Thursday, April 4, 2024
Terror and peace
An excerpt from Luke 24:36b-39a
Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself.”
Reflection from Rafael Orsi, St. Gregory’s: Given our predisposition to enjoy predictable outcomes in our daily lives, unexpected occurrences can be quite frightful and generate uneasiness, fear, and even terror.
I believe all of us have experienced a surprising occurrence and had to allow time to digest the situation to be able to see the beauty and peace that came with it… be it not having the right gear for a hike as weather changes, or not renting the right car for traveling across a snowy mountain range. At the moment you won’t feel at ease, and will need to pray to God for patience and wisdom to see it through. Only then can you observe the peaceful and beautiful scenery.
This picture was taken by me in December of 2017 in the Logrono region, north of Spain. It was taken after driving through the mountain range during a scary snowstorm, when I had rented a small car and hadn’t driven in snow for over eight years...
ADDITIONAL READINGS:
For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
• Psalm 8 or Psalm 114 or Psalm 118:19-24
• Acts 3:11-26
• Luke 24:36b-48
MUSIC:
“Fear Not”
by John Ferguson
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name: You are mine.”
Tags: Easter to Pentecost 2024