The Remdy for our fears

Some days you just get overwhelmed with the Lord's kindness and care for His people. I felt that way today when I prayed with the Gospel. We have just emerged from the horrendous story of the Passion of Christ into the greatest miracle of history - the Resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God, from the dead!

Except for St. John all of our Lord's disciples deserted him as he went through his trial and scourging, his crucifixion and death. As we read the Gospel today his discples are huddled together in the upper room, doors closed and locked, battling with their own guilt, their bewilderment, their loss, their fears. They are listening to the incredible story of the two disciples who had just returned from the town of Emmaus:

"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.'" (Luke 24:35-48)

Rather than chastise them for their desertion, Jesus comes to them, encourages them not to be frightened and gives them the gift of peace. He IS their peace. He is alive, he is real and he comes to comfort and reassure them.

Jesus does that with us as well. He is OUR peace! His great desire is that we not be troubled, that questions about our life do not weigh us down. "Look at my hands and feet" he says. We can do that - as we look at him on the Cross, or as we kneel before him in the tabernacle. He is not a ghost. His resurrected body is not confined to time and space so He is able to be in the tiny host in the tabernacle. He is our peace.

Like Mary Magdalen, let us share that good news with our friends, our family members, all those the Lord puts into our path today. We live in a world that it not very peaceful. That is because many people do not know Jesus. That is the reason they are not at peace.