi had a bandage put on by my neighbor, who is a doctor and who helped us lifting him up from the floor. Next day, a friend came to visit him, who happened to be a doctor and cleaned and dressed the hand. Yesterday, the MInister that came, was also a doctor and cleaned and dressed his wound. . . . Is Jesus taking care of him or not? I know Jesus is with him, and he knows it too. I was just overwhelmed to see a man that has been so strong, always taking care of others and who has been so good to so many people, be so weak. BUt we know God is with him every step of the way. And I know my father is ready, anytime. It just hurts. But whatever happens, when it happens, I will give thanks and praise to the Lord for giving us such a father and for being with him all the way.

    As I read this passage again, I think of Peter. He just jumps and runs and then thinks what he is doing. I feel someone like that, who acts and then thinks, can be a dangerous person, unless he is driven by the Holy Spirit. That was Peter. Driven by the Holy Spirit.

    Then I think about the disciples from Emaus. And I think how many times in our lives we know so much about Jesus, and maybe read so much from the Scriptures and we miss the spirit of all our knowledge and the Scriptures, so that we don't know Jwsus when we see Him. So I pray that we never miss Jesus that by His Holy Spirit our mind is always openned to Him. Praise the Risen Lord!!!

  • Anonymous

    frken: so happy to hear from you – hope you are feeling well after your “incident”. i prayed for you.

    i can imagine the sense of failure they must have felt seeing Jesus (whom they thought was the Messiah) suffer and die. they must have been dumbfounded, lost, disoriented.

    my priest in his sunday homily also spoke of how blessed we are to have the gift of Faith. we cant prove it but we believe it. we do not need scientific proof. it is so wonderful to feel that we do not have to prove it to people who laugh at us.

  • frken

    Asking for something to eat may seem to be of little significance but eating was a sign that he was not a ghost, so a proof of the ressurection.
    Luke also underlines how surprised and incredulous the apostles were about the resurrection as an argument against the lie that the apostles had stolen the body. They were as dumbfounded as anyone to learn of the empty tomb.
    Imagine how what they thought would be the end of everything ends up being a new beginning of an incredible` period in their lives

  • frken

    I have to note how good women brought the good news to the apostles, that the author of this blog and her contributor s continue to be vehicles of the good news, even bringing the good word to the “apostles” of the present day. “Fired up” women have a message to deliver.Now it can be delivered not just to the Eleven, but eleventy millions of observers on the internet.

  • marionraffa

    frken: so happy to hear from you – hope you are feeling well after your “incident”. i prayed for you.

    i can imagine the sense of failure they must have felt seeing Jesus (whom they thought was the Messiah) suffer and die. they must have been dumbfounded, lost, disoriented.

    my priest in his sunday homily also spoke of how blessed we are to have the gift of Faith. we cant prove it but we believe it. we do not need scientific proof. it is so wonderful to feel that we do not have to prove it to people who laugh at us.

  • Anonymous

    I will pray for your father.

  • Anonymous

    I have brought up the fact that has hit me every time the Apostles are in “trouble” (so to say). They were human, I know I have said it before.
    I think we expect them – by we I mean bible readers – to be sort of supermen, saying “ah yes HE is risen, just like HE said, yea we knew it”.
    As mentioned by others here, they were a little disbeliving, and scared – perhaps felt they were going to be blamed for taking HIS body. Yes, thats possible. These thoughts run through my mind when I read and re-read this chapter.
    Fr Kennedy brought up the women who carried the news to the Apostles . They did seem pretty calm once the Angel announced Jesus had risen. I can see them assuring the Apostles
    I do love to read that chapter; I physically breathe a sigh of relief for Jesus, HE went through so much pain both emotional and physical.
    I watched a documentary on The Shroud of Turin and one researcher commented that “this man” was brutalized horribly, murdered over and over…
    Greater love hath no man than to give up his life for his friends

  • Anonymous

    Thank you Judy. Today he was feeling better and when I came home from work, he was sitting down in the porch watching tv (EWTN, in fact). I just want him to feel the Lord strongly evry minute of the day. Each day he is with us is a present to each of his children, grandchildre, and of course, my mother. I was so happy to see him tonight. Thank you again for your prayers.

  • http://FiredUpCatholics.com/ Marie Joseph

    This is awesome Cuqui! Thanks so much for sharing and give him a big kiss for me and all of us! He that suffers much is most like our Lord and will be recognized by Him as one of His own! Great share and connections as usual!

  • frken

    I have to note how good women brought the good news to the apostles, that the author of this blog and her contributor s continue to be vehicles of the good news, even bringing the good word to the “apostles” of the present day. “Fired up” women have a message to deliver.Now it can be delivered not just to the Eleven, but eleventy millions of observers on the internet.

  • Ann

    It’s the Great Physician who is watching over your Father right now, the doctors are like the Apostles, always ready to be of service. How blessed your Dad is to have such a wonderful family. Give your Dad a big hug for me!

  • Anonymous

    I will give him your kiss, you know how he loves you and sings to you. Today I found him sitting down in the proch watching tv. Praise God.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you Ann. My father is really blessed. He has many friends and a lot of people are praying for him, so he doesn’t feel alone. And he has been praying for everyone too. I will give hima a big hug from you.

  • judystefencavage

    I will pray for your father.

  • judystefencavage

    I have brought up the fact that has hit me every time the Apostles are in “trouble” (so to say). They were human, I know I have said it before.
    I think we expect them – by we I mean bible readers – to be sort of supermen, saying “ah yes HE is risen, just like HE said, yea we knew it”.
    As mentioned by others here, they were a little disbeliving, and scared – perhaps felt they were going to be blamed for taking HIS body. Maybe they were afraid to believe JESUS really rose from the dead from fear they were wrong or maybe misunderstood HIM. These thoughts run through my mind when I read and re-read this chapter.
    Fr Kennedy brought up the women who carried the news to the Apostles . They did seem pretty calm once the Angel announced Jesus had risen.
    I do love to read that chapter; I physically breathe a sigh of relief for Jesus, HE went through so much pain both emotional and physical.
    I watched a documentary on The Shroud of Turin and one researcher commented that “this man” was brutalized horribly, murdered over and over…Greater love hath no man than to give up his life for his friends

  • cuquilavergne

    Thank you Judy. Today he was feeling better and when I came home from work, he was sitting down in the porch watching tv (EWTN, in fact). I just want him to feel the Lord strongly evry minute of the day. Each day he is with us is a present to each of his children, grandchildre, and of course, my mother. I was so happy to see him tonight. Thank you again for your prayers.

  • http://FiredUpCatholics.com/ Marie Joseph

    This is awesome Cuqui! Thanks so much for sharing and give him a big kiss for me and all of us! He that suffers much is most like our Lord and will be recognized by Him as one of His own! Great share and connections as usual!

  • Ann

    It's the Great Physician who is watching over your Father right now, the doctors are like the Apostles, always ready to be of service. How blessed your Dad is to have such a wonderful family. Give your Dad a big hug for me!

  • cuquilavergne

    I will give him your kiss, you know how he loves you and sings to you. Today I found him sitting down in the proch watching tv. Praise God.

  • cuquilavergne

    Thank you Ann. My father is really blessed. He has many friends and a lot of people are praying for him, so he doesn't feel alone. And he has been praying for everyone too. I will give hima a big hug from you.