Jesus Consoles his Apostles

In today's gospel reading Jesus appears to the eleven apostles after his resurrection. His consoling words are,

                "Peace be with you." Lk 24: 35-48

They were panicked and frightened thinking they were seeing a ghost.

What he says to them are words we can take and apply to our own lives. He asks them these questions which we can ask ourselves:

• "Why are you disturbed?
• "Why do such ideas cross your mind?"

Then Jesus gives this instruction:
   "Recall those words I spoke to you when I was still with you."

In St. John's version of the same gospel story, Jesus says, "Peace be with you," twice to the disciples. Jn 20 : 19-23 And then he says to them:
                     "Receive the Holy Spirit..."

The promises we have received as God's children have come down to us through the Old Testament. The priest at Mass this morning said, "Ignorance of the Old Testament is ignorance of Christ." He explained this is what we should know because of who we are. The scriptures lead us to understand. We must be a people of the Word and our faith will deepen.