Title: Meditation: Thursday, April 4, 2002
The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, April 4, 2002
Octave of Easter
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Acts 3:11-26
Psalm 8:2,5-9
Luke 24:35-48
A Reflection on Today's Scripture:
He opened their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures. (Lk 24:45)
There were many valuable lessons to be learned as we traveled from Lent
into this Easter Season. For me, one of the most revealing is how often
God works gradually with the human body, mind and spirit. There are of
course episodes in Holy Scripture where God's revelation produces
dramatic conversion; but for the most part, conversion appears to be a
gradual process.
We see this illustrated in the stories that recount how the apostles who
actually saw Jesus, only gradually came to understand in any depth what
He taught them. Consider how Peter, even though he professed with his
lips the divine revelation that Jesus was the Christ, and saw Him
gloriously transfigured on Tabor, still denied Him three times. Only
through the Easter experience did the apostles finally "catch on."
Is it the same for us? It seems we too are slow to comprehend, slow to
grasp, slow to assimilate into our lives the reality of who Jesus is.
Could it be that we too need the dying and rising in order to begin to
comprehend? Instead of being discouraged to the point of despair, may we
instead allow God to have His way with us and work in us in His way and
His time. For our part may we be humble and docile, bowing in love under
His mighty, but gentle hand.
As the stories of the resurrection and Easter fade from the
consciousness of many, may we instead be determined not to let them
fade. Let us reread and recount all that happened in those days and for
certain if we are faithful, God will one day reveal what he revealed to
the Emmaus disciples in the breaking of the bread and to the scared and
confuse Eleven. Like them we will learn He is alive, He is Lord, for
ever and ever and ever. He is risen and all He said and taught will be
accomplished as He promised. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
- Donna Raye Nelson, ocds ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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All scripture quotes are from the Douay-Rheims edition of the Catholic Bible.
Full text from the New American Bible: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
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