Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus has come to the disciples once again after his Resurrection from the dead.
He assures them that he is not a figment of their imagination, or an ethereal being, like a ghost.
He tells them to touch him. He asks them for food.
This is the proof that he is alive again in his resurrected body.
But, although his body is transformed and glorified, it still bears the scars of his battle with evil on the cross.
Jesus goes on to reveal the mystery of God’s plan that was always present in the scriptures: that the Christ needed to suffer and die in order to forgive sins, but also, that he would rise again from the dead, triumphant over death!
Then he reminded the disciples: “You are witnesses of these things.”
They become witnesses of the living Lord. And they were then told to tell others.
This is at the heart of evangelization: To know the Lord — then to talk about who we have come to know. We are given the responsibility to talk about the message of Jesus: the need to repent of our sins, draw closer to God, and find forgiveness and love in him.
This is not a secret to be kept to ourselves, but a mystery to be revealed to the world. This life-giving message cannot end with us; it must be handed on by us.
May we come to know the Lord better — who was crucified for us — but risen again. The better we know him, the easier it is for us to tell others that, “We have met Jesus, and you can too.”