This past weekend’s Gospel reading is similar to the previous weekend’s reading from John, and is another retelling of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples after his resurrection. Just like the reading from John, Jesus greets the disciples with “Peace be with you.” The disciples are terrified and think they are seeing a ghost, but Jesus invites them to look at and touch his hands and feet, so they know it really is him. Jesus then breaks open the scriptures with the disciples and reiterates that his death and resurrection are the fulfillment of scripture and “repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations.”
"Peace Be With U.S." by Susie Tierney in Building Bridges, Building Hope, News & Press
From the Center for Social Ministry’s blog, Building Bridges, Building Hope –
Luke 24:36-48
Luke 24:36 They were still talking about it when — there he was, standing among them! 37 Startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But he said to them, “Why are you so upset? Why are these doubts welling up inside you? 39 Look at my hands and my feet — it is I, myself! Touch me and see — a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you can see I do.” 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 While they were still unable to believe it for joy and stood there dumbfounded, he said to them, “Have you something here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 which he took and ate in their presence.
44 Yeshua said to them, “This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds, so that they could understand the Tanakh, 46 telling them, “Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in his name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim. 48 You are witnesses of these things. (Complete Jewish Bible)
"Peace Be With U.S."This past weekend’s Gospel reading is similar to the previous weekend’s reading from John, and is another retelling of Jesus’ appearance to the disciples after his resurrection. Just like the reading from John, Jesus greets the disciples with “Peace be with you.” The disciples are terrified and think they are seeing a ghost, but Jesus invites them to look at and touch his hands and feet, so they know it really is him. Jesus then breaks open the scriptures with the disciples and reiterates that his death and resurrection are the fulfillment of scripture and “repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations.”
As I read this Gospel I am especially drawn to Jesus’ reiteration that we respond to each other with forgiveness; that calling others to repentance and forgiveness are not some trivial part of our faith, but are foundational to our understanding of the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus and our call as Christians. Just as John the Baptist proclaims before Jesus begins his ministry, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is near,” (Matthew 3:2) Jesus reiterates our need to repent and proclaim repentance and forgiveness to everyone; everywhere.
If proclaiming repentance and forgiveness are fundamental aspects of the Easter story and of our Christian faith, we might ask ourselves: How are we embracing Jesus’ Resurrection today? Do we, Christians, regularly forgive others and call others into forgiveness? Do we invite others, in the words of Jesus, to forgive “seventy-seven times?” (Matthew 18:22).
If our current governmental systems and structures are our guide, then we have a long way to go with regard to forgiveness. Christians regularly advocate for the death penalty, even though Jesus said, “You have heard it said an eye for an eye, but I say do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on your right cheek, turn and offer them the other…” (Matthew 5: 38) Many Christians regularly continue to support violence as the primary response to anyone or anything threatening, even though Jesus regularly called us to be peacemakers. Many U.S. Christians adamantly and vocally advocate that our U.S. Constitutional Rights be upheld, but rarely ever adamantly and vocally advocate for the Gospel values of forgiveness and peace.
Last week, President Trump called for National Guard troops to head to the U.S./Mexico border. The deployment of troops to the border is supported by many Christians in the U.S. While it is certainly true that the issue of migration is multi-layered and incredibly complex, the justification for border troops is driven by fear; fear that if we don’t secure our borders “criminals, law-breakers, and job-stealers will get into our country.” And, often when I hear this rhetoric, I want the Resurrected Jesus to appear and say, “peace be with you” to help dispel the fear that is running rampant among us in the U.S.; to dispel the myth that we are in any greater danger from migrants than we are from our own citizens. I also want Jesus to show up in body and spirit, and reiterate all he preached and taught about love of neighbor, compassion, forgiveness and the unconditional love and mercy of God. It seems we Christians in the U.S. could use a reminder about what it means to welcome the stranger and love our neighbors as ourselves. It seems we could all benefit from Jesus’ words, “Peace be with you.”
Susie
Susie Tierney is the Director of Organizing for JustFaith Ministries and the Executive Director of the Center for Social Ministry in Des Moines, Iowa.
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning…” (Genesis 1:31)Sunday April 22 marks this year’s Earth Day. This is a time to remember our responsibilities as steward of God’s Creation, give thanks for what has been entrusted to us, and reflect on the future of our planet. Since 1970, Earth Day gathers people all around the globe to take action; this year the campaign focuses on ending the use of plastic.
Several faith-based organizations are part of the movement: PCUSA released resources for worship; Interfaith Power and Light offers several ways to take action; the Global Catholic Climate Movement invites you to host an event in your parish.
JustFaith Ministries is part of the conversation as well. The new JustFaith program offers a Catholic version with Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’ and a new version designed for a broad Christian audience that includes in its third phase, Living Simply – Caring for the Earth, various resources to discuss eco-justice issues.
On Earth Day, take action and sign up for one of our JustFaith programs
And bring the conversation to your community beyond April 22
“The vision of JustFaith Ministries is that the work of peace, mercy and justice is best done by groups of people working together. Communities can accomplish things that individuals simply cannot.” (Jack Jezreel, Founder of JustFaith Ministries)Be sure to read more of this inspiring and powerful message in a letter from JustFaith Ministries – arriving in your mailbox in early May!
Donate to JFM
We Can All Be the ‘Saint Next Door’ for Others shared by our partners at Maryknoll
In Pope Francis’ newest letter, Gaudete et Exsultate, he encourages us to take seriously our baptismal call to holiness. He says that God “wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence.” We can be saints in our everyday life. So, how do we do that? Dee Dungy has answered the call to holiness through work with the poorest of the poor as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner in Cambodia. She works with Pillar of Help, a ministry which teaches migrant workers the best practices for travel and work safety across borders. The program includes outreach and holistic care for the left-behind children, mostly boys living on the streets. In Cambodia, one out of every six boys is a victim of sexual abuse. Weak law enforcement, corruption, extreme poverty and fractured social institutions left by the country’s turbulent recent history have left Cambodia with an unwelcome reputation for child trafficking and exploitation. Dee offers workshops and personal counseling to boys so they stay in shelters and in school—and safe from traffickers. Are you called to a similar path to holiness?
Visit MKLM to learn more!
shared by our partners at Bread for the World2018 Hunger Report
The Jobs Challenge: Working to End Hunger by 2030
Bread for the World Institute, launched the annual Hunger Report: The Jobs Challenge with an event at the National Press Club on April 10th.
Jobs that provide enough to live on are critical to ending hunger by 2030. The Hunger Report argues that we must ensure that all jobs in America are good jobs, allowing families to meet their own needs with dignity. To learn more about the solutions proposed in the report, visit www.hungerreport.org to download a copy of the full report. The Christian Study Guide is a helpful resource to for small groups and congregations to work through the report.
BOLIVIA, August 9 – 19, 2018
Deadline for signups: April 9, 2018
EL SALVADOR, November 30 – December 9, 2018
Deadline for signups: July 30, 2018
See flyer for more details.
For more JustFaith Ministries stories, visit our blogs:
- Catching Light: a blog by Muriel Schmid, Director of Programs
- Mosaic: a blog by Cory Lockhart
- Still in the Storm: a blog by Joe Grant
- In the Storm Still: a companion blog by Joe Grant
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JustFaith Ministries
PO Box 221348
Louisville, Kentucky 40252, United States
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