Luke 24:36b-48 (The Message)
36 While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you." 37 They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. 38 He continued with them, "Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over. 39 Look at my hands; look at my feet - it's really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn't have muscle and bone like this." 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 They still couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true. 42 They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked. 43 He took it and ate it right before their eyes. 44 Then he said, "Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled." 45 He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way. 46 He said, "You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, 47 and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations - starting from here, from Jerusalem! 48 You're the first to hear and see it. You're the witnesses.
Good news as well as bad news is hard to believe. It is too good to be true.
To “disbelieve for joy”, as some versions depict the disciples reaction to the risen Jesus, is to believe that which is too good to be true. It is perhaps the most honest way to hear and respond to the Easter message.
As Eugene Kennedy, says in his book, “Believing”, the disciples here are
“experiencing an impulse to believe more deeply...a passionate need to believe as richly and profoundly as possible.” For “believing cannot be activated by force or by fear.” It happens when we encounter the mystery of the resurrection. And discover a truth which is too good to not be true!
"The great challenge of faith
is to be surprised by joy."
Henri Nouwen
Prayer thought for the week: “Lord surprise me again, and again, and again
with that which is too good to not be true. Open my eyes to see the resurrection
which happened and happens again and again and again.
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