HE SHOWED THEM HIS HANDS AND HIS FEET

At 3,13-15.17-19; Ps 4; 1 Jn 2,1-5a; Lk 24,35-48
15 APRIL – III SUNDAY OF EASTER – B
The resurrection of Jesus is such a new event in history as to result even incomprehensible to the small and petty mind of the disciples. They had witnessed the resurrection of the son of the widow of Nain and also that of Lazarus, by now in the tomb for four days. Ancient Scripture also told of three resurrections, one performed by Elijah and two by Elisha, the first as a living, the second as a dead person. But everyone had returned to their former life. The soul takes its place in the body and man begins to live again. With Jesus, on the other hand, everything is different and everything is new. He does not go back to the life of before. His body of flesh is transformed into spirit, into light, becomes immortal and glorious. It is this transformation in spirit and in light as God is spirit and light that they cannot understand and that is why they are always in doubt. Jesus does not explain the mystery of his resurrection. The only one in the New Testament that gives an explanation is St. Paul in the First Letter to the Corinthians. The Corinthians had come to deny the resurrection of the dead and Paul commits all his wisdom to restore the true faith in the lost, confused and uncertain hearts. The explanation is a help. The mystery is infinitely beyond. We need the Faith. Its understanding is a gift of the Holy Spirit.

But someone may say, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come back?” You fool! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind; but God gives it a body as he chooses, and to each of the seeds its own body. Not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for human beings, another kind of flesh for animals, another kind of flesh for birds, and another for fish. There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the brightness of the heavenly is one kind and that of the earthly another. The brightness of the sun is one kind, the brightness of the moon another, and the brightness of the stars another. For star differs from star in brightness. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. It is sown dishonourable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one (Cf. 1Cor 15,25-58).

Jesus does not explain his mystery. He wants his disciples to see personally that there is a perfect identity between the Crucified and the person who is before their eyes. Once this truth is placed in the heart, everything else follows. Thus Jesus teaches us that not always in faith we must start from the rational explanation of the mystery, but from the affirmation of its truth. One believes in the truth, everything else follows. If one does not believe in the truth, even the most illuminating explanations are useless. Today we have millions of books that speak of Christ and his mystery, but we no longer have Christ. We know everything about Him, but we do not possess Him. Instead, Jesus wants us to believe in Him, have Him and walk with Him. In due time we will understand.

Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the 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 Messiah 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.

Jesus, for the Apostles to open themselves to his mystery of death and resurrection, begins by opening their minds to understanding the Scriptures. His mystery is contained in Scripture, from the Scriptures we must always start. It is an eternal way for every believer.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us understand the Scriptures.