Thursday in the Octave of Easter
Witnesses To The Risen Lord
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
We gather for our Eucharist because we firmly believe that Christ died for us and he is risen from the dead. We gather around the risen Lord to open our hearts and minds to his word and to let him fill us with his living presence. He tells us, as he told his apostles: “Look, it is really I; listen to me; touch me in the food and drink of the Eucharist.” Thus, in our assemblies, we proclaim the risen Christ and bear witness to him. But this faith must find expression in our everyday Christian living: since Christ is risen, he must rise in us; we must become a new people in whom Christ is alive. We must bear witness to him with the whole of our lives.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God and Father,
Jesus died for us on the cross
and you raised him from the dead.
We have not seen the marks of the nails in his hands
nor touched the wound in his side,
but we believe that he is alive
and present here among us.
Open our hearts to his Word
and let us touch him in the bread of the Eucharist,
that he may raise us up above our sins
and change us into new people.
May we thus, bear witness to your risen Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
First Reading
While he clung to Peter and John, everyone struck with amazement came running to them in Solomon’s Porch, as it was called.
Peter’s Speech at the Portico
When Peter saw the crowd, he addressed them:
“Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as if it was by some power or holiness of our own that we made this man walk?
The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob—the God of our ancestors—has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over to death and denied before Pilate, even though Pilate had decided to release him.
You rejected the Holy and Just One and demanded that a murderer be released to you.
You killed the Author of life, but God raised him from the dead, and we are witnesses to this.
It is his Name and faith in his Name that has healed this man you see and recognize. The faith that comes through Jesus has given him wholeness in front of all of you.
However, I understand that you acted out of ignorance, just like your leaders did.
God has fulfilled, in this way, what he had foretold through all the prophets—that his Messiah would suffer.
Repent then, and turn to God so that your sins may be erased;
and the time of refreshment may come through God’s mercy, when he sends the Messiah appointed for you, Jesus.
For he must stay in heaven until the time of the universal restoration, which God mentioned long ago through his holy prophets.
For Moses said:
The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet, like me,
from among your own people;
you shall listen to him in all that he says to you.
Whoever does not listen to that prophet
will be cut off from among his people.
In fact, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel onward, have foretold the events of these days.
You are the children of the prophets and heirs of the Covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham: All the families of the earth will be blessed through your descendants.
It is to you, first, that God sends his Servant; he raised him to life to bless you, by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
Responsorial Psalm
R.(2ab) O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sequence -- optional
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Then the two recounted what had happened on the road to Emmaus and how Jesus revealed himself when he broke bread with them.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them. He said to them:
“Peace to you.”
In their panic and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost,
but he said to them:
“Why are you upset, and how does such an idea cross your minds?
Look at my hands and feet, and see that it is I myself! Touch me and see for yourselves, for a ghost has no flesh and bones as I have!”
As he said this, he showed his hands and feet.
Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it and were astonished; so he said to them:
“Have you anything to eat?”
And they gave him a piece of broiled fish.
He took it and ate it before them.
Then Jesus said to them:
“Remember the words I spoke to you when I was still with you: Everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said:
“So it was written: the Messiah had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.
Then repentance and forgiveness in his name would be proclaimed to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.
And you are witnesses of these things.
Prayers of the Faithful
– That in the name of the Risen Lord, the Church may raise up its members and even outsiders to a new and better life, we pray:
– That the Risen Lord may give us peace and serenity of heart, that in him, we have someone to live for and to make our lives meaningful, we pray:
– That the Risen Lord may give peace to our Christian communities through the certainty, that he stays with us and breaks for us the bread of the Eucharist, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Living Father,
with bread and wine, we celebrate
the presence of your Son in our midst
here around this table and in the life of every day.
Let us experience him here as your great gift to us
and let him stay with us
in our never-ending quest
to be your people trying to live the risen life
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God of life and saving love,
we have enjoyed the presence of your Son among us
for we have been together in his name,
he has spoken to us his words of life
and we have shared his table.
May he live on in our community
by our attentive presence to one another,
by our common faith expressed in deeds
of love and service, of gratitude and compassion
and by our efforts to create a better world
where there is justice and hope for all.
May we thus, journey together to you
and bear witness that Christ is our Lord,
now and for ever.
Blessing
“Peace be with you,” says Jesus to us. It is really he who lives among us. Let us touch him in our prayers, in our closeness to him, and may Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTION:
Lk 24:35-48
Becoming Christ-like
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples on several occasions. Today, the gospel gives an account of such an instance. “He stood among them.” That’s how John the evangelist described the first apparition of Jesus to his disciples after the resurrection. They were a scared group of people and Jesus just stood inside the circle of their fears.
If left to ourselves, we would remain trapped forever behind the locked doors of our fears. Any attempts to rescue us would only make the situation worse. The Risen Lord, on the other hand, comes to us where we are without using force, arguments, or explanations. He stands amidst us to set us free and bring us joy.
It's worth noting that after his resurrection, Christ did not appear to anyone who had challenged him, refused to believe in him, or played a part in his crucifixion. He also did not appear to anyone in authority or in power. Instead, he appeared only to those who were trying to keep their faith strong, even if they were struggling with their own weaknesses. Christ's message does not promote revenge against those who have wronged us but rather encourages forgiveness and love towards all.
"Christ" is not just a name, but rather a possibility that exists within me. It is like a seed that needs to be nurtured every day. This journey of becoming more like Christ is known as Christification. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that God predestined all the chosen ones to become like His Son, even before time began. This means that we are meant to become another Christ, to conform to His image.
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Luke 24: 35-48
Called to be witnesses
In today’s liturgy, the word “witness” appears twice: first, in Peter’s bold proclamation after healing the paralytic, declaring, “You killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses” (Acts 3:15). The second time, Jesus Himself commissions His disciples, saying, “You are witnesses to these things” (Lk 24:48). The Apostles, having encountered the Risen Lord, could not remain silent. They shared their experience so that the truth of Christ’s Resurrection would reach all people.
This mission did not end with them. As baptized Christians, we are all called to be witnesses to the living Christ. But what does it mean to be a witness? A witness sees, recalls, and tells. Seeing does not mean looking with mere physical eyes but recognizing the profound truth of Christ’s presence. Recalling means allowing the experience of faith to shape our hearts and minds. And telling is not merely recounting an event but proclaiming, with conviction and joy, how Jesus has transformed our lives. A true witness does not speak in indifference but with a heart changed by Christ’s love.
Our faith is not a set of rules or abstract theories; it is a personal relationship with Jesus, the Risen Lord. We come to know him through his Gospel, the sacred scriptures, the sacraments, and the life of the Church. Through the grace of Baptism, the nourishment of the Eucharist, and the renewal of our hearts in confession, we are equipped to share his love.
When we focus only on ourselves or turn a blind eye to the struggles of others, we miss the chance to show the world our faith in Christ and the values of discipleship. However, by leading lives filled with joy, courage, mercy, and peace, we can shine a light on the incredible love of Christ. Let's ask for Mary, our Mother, to guide and support us, so we can joyfully share the blessings of the Risen Lord with everyone we encounter. Amen.