Luke
24:35-48 - Telling our story!
35
The disciples told their story of what had happened on the road and how they
had recognized Jesus at the breaking of bread. 36 They were still talking about
this when Jesus himself stood among them and said, "Peace be with
you." 37 They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to
death. 38 He continued with them, "Don't be upset, and don't let all these
doubting questions take over. 39 Look at my hands; look at my feet-- it's
really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn't have muscle
and bone like this." 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and
feet. 41 They still couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it
seemed too good to be true. He asked, "Do you have any food here?" 42
They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked. 43 He took it and ate
it right before their eyes. 44 Then he said, "Everything I told you while
I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses,
in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled." 45 He went on to
open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their
Bibles this way. 46 He said, "You can see now how it is written that the
Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, 47 and then a total
life- change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all
nations-- starting from here, from Jerusalem! 48 You're the first to hear and
see it. You're the witnesses.
Food
for thought! Tell your story and your story will tell you who you are!
Two
disciples met the risen Lord on the way to Emmaus. They came back to Jerusalem
to share their experience with the apostles. And «While they were telling their
story, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you'»
(Luke 24:36).
It
is in the process of sharing and of telling our story that Christ makes sense
of things. Keeping silent does not help; sharing with someone always helps
bring clarity to our confusion. The whole situation seemed to the two disciples
to have no explanation. Their hopes and dreams were shattered. Everything
seemed meaningless until they talked; until they shared; until they told their
story. That is when the meaning of life became clear and the darkness gave way
to light.
Like
we said yesterday, our individual stories are not meaningless, they are
meaningful, that is, when seen through the eyes of Jesus. Look at your story,
your life through the eyes of Jesus and you will see that it carries much
meaning.
Have
you ever told your story? Have you ever shared your story? Do you come home in
the evening and share the story of your day, or you think that your story is of
no interest to anybody? Do you find time to sit with your people at home to
listen to their story? Parents, do you ever listen to the story of your
children? Or you think their small stories are nothing? Do you prefer watching
movies to listening to your spouse and children? When did you last listen to
anyone’s story? When did you last tell your story to anybody? Tell your story
and your story will tell you; reveal your story and your story will reveal who
you are.
See
how Jesus' story helped the disciples to understand theirs: «Everything I told
you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the
Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled.» He went
on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read
their stories.
This
is what Peter is also doing in the First Reading; he is helping the people to
understand their own story: Act 3:17-18
«And
now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But
what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would
suffer, he thus fulfilled.»
I
think we need Peter and Jesus again to help us understand our own story. All
the ups and downs of my and your life are meaningful; God is talking to me with
everything that happens in my life. I know that my life is not meaningless but
meaningful, that is, when seen through the eyes of Jesus. Jesus helps us
understand our stories; he makes sense out of our nonsense; he turns our
apparently bad news into good news.
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