Word to the Wise
Thursday, April 28, 2011 - Octave of Easter - Thurs
[Acts 3:11-26 and Luke 24:35-48]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.
We live in an age where an event may be judged solely on the quality of the "special effects" that can be created to entertain and amaze the audience. "Visuals" are among those and the state of that art is quite amazing. Those who visit such entertainments as Disneyland can testify as to the seemingly "real" quality of special effects in the Haunted House type of feature. But, if one pulled the plug, all of that would disappear! The disciples, like most folks in their culture and time, believed in "ghosts!" We might recall when Jesus walked toward them on the water during the storm. They were as terrified of him as they were of the storm! But in today's gospel, Jesus makes his reality clear by pointing out that "a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." Then he eats something right in front of them.
The Risen Christ is not like Lazarus. Lazarus was a "resuscitated corpse" and would eventually die again, as strange as that fate might be. Jesus was alive by his own power because death could not have power over him, as it would for Lazarus. One should be too harsh on the disciples about their initial reactions to Jesus' resurrection and appearances. Our own age is far more skeptical. Some theologians have tried to accommodate our age by suggesting that all the accounts of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances are statements of subsequent faith that were retroactively read into the gospel accounts. This amounts to creating verbal "special effects" after the fact. The "fact" is that Christ is risen! If he is not, then St. Paul says we are the most pitiful of all people! [1 Corinthians 15:19] I recommend reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-20 in this season! The first scriptures from the Acts of the Apostles show that the disciples were more than convinced and were willing to die for what they had seen and heard. That is witness enough for me! AMEN
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