Homily for Thursday in the Octave of Easter

As we just heard, Jesus’ followers had difficulty believing that the man standing before them was the same Jesus they had come to know and love. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 

They had been so traumatized by the Crucifixion just a few days earlier that they struggled to accept that Jesus was truly alive. It was too much for them to comprehend.

Even today, we may find it challenging to embrace and honestly believe the good news of Easter. It is often easier to relate to the death of Jesus than to His Resurrection; we can easily connect with His suffering.

Perhaps that is why we have seven weeks of Easter: to fully take in this incredible truth and recognize that the Risen Lord is among us, saying what He said to His disciples: “Peace be with you.”

He offers us peace of mind and heart, the fruit of His love poured into us by the Holy Spirit. 

When we open ourselves to receive this gift, He sends us out as ambassadors of reconciliation, love, and peace, just as He sent out His disciples nearly 2,000 years ago. 

May our hearts be open to the reality of His love so that we can go forth and share it fully with others.